I had the privilege to hunt this weekend and of course I was ready to go. After the storms blew out yesterday I struck a bird and climbed what seemed like the steepest hills in North America only to discover there was a body of water between us. To my dismay he absolutely gobbled his brains out and his buddy a ways down the ridge joined in. I realized later that there was a bend in the river and I could have crossed on him had I paid more attention. I set out to find the actual ridge he was on. Found it with no problem and developed my plan of attack for the next morning. I had this one right where I wanted him! ( Never say that turkey hunting). I woke up early from camp and drove on over to my spot and laid the seat back. As I wake from my brief nap and start to head out for my surprise attack. I somehow hit the panic button on my key fob! I keep hitting the lock button on my door? I felt like Barney Fife! I finally realized hit the red button again. This turkey has no clue I am anywhere near! Lol. I get to my listening spot thinking this will be great, I am going to be right above him . Crow flies over, he cuts loose, you guessed it. He is on the other side of the river about 100 yards from the trail I had walked in on the day before! I think to myself you have looked at the map, get over there. As I am going down a hill so steep I feel like I need a rope to tie off on, I start to question myself. I get to the bottom and look up , reality hits . The hill is steep as a horses face and there is 3 just like it to climb before I hit the trail. I finally get to where I want to be , legs burning, sweat pouring, glasses fogging and he has quit gobbling! I call, nothing. Move call again nothing. I ease down the trail nice and slow as I can't believe he is gone. I cluck on my slate, Booom he cuts me off. He is 80 /100 yards, I get off the side of the trail thinking he will surely strut this so I can see him. I wait, wait, yelp real light and scratch some leaves , he hammers closer . I get ready, after a while I hear the sound we all love, drumming, my gun is pointed down the old road bed but of course he is coming through the the thick pines above me as I see his big white head telescoping and looking. When he drops his head to strut, I move my gun. When he comes back up and gets a little closer , I got on him and that was the end. I then walked the 1.75 miles back out on the trail I had walked in on the day before, hit the road and walked over a mile back to my truck. Worth every minute of it! Lol
Just like I planned?
- Thread starter deerfever
- Start date
Awesome!
You earned that one. Congrats!!!
Congratulations!
spoon
Well-Known Member
Congratulations
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
Nice...congratulations
Wrangler95
Well-Known Member
Nice Tom and great story,congrats!!
megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
Congrats!!!
Sometimes our biggest mistakes come from OVERTHINKING the game plan in the morning before the hunt itself... at least I'm guilty of that.
If I have one roosted in a tree the evening before, it usually works out well for me.... but if I just have a vague idea of a general area, I tend to create a scenario in my head that goes from where he SHOULD be roosted, will fly down in such and such a direction, work to a strut zone in such and such a place, then work back to such and such an area as the day gets hot, then work a different such and such area as he works his way back to the roost for the evening. All that prehunt scenario planning goes in the toilet at gobble time when he either is roosted in a totally different place, or doesn't gobble at all.
I think a lot of times turkeys just fly up to the closest suitable tree when it's time to go to roost with no forethought where ever they happen to be. Just turkeys.
Sometimes our biggest mistakes come from OVERTHINKING the game plan in the morning before the hunt itself... at least I'm guilty of that.
If I have one roosted in a tree the evening before, it usually works out well for me.... but if I just have a vague idea of a general area, I tend to create a scenario in my head that goes from where he SHOULD be roosted, will fly down in such and such a direction, work to a strut zone in such and such a place, then work back to such and such an area as the day gets hot, then work a different such and such area as he works his way back to the roost for the evening. All that prehunt scenario planning goes in the toilet at gobble time when he either is roosted in a totally different place, or doesn't gobble at all.
I think a lot of times turkeys just fly up to the closest suitable tree when it's time to go to roost with no forethought where ever they happen to be. Just turkeys.
Congrats on a well-deserved bird.
I've had those "reality hits" moments also.
I realized if I had turned an ankle, no one would ever find me, and I didn't have cell service.
The things we'll do chasing a gobble.
I've had those "reality hits" moments also.
I realized if I had turned an ankle, no one would ever find me, and I didn't have cell service.
The things we'll do chasing a gobble.
Setterman
Well-Known Member
That's good stuff! Congrats
Nice bird, Congratulations!
Congratulations!!
Big congrats, nothing like it IMO! Thanks for sharing.
You planned it. You planned it well! But plans can and do change. Your flexible plan worked well, congrats!
Boll Weevil
Well-Known Member
Rewarding hunt...and sounds like you got a little cardio in the process!
Crappieaddict
Well-Known Member
I enjoyed reading it…I can only imagine being there!
