catman529
Well-Known Member
Did not ever expect to kill all 4 in one week but can't complain. It is kind of sad though. A whole lot of prime turkey season ahead and I am already done. But I might get to call in a bird or two for friends and get some video.
I called this bird in twice before killing him.
Started out this morning with Bayou Buck in the same woods where I killed on opening morning. All we saw was 2 hens that we bumped off roost in different areas by themselves. Heard some gobbles but mainly across river on private land. Backed out of there and headed for the place where I killed #3 yesterday. Getting our stuff ready by the road we hear a gobbler on the other side of the road from where we were headed. It's also WMA property so we slip into the woods and setup and call. the bird then decided to shut up, and I heard another hen call that I swear was a guy using a box call. I am 99% sure it was another hunter. After the gobbler failed to respond anymore, and not wanting to intrude on someone else's setup, we went back to across the road and headed down the trail. It's a long hike back to the field where I killed #3, and we stopped periodically to call and listen. Nothing was gobbling, yelping, or anything. Kind of a dead morning. Finally Bayou Buck had to leave around noon so we made our way back to the trucks.
I then proceeded to take a good nap in the truck. Windows rolled down, weather was perfect, and I was worn out from lack of sleep and hiking several miles. When I got up I was ready to go, and had a hunch I should head across the street and see if that gobbler was still in there.
Not long after getting into the creek bottom, he gobbled. I went up a slight embankment and set up on the edge of some cedars. He gobbled at my calls and I waited.
Then the bird came in silent, and from my extreme right. I heard leaves moving and turned my head but not my gun. Here he came, looking for the hen, up to maybe 15 yards or so, and gobbled. My gun was facing totally the wrong way. I did not feel comfortable swinging and shooting, so I let him walk away. He was not spooked but he also lost interest. When he continued to gobble as he drifted away, I backed out into the creek bottom and made a big loop to get in front of him, since I remember someone saying you can't usually call a bird back to where he came from.
I set up in another patch of cedars, facing where he last gobbled, with the slight embankment sloping down about 20 yd to my left. He gobbled a few times in front of me, so I sit and waited it out.
Finally I heard rustling in the leaves like he was coming again. After looking intently, I caught a small flash of white at ground level to my left. Darn, I got worked up about a squirrel. But, I always tell myself, in deer hunting as well, always make sure it's a squirrel. I kept watching for the squirrel to reappear, and instead a white and red head reappeared... it was no squirrel. The bird was just over the edge of the slope and when he stuck his head up is when I could see him. My gun wasn't facing to the left, but when his head ducked down again, I got it up and just waited for it to pop up again. When it did, I centered that bead in on the white noggin and let him have it.
Another 2 year old bird, 8.75 inch beard, 7/8" spurs, 19-14. Killed at 3 pm
Not going to write a season in review yet, because I might still call in some birds for people if I can.
Weirdest thing is that I tagged out before finding the first morel! Now I have more time to look for mushrooms, and go fishing.
I called this bird in twice before killing him.
Started out this morning with Bayou Buck in the same woods where I killed on opening morning. All we saw was 2 hens that we bumped off roost in different areas by themselves. Heard some gobbles but mainly across river on private land. Backed out of there and headed for the place where I killed #3 yesterday. Getting our stuff ready by the road we hear a gobbler on the other side of the road from where we were headed. It's also WMA property so we slip into the woods and setup and call. the bird then decided to shut up, and I heard another hen call that I swear was a guy using a box call. I am 99% sure it was another hunter. After the gobbler failed to respond anymore, and not wanting to intrude on someone else's setup, we went back to across the road and headed down the trail. It's a long hike back to the field where I killed #3, and we stopped periodically to call and listen. Nothing was gobbling, yelping, or anything. Kind of a dead morning. Finally Bayou Buck had to leave around noon so we made our way back to the trucks.
I then proceeded to take a good nap in the truck. Windows rolled down, weather was perfect, and I was worn out from lack of sleep and hiking several miles. When I got up I was ready to go, and had a hunch I should head across the street and see if that gobbler was still in there.
Not long after getting into the creek bottom, he gobbled. I went up a slight embankment and set up on the edge of some cedars. He gobbled at my calls and I waited.
Then the bird came in silent, and from my extreme right. I heard leaves moving and turned my head but not my gun. Here he came, looking for the hen, up to maybe 15 yards or so, and gobbled. My gun was facing totally the wrong way. I did not feel comfortable swinging and shooting, so I let him walk away. He was not spooked but he also lost interest. When he continued to gobble as he drifted away, I backed out into the creek bottom and made a big loop to get in front of him, since I remember someone saying you can't usually call a bird back to where he came from.
I set up in another patch of cedars, facing where he last gobbled, with the slight embankment sloping down about 20 yd to my left. He gobbled a few times in front of me, so I sit and waited it out.
Finally I heard rustling in the leaves like he was coming again. After looking intently, I caught a small flash of white at ground level to my left. Darn, I got worked up about a squirrel. But, I always tell myself, in deer hunting as well, always make sure it's a squirrel. I kept watching for the squirrel to reappear, and instead a white and red head reappeared... it was no squirrel. The bird was just over the edge of the slope and when he stuck his head up is when I could see him. My gun wasn't facing to the left, but when his head ducked down again, I got it up and just waited for it to pop up again. When it did, I centered that bead in on the white noggin and let him have it.
Another 2 year old bird, 8.75 inch beard, 7/8" spurs, 19-14. Killed at 3 pm
Not going to write a season in review yet, because I might still call in some birds for people if I can.
Weirdest thing is that I tagged out before finding the first morel! Now I have more time to look for mushrooms, and go fishing.
