Setterman
Well-Known Member
I usually don't do story time but thought this one was worth sharing.
This morning I went into a place I hadn't hunted yet. I climb the mountain to get to a big hollow on the back side of the mountain and as I crest the mountain something looks odd. I continue down the other side to an old logging trail that takes me back into the back of said hollow. After dropping about 100 yards I emerge into a clear cut which came as a huge surprise. I almost turned around and hiked back out but noticed in the moonlight a turkey track in the mud and though screw it, might as well give it a try after I had climbed for 30 minutes to get here. I navigate noisily through 200 yards of tree tops, and slash and hit my old logging road which is now a new bulldozer trail, below the trail is fairly mature woods. I realize this is a strip mine prep job, as they cut a swath on a countour before they come in and mine. I Hang a left and parallel the mountain. I reach my normal listening spot on this place and am surprised that they left about 2 big tree (one of which I sit by to listen in the past) and an area about the size of a living room with other saplings. I decided then this was meant to be
.
At 6:05 a hen yelps and a bird gobbles with her almost directly above me and right at the top of the timbered strip. At this point, I'm weighing my options. I can't cross the clear cut as it's too light, he will probably fly down and strut in the clear cut and act like a field turkey, or if I'm real lucky I can convince them to come down to me. I pull out my little slate (pictured below) that a buddy of mine makes in Georgia. Side note, this call is lethal to birds that are roosted or close as it's very soft and sounds delicious. I make a short series of light yelps and he eats it up along with hens answering me. At this point every optimistic turkey hunter thinks they got this in the bag. Lol
I wait a few minutes and call again, he doesn't gobble this time but hens answer. Shortly after 5-6 turkeys fly down and land just behind a huge catastrophe of tree tops that's slightly up hill and in front of me. They land so close I hear them thump down, probably 40 yards. I'm thinking he's with them and if they will walk 10 yards downhill they'll step out on the trail I'm looking down at about 25 yards. I do notice I don't hear any drumming which makes me think he's not down yet. In no time a hen steps into the trail and eases her way to within feet of my barrel. At this point I'm getting busted no matter what, she's too dang close. I'm weighing my options of whether to bump her intentionally or not when he gobbles, still on the limb above me. I decide to nudge her by waving my fingers, she quickly moves off down the mountain with no putting. Thank you Jesus for that one.
About that time I hear 3-4 more birds pitch down and also land slightly above me and in front about 40 yards. I call with my mouth call and he answers right there along with a passel of hens. Now I hear drumming. I think this might just happen. Again a booming gobble from him, followed by hens, I soft yelp again with my mouth call, and he eats it up. I catch movement directly above me coming through the tree tops and it's 7 hens climbing through the tops like monkeys. It's too late if he comes that way as it's a mess of limbs, brush, etc and I cannot swing my gun that way. In no time I've got 7 hens inside 5 yards off my left shoulder. He continues to gobble but isn't moving. Eventually he gobbles and is no more than 25 yards in front and he's dropped down maybe 20 yards down the mountain. He's following the same path as the first I think. At this point I know it's getting ready to go down (my favorite part of the hunt) can I keep from boobing this up. The drumming is deafening and I can hear each wing feather drag and pop over dirt. The acoustics are phenomenal and he gobbles just outside of view on the left side of the trail. Gun is up, fast fire on aimed down the trail. Like a phantom he steps out into view in full strut right into the red dot of my sight. I cluck, he raises his head and I punched his ticket at 6:40 am eastern time.
Really nice dominant mountain bird, and one that has certainly been owning this area for a while. No idea on his stats but he's certainly big enough for me and provided an exciting hunt this morning.
The grassy area in the pic is a reclaimed strip mine from several years ago. The area I was in was on the backside of that mountain, climbing that reclamation sucks. It's rough, rocky, and dang steep. I hate strip mines because it gives access to otherwise inaccessible places but they provide incredible habitat in places that would be continuous woods with out them.
This morning I went into a place I hadn't hunted yet. I climb the mountain to get to a big hollow on the back side of the mountain and as I crest the mountain something looks odd. I continue down the other side to an old logging trail that takes me back into the back of said hollow. After dropping about 100 yards I emerge into a clear cut which came as a huge surprise. I almost turned around and hiked back out but noticed in the moonlight a turkey track in the mud and though screw it, might as well give it a try after I had climbed for 30 minutes to get here. I navigate noisily through 200 yards of tree tops, and slash and hit my old logging road which is now a new bulldozer trail, below the trail is fairly mature woods. I realize this is a strip mine prep job, as they cut a swath on a countour before they come in and mine. I Hang a left and parallel the mountain. I reach my normal listening spot on this place and am surprised that they left about 2 big tree (one of which I sit by to listen in the past) and an area about the size of a living room with other saplings. I decided then this was meant to be
. At 6:05 a hen yelps and a bird gobbles with her almost directly above me and right at the top of the timbered strip. At this point, I'm weighing my options. I can't cross the clear cut as it's too light, he will probably fly down and strut in the clear cut and act like a field turkey, or if I'm real lucky I can convince them to come down to me. I pull out my little slate (pictured below) that a buddy of mine makes in Georgia. Side note, this call is lethal to birds that are roosted or close as it's very soft and sounds delicious. I make a short series of light yelps and he eats it up along with hens answering me. At this point every optimistic turkey hunter thinks they got this in the bag. Lol
I wait a few minutes and call again, he doesn't gobble this time but hens answer. Shortly after 5-6 turkeys fly down and land just behind a huge catastrophe of tree tops that's slightly up hill and in front of me. They land so close I hear them thump down, probably 40 yards. I'm thinking he's with them and if they will walk 10 yards downhill they'll step out on the trail I'm looking down at about 25 yards. I do notice I don't hear any drumming which makes me think he's not down yet. In no time a hen steps into the trail and eases her way to within feet of my barrel. At this point I'm getting busted no matter what, she's too dang close. I'm weighing my options of whether to bump her intentionally or not when he gobbles, still on the limb above me. I decide to nudge her by waving my fingers, she quickly moves off down the mountain with no putting. Thank you Jesus for that one.
About that time I hear 3-4 more birds pitch down and also land slightly above me and in front about 40 yards. I call with my mouth call and he answers right there along with a passel of hens. Now I hear drumming. I think this might just happen. Again a booming gobble from him, followed by hens, I soft yelp again with my mouth call, and he eats it up. I catch movement directly above me coming through the tree tops and it's 7 hens climbing through the tops like monkeys. It's too late if he comes that way as it's a mess of limbs, brush, etc and I cannot swing my gun that way. In no time I've got 7 hens inside 5 yards off my left shoulder. He continues to gobble but isn't moving. Eventually he gobbles and is no more than 25 yards in front and he's dropped down maybe 20 yards down the mountain. He's following the same path as the first I think. At this point I know it's getting ready to go down (my favorite part of the hunt) can I keep from boobing this up. The drumming is deafening and I can hear each wing feather drag and pop over dirt. The acoustics are phenomenal and he gobbles just outside of view on the left side of the trail. Gun is up, fast fire on aimed down the trail. Like a phantom he steps out into view in full strut right into the red dot of my sight. I cluck, he raises his head and I punched his ticket at 6:40 am eastern time.
Really nice dominant mountain bird, and one that has certainly been owning this area for a while. No idea on his stats but he's certainly big enough for me and provided an exciting hunt this morning.
The grassy area in the pic is a reclaimed strip mine from several years ago. The area I was in was on the backside of that mountain, climbing that reclamation sucks. It's rough, rocky, and dang steep. I hate strip mines because it gives access to otherwise inaccessible places but they provide incredible habitat in places that would be continuous woods with out them.
