Trad Gang

Figure I'd start a thread here where the NY bow hunters can tell their tales. We have one month so give us your experiences and post your pics.

Hunted hard this morning. Couldn't find my favorite headnet and by 10:30 the bugs were driving me nuts. I did manage to call in 2 hens and 1 jake around 9:30. They passed by around 20 yds and fed down towards the River.

11:00 am my sweet talking lured in 4 more hens. I was surprised, never heard any gobbles all morning. Tomorrow morning is another day, then I won't be able to hunt till next Wednesday. Hope you all had a great day.

I screwed that up, sorry.

Bob

QuoteOriginally posted by Whitetail Addict:
Shoot joe, I just told my opening day tale in another thread. I'll have to get back out there, won't I?    ;)  

Glad to hear you had some action anyway.

Bob

My morning was a bust!!!!! Read all about it on Skipper's Friday thread!!!  :banghead:

Had birds close by no shots.

Had one come in gobbling then strutting & spitting but went behind the blind. I turned & opened a small rear window & was waiting for him to come into view when rustling leaves made me look back in the direction I was originaly facing. Another bird had come in silent & was standing in the open in front of the blind. He got a free ride in my truck. 16# 2oz. 6"beard. The 1st bird was bigger but this one co-operated better. Maybe cyclic-rivers will post a pic for me since  I can't figure out how to do it myself.

Congratulations Terry. Nice bird.

CONGRATULATIONS, Terry!!!!!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Nice job Terry!

Way to go congrats!!! Quiet out this morning, called in a hen to 20 yards tom wouldn't come with her, thought I had a chance when she committed, oh well

Congrats!   :thumbsup:

QuoteOriginally posted by huntmaster70:
Had one come in gobbling then strutting & spitting but went behind the blind. I turned & opened a small rear window & was waiting for him to come into view when rustling leaves made me look back in the direction I was originaly facing. Another bird had come in silent & was standing in the open in front of the blind. He got a free ride in my truck. 16# 2oz. 6"beard. The 1st bird was bigger but this one co-operated better. Maybe cyclic-rivers will post a pic for me since  I can't figure out how to do it myself.

Congrats! A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush any day.    :thumbsup:

Bob

Here is the bird Terry shot. Nice one!

(http://i.imgur.com/WmnRQ4S.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/JOtQfme.jpg)

Thanks for posting Sockrsblur!  Top bird I got this morning,bottom bird was yesterday morning

Sweet! Congrats on TWO nice birds.  :thumbsup:  

Bob

WOW! ...Congrats!!

Beautiful morning, clear, calm and I had high expectations on this river parcel.

Around 8am I had 3 deer feed their way by me. They were in good shape after this tough winter. However my best effort to get a tom to respond was still zero. Roughly 9:30 after some aggressive calling a tom gobbled south of me, one ridge below maybe 100 yds out.

The give and take continued for 30 minutes or so when he gobbled again, no more than 50 yds in front of me but still just below the ridge I was hiding on. Depending on where he would come up, I had 2 lanes to shoot with some large oaks in front. All was looking good....

Then the morning stillness was shattered by the sounds of chain saw, maybe 100 yds north of me. One of the neighbors decided Sat morning was a good time to cut up the many fallen trees from the last storm that hit. No idea where the tom went but I can tell you he's probably still running away.

Packed it in...came home...put on some coffee, relaxing on the back deck and will head into work tonight. Always expect the unexpected....   :dunno:    :eek:

Nice Bird, Terry!!!!!  :thumbsup:

Congratulations, Again!!!!!   :clapper:

QuoteOriginally posted by joe skipp:
Beautiful morning, clear, calm and I had high expectations on this river parcel.

Around 8am I had 3 deer feed their way by me. They were in good shape after this tough winter. However my best effort to get a tom to respond was still zero. Roughly 9:30 after some aggressive calling a tom gobbled south of me, one ridge below maybe 100 yds out.

The give and take continued for 30 minutes or so when he gobbled again, no more than 50 yds in front of me but still just below the ridge I was hiding on. Depending on where he would come up, I had 2 lanes to shoot with some large oaks in front. All was looking good....

Then the morning stillness was shattered by the sounds of chain saw, maybe 100 yds north of me. One of the neighbors decided Sat morning was a good time to cut up the many fallen trees from the last storm that hit. No idea where the tom went but I can tell you he's probably still running away.

Packed it in...came home...put on some coffee, relaxing on the back deck and will head into work tonight. Always expect the unexpected....    :dunno:      :eek:  

If it isn't one thing, It's another. I had a group of four jakes coming to me across a field last year. I was set up just off the edge. when they were about 50 yards from me, I realised I was hearing a vehicle on the road the farmer used to get to the field. The next thing I knew, here comes a pickup flying across the field with a guy hanging out the passenger window with a shotgun, trying to get on the birds. The birds went right by me, but I was more concerned with not getting shot, than I was trying to shoot one. I stood up, waved my arms, and yelled some things I won't say here. They saw me, spun around and headed back the way they came, tearing up the guys hay field all the way. I can see the road that runs by my place from some of the places I hunt, and this guy, and a couple others, drives back and forth looking for a bird he can shoot from the truck all morning long some days. Just another of those little things we have to take in stride sometimes. I'm no stranger to people with chainsaws either, by the way.   ;)  

I hope things work out better for you on your next hunt.

Bob

Sorry I was so late to post your pics Terry. I guess you shoot too fast. Congrats on your turkeys.

Yesterday we saw 5 jakes who were not interested in calling. heard a  few gobbles and a  hen in the distance.


Today, never heard a turkey but my dad called in 2 four wheelers and another turkey hunter. On the way to another spot there was a guy sitting there already.  

Managed to see a coyote and a porcupine. Fun..

QuoteOriginally posted by huntmaster70:
Thanks for posting Sockrsblur!  Top bird I got this morning,bottom bird was yesterday morning

Not bad for an old guy........   :goldtooth:  Heck, any guy.......well done   :biglaugh:

No problem Charlie on the pics. I was thinking about the last two mornings- these birds really co-operated, I wonder if there is a lack of hens making them more "receptive" to calling? I didn't hear or see any either morning, & The past few weekends when I was scouting around my area I didn't see any either.

I had a news flash this morning that a couple turkeys were ravaged by a Sasquatch in NY...    :eek:   I guess its true....     ;)    

Nice shooting Terry.   :thumbsup:

Congrats Terry,well done.

Turkey down! 6:30 AM this morning. 1" spurs, 9" beard. Story and pictures soon.   :D    

Bob

congrats Bob!

Congrats Terry! Way to go!!!

Congrats again! Great pix.

Thanks Terry. Sorry I haven't gotten back with a picture yet, the grandkids have been here all day. I'll get to it.

Bob

CONGRATULATIONS, Bob!!!!!!!!!!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:

Thanks woodchucker. I guess I better at least tell  you about the hunt, and hopefully I can get a couple pictures up at some point today. I'm not very good with this kind of stuff. Anyway....

I decided to start the day in the end of a hedgerow that juts out into an old pasture. There's an old fallen tree there, with a mound of dirt behind it that breaks my outline, and a smaller downed tree about four feet in front of it. Each year before season, I brush the sides and front in a little to help hide me better. On an average year, when we have more birds than we seem to this year, I'll have birds roosting on both sides of me before they fly down and come out into the fields.

As it started to lighten up, a bird cut loose in the woods across the field to my left. When it lightened up enough out in the field, I gave him one loud cackle and shut up. I didn't count them, but he must have gobbled 30 times before he flew down. When I could tell that he was on the ground, I gave him a few yelps, and it was on. a short time later, his muffled gobbles told me that he was in a dip on the other side of the field and headed my way. I called again and he gobbled, closer this time. We had a stand of small thick spruce trees between us at this point, and I could tell he was getting close to them. Gobble, gobble, gobble. It's crazy how many things can happen between this point, and loosing an arrow, but you can't help getting excited. About the time I was expecting him to come around the end of the spruces along an old fence line, and into the part of the field I was in, a hen started yelping non stop to his left, and moving towards him. They got together behind the trees and he shut up. The hen kept answering me, but they started moving along the back side of the trees parallel to, and away from me. Either way, I knew they'd come out into the field, but the way they were headed, would bring them out a couple hundred yards away from me and over a slight rise, instead of the 60 yards, and in sight of my decoy, if they'd come out where he was headed to start with. I couldn't see them when they came out in the field, but the hen and I were still talking back and forth at this point, and then the tom gobbled again. I poured on the calling, and the hen gave it right back, but no more gobbles. I turned a little to face the direction of the birds, and in a few minutes, I could see the gobbler strutting through the branches of the trees in the hedgerow, about a hundred yards off. They'd crossed to my side of the field. A couple minutes later, I could see the hen coming towards me, walking fast. Oh boy! she came to within 20 yards of me, then turned into the hedgerow where I was hiding. I thought she was crossing into the other field, but as soon as she got into the hedgerow with me, she turned and started through the thick stuff right toward me. She came to within less than ten yards, turned, and went around the mound of dirt I mentioned, and walked back into the field and around me. At this point, I could have almost kicked her. I was watching her out of the corner of my eye, praying that she wouldn't spot me, when it dawned on me that I could hear the tom drumming back where she'd just come from. When I turned my eyes back in that direction, there he is, IN THE HEDGEROW, where the hen was just standing. I was expecting him to stay in the field, and come right along the edge to me, but he must have thought she was crossing into the other field too, and was following her. Now I've got what I realise is a nice bird, ten yards in front of me, but no shot, and I can hear the hen directly behind me walking in the dry leaves and purring. If I bat an eyebrow, I'm busted. The tom was putting on quite a show for being in cover as thick as it was, and then turned back out toward the field where I'd have a shot, IF this played out right. Once he'd taken the few steps that brought him into the open again, he walked about 15 yards into the field where he could see my decoy, and the hen that I could still hear behind me, but sounded a little further away. He started to strut again and walked up to my decoy. Meanwhile Im hoping the hen keeps going. The farther away she gets, the less chance of her seeing me draw, and she's behind me, so I can't see her, but she's moving away from me, so I'm hoping when I do, that she's facing away from me. I just want to say at this point, that if I could bottle the way I feel right now, I could probably put every drug dealer in the country out of business lol. After the gobbler had shown off for the "hen" for a few minutes, he turned his head and looked toward the spruces. That's when I drew. I got lucky. He didn't see me, and no alarm put from the hen behind me. I let the arrow fly, and made what looked like a good hit. The gobbler jumped at the hit, and started to hurry across the field, and I reached for the other arrow I always keep next to me just in case, but it wasn't needed. By the time I had it ready, he was down. I gave him some time to make sure it was over, then walked out to look at my bird. Like I said above, he had a 9" beard, and sharp 1" spurs. I haven't weighed a turkey in years, and I won't guess at his weight, but he was a load to carry back to the house.

As exciting as the hunt was, and as happy as I am to have taken that bird, I have mixed emotions over it. Our turkey numbers are down a LOT this year from what they usually are, and I can't help feeling a little guilty over killing one.

Bob

GREAT Story, Bob!!!!! Thanks for sharing your hunt with us!!!

You're welcome, thanks for taking the time to read it. I'm hoping I can figure out how to post the pictures. They're just crappy quality flip phone pics, but at least they're pictures. Thanks again.

Bob

Woo Hoo, way to go Bob!

Thanks Charlie. I'm going to give the pics another try in a minute, hopefully it works.

Bob

(http://i.imgur.com/82dckmm.jpg)

(http://i.imgur.com/bKNAcOe.jpg)

Got home from work 5am...slept til 8:30 then dressed up and headed out back. Decided to hunt the eastern side of the property, more open orchards.

The sun was out and already getting hot. One hour of calling produced nothing. At 10:30 a tom gobbles to the north roughly 300 yds away. He's walking the perimeter, circling and gobbling every so often. I'm hidden by a rock on the south end of a small knob.

Depending where he comes in, my only shot is slightly down hill to my left where a few oaks will hide my draw. Maybe 20 minutes later he's 100 yds in front of me, gobbling and displaying. Time to sweet talk then keep quiet.

Finally I see the tom make his way in...40...30...then at roughly 25 yds, stops and shakes the woods with a gobble. Please go left...he slowly starts working his way to my right.

I have to cover to hide my draw and worse case scenario he walks by at maybe 10 yds and sees me or walks by me. Decision time...I draw back "The Demon"...my nickname for the Kitittiney Longbow and...pick a spot and let fly the down hill shot.

My arrow hit just underneath the large breast. He was roughly 22 yds away, nice bird with probably a decent 8" beard. He bolted out of there totally unharmed. Such is the life of a turkey hunter not using a Pop Up blind and just relying on natural cover.

Maybe this week I can get out a few days before the weekend. This turkey hunting is addictive and just as exciting as bugling in a big bull elk.

I'm glad you saw some action just the same Joe. There have been years when I never loosed an arrow, but still had a blast. You described my favorite way to hunt turkeys. It isn't an easy way to hunt, but when everything works out, It's the ultimate IMO. Best of luck on your next hunt.   :thumbsup:

Bob

I was finally able to get a couple pics uploaded. They're a couple posts up if you're interested in looking. Man, I need to take a computer class.    :rolleyes:  I apologise for the quality and size, I thought I had them resized a little larger, but I'm just glad I was finally able to post them.

Bob

Killed a nice bird yesterday morning.
 (http://i102.photobucket.com/albums/m84/TJReceveur/2015%20Turkey%20with%20Bow.jpg) (http://s102.photobucket.com/user/TJReceveur/media/2015%20Turkey%20with%20Bow.jpg.html)

Nice bird, congrats! That's a nice looking bow too.   :thumbsup:

Bob

Nice Bird, Bob!!!!!!!!!!  :thumbsup:  

CONGRATULATIONS, Terry!!!!!!!!!!  :thumbsup:    :thumbsup:  

Go git'im Skipper!!!!! He'll be yours by the end of the month!!!!!

Thanks again woodchucker, I appreciate it. He's actually the nicest bird I've killed in a few years, though I think they're all nice.

I've gotta say congrats again too, Terry. Back to back birds.  :cool:  

Bob

Nice bird IndianaBowman. Congrats!    :thumbsup:

Well Done Terry, but I'm surprised you didn't get 2 in 2 days, must be you took a day off....   :readit:

One of my friends called last night to see how I was making out with the turkeys. I told him I'd gotten one, but our turkey numbers were down quite a bit from usual around home, and as much as I love to hunt them, I thought it would be best not to kill another one here, if I did get the opportunity. He told me that their numbers were down there too, but there seemed to be a fair number of birds around just the same. When I asked how he's been doing with them, he told me he's so busy with work right now that he hasn't had time to hunt, and he'd be lucky to make it out at all this year. I told him I was sorry to hear it, and how much I enjoyed getting over to his place to hunt with him a couple times each season. He's a gun hunter, not that that matters, just thought of it.

He then proceeded to ask me if I'd come over to his place and hunt. He said it would make him feel better knowing I was there giving them hell, when he couldn't be. He said if I get one, and I was willing, we'd split it down the middle so he'd have some turkey to eat. Of course I agreed. I told him I'd give it my best, and if I did kill one, I'd clean it for him and leave the whole bird with his wife.

After killing that bird Sunday, as much as I didn't want to, I decided to leave what few other birds that are around this year alone and start terrorizing the woodchucks, but it looks like I'm back in business again thanks to a good friend.   :thumbsup:   I'll keep you posted.

Bob

Headed to some public land this Saturday. I have not had a chance to scout them there but saw good numbers in the fall. Its bow only in this spot so I hope they are relatively undisturbed.

Good Luck Bob.

Sounds like you might be onto something good. Like you said, if It's bow only there's a good chance it doesn't get too much pressure. Good luck with 'em Saturday Charlie.

Bob

I got up earlier this morning, so I could get to my buddy's place while it was still dark. I hadn't been there since the middle of last season, so it was as much of a scouting trip as it was a hunt.

I left my car and walked the edge of a hedgerow to the end of the field, and down a small hill through a strip of thornapple trees, and other brush that separates the field I walked , and another bigger field, that rises uphill from there to the hardwoods. I've noticed in years past that the birds really seem to like this second field, though they use them both. I found a good place to basically just listen, and where I could see what any birds that might be around this year were up to. As it lightened up some, a bird gobbled uphill across the field, and to my right. A while later, he gobbled again. Within a short time 6 hens flew down into the field from where the tom was roosting, with him gliding in next. He looked like a nice big bird, and when I got the glasses on him, I could see what appeared to be somewhere in the neighborhood of a 10" beard. I couldn't see his spurs at that distance, but he's a nice bird.

The hens fed back and forth across the crest of the hill with the gobbler in tow,from then until I left them at 11:00. That gobbler never made a another peep in all that time. I called, the hens called, sometimes we all called at once, but not a gobble. The only time I really seemed to get his attention, was when I gobbled at him, but even that only got about a 30 second stare in my direction.

I moved a few times, thinking I could head them off as they left the field, or get in front of them and call the hens to me, but no dice. They weren't leaving that field, and tom wasn't about to leave his hens.

My buddy's wife was outside when I got back to the car, so I talked to her for a few minutes. She said that big tom is out in that field all day, every day. According to her, he never leaves it, whether he has hens with him or not, and he hardly ever gobbles. I jokingly told her I may have to dig a pit blind out in the middle by a small rock pile in order to kill him, and she told me to go ahead and do it. I've got time to hunt, and I'd rather kill him some other way, if I can at all. Looks like  I've got a challenge ahead of me, and a fun bird to hunt.

OK, so I've got a bird that roosts with the hens, won't leave the field, won't gobble, has probably had bad experiences going to hen calls, flies directly into the field in the morning, and doesn't seem to want to get close enough to the edge to ambush.

I'm going to play with him some more and see what I can do. I obviously can get close enough to flush and separate them in the field, so maybe some morning after a rain when It's quiet, if I can't do anything else with him, I may sneak into their roost site and scatter them before they fly down. Then I'll wait a little while, and give him just a few soft purrs. 'Ya never know. If that doesn't work, I've still got a few tricks up my sleeve. Man, I love turkey hunting.  :D  

Bob

Thurs and this morning...worked 2 lone toms both days. Neither would venture in for a shot. The weather here is getting hotter earlier in the morning.

After hunting tomorrow morning, I won't get back out until next Thursday. The area I plan on hunting ...means snake boots or snake gaiters. The Copperheads make hunting this area very interesting.

Joe, You must be heading up the Mountain.

I'm going to have to get to the woods a bit late tomorrow and only stay for 3 hours or so but its better than nothing. My wife has to work and we share a car.

Joe, charlie, I wish you both the best of luck.  :thumbsup:  

I'm in the same boat Charlie. My girlfriend had to leave at 7:00 this morning, and won't be back til around noon sometime.  :mad:   I'm anxious to say the least, to get after that bird I mentioned in my last post.

Bob

Had a nice tom Gobbling and strutting in front of me at 50 yards this morning, couldn't convince him to come closer, My deke was completely ignored. this is the 7th turkey in a row to ignore this deke so I may have to invest in something better next year.

Well Charlie, before you go making an investment.....

Why don't you loose the decoy & make him come looking for you??? A Tom can pin-point your calling so good, that he can come right in & end up in your lap!!! Sometimes I "think" Toms are not ignoreing the decoys. They're just following thier natural instinct, that the hen is supossed to come to them!!!!! They come in, see a hen,(decoy) and natural seek a reaction.....

I killed 8 Toms, in 4 consecutive years, hunting a strutt zone up to my Dad's. I had the perfect setup & used it to my advantage... The minute I saw the Tom come into the field, I stopped calling!!! No matter how much he gobbled, I wouldn't answer him. EVENTUALY, he would come up to the strutt zone, to strutt & gobble, Trying to call the "skipped out" Lady friend back to him.....

I don't know why they ignore them like that some days Charlie. I can understand it when they have hens with them, but the other times leave me shaking my head. One bird will fall all over himself to get to it, and the next might act like It's not even there. I think maybe some of the subdominant birds are afraid they'll get their butts kicked if they get too close to it.

I forgot to mention when I posted about my hunt yesterday, that I had a hen come in and slap the snot out of my decoy. Nobody tagging along behind though.

I'm glad you were able to get out and enjoy hearing and seeing some birds just the same. Your new spot sounds even more promising now. Keep after em Charlie.

Bob

Chuck In this mornings case, I shut up when I saw the bird but the hunter 80 yards from me didn't. The bird ignored us both. After the hunter walked out I spoke with him, he was carrying a shot gun in the bow only area, and said he has been for 50 years. He says that Tom has done the exact same thing for the last week, unfortunately its on private property.


I have the same luck without decoys. I did however see 7 deer this morning. They didn't care for the others guys smoking too much. Even I could smell it.

I'm not complaining, just happy I at least saw a turkey.

I saw a Tom Chasing a hen on the way home. He was gobbling his fool head off only 20 yards from my window. It was on a small chunk of the same public property I am sure is semi overlooked so thats the area I will be checking out next time. I scouted it for deer last fall and think it could work for turkeys if they dont get hung up across the swamp.

Turkeys are spooky, fickle, unpredictable critters. I think that's why I enjoy hunting them so much.

Bob

congrats fellas

"Walked and Yelped" for 3 hrs Saturday in a new area. Only had 2 responses but couldn't draw the long beards in. Kind of fun when you get a response and you scramble around looking for some decent cover to hide behind.

Sunday...took Mother's Day off to spend quality time with the wife. Cooked her a nice breakfast and before heading into work tonight, will BBQ up some chicken breasts for her along with Italian style green beans.

The points I scored today...I'm golden for the month of June when bass season opens....   :thumbsup:    :laughing:

Glad you were able get out this morning Joe. Any morning that I get to hear birds gobble is a good morning IMO, regardless of the outcome. I did a triple axel off the porch onto my Grandsons bike yesterday, so I'm taking it easy for a couple days. Looking forward to getting back out though.

The BBQ'd chicken, beans, and bass fishing sounds good.  ;)  

Bob

Got out for a few hours this morning. Cold and windy, with a light drizzle all morning. Much better morning to have stayed home with a cup of coffee, VS crawling around in wet grass, and bushes.

I watched the big bird I mentioned earlier, walk back and forth across his favorite field again, following his girlfriends. Only two today.

I noticed that the hens kept coming close to the edge of east side of the field, by a small clump of brush when they fed to that side. When they started moving west again, I crawled til I was out of their site, behind a rise, and made a half circle to the back side of the hill the bushes are on. I hurried up the hill as far as I dared, then slowly crawled up behind the bushes. They're leafed out enough now, that I was able to crawl right up to them, and peek through.

I'd hoped that they'd feed back close enough to this bush again, to offer me a shot at tom. I'd have to wait til he was close enough, hope he'd be strutting, and turn his fan toward me, so he wouldn't see me rise up on my knees and draw.

At this point, I hoped when the hens saw me rise up and draw, and started putting, that he'd stand tall to see what was up, and I'd let one fly. I know It's a stretch, but hey, I'm already there, soaked and cold, so I might as well give it a shot, right?

There's a slight rise in the field in front of me now, so I can't see the birds from where I am, til they get within about 75 yards. No birds in sight.

I'd been there hunched over for a while, wondering if I'd spooked them at some point, when I saw a head pop up over the rise. Then another. Here they come! Not long after that, I could see the top of a fan.

Now I'd forgotten about being wet and cold, and the adrenalin started to kick in.

The hens fed directly toward me, and that gobbler got bigger with every step.

When the hens were about thirty yards out, they split off. One went a little to the left and the other to my right, but they kept coming, with tom about 20 yards behind them.

A few minutes later, and I've got two hens in front of me. One at about 15 yards, and the other one so close, I could have poked her with my bow.

That tom stayed right where he was, at about 50 yards. He strutted, and moved to the left and right, but he wouldn't come any closer to the edge.

I hoped with everything I had that the hens would decide to leave the field, walk past me, and bring him in to me, but no such luck.

The hens fed around the edge for a while, then slowly drifted back the way they came, taking the tom, and my hopes with them.

I let them get out of site, waited a couple more minutes, and headed back the way I came. Still soaked, and feeling the cold again, but it was a great hunt just the same.

I can't hunt tomorrow, but I'll be back out after him Friday.


Bob

Well told story of your hunt Bob.  I wish more people would double space when telling stories - much easier reading!  Good luck on Friday, sounds like you had a great hunt today!     :thumbsup:

Bernie

Cool Hunt Bob. Hope you didn't catch a cold so you can be there Friday Morning.

Go git'm Bob!!!!! Many don't realize, that sometimes, it's easier to call in an Old Tom later in the season... Most of the Hens are nesting, and girlfriends are few & far between!!!

I forgot to mention I heard two other toms gobble on the property I'm hunting this morning, and they'd probably (maybe) be easier to kill, but I have a thing for these old wary birds. I don't kill a lot of them, but I get obsessed with them, and can't leave them alone. That's not to say I may not weaken, if another bird gets close enough and I can make it happen, but I'm going to concentrate on this one in the time I have left to hunt.

Thanks for reading everybody. It's nice to be able to share this stuff with people that are actually interested in it. I appreciate it.

Bob

Hang in there, the season isn't over yet!

Headed out in the morning. Due to some unforeseen circumstances I will not be able to get to the woods until about 8. I am bummed but going to make the most of it.

Sorry to hear that you won't be able to get out first thing in the morning Charlie, and it probably won't make you feel any better, but I know I've killed more birds after 9:00 Am than I have first thing in the morning. Just sayin'.  ;)   Best of luck tomorrow.  :thumbsup:  

Bob

Charlie...I usually hit the woods 6:30 to 7am. I'm off Friday so I plan on heading out. I find I do better between 9-12. Next few weeks should be good as the toms who don't have any hens will be very aggressive.

Thanks for cheering me up guys.

I was just venting a tad because it kills me sitting at home drinking coffee and watching the sun come up when I could be watching the woods come alive and maybe listening to thunderous gobbles from the roost.

It beats the alternative though, I could be at work.

It just stinks spending the last 2 years hunting around other peoples schedules. I cant tell you how many times I have had to climb down from my tree just as deer activity is picking up.

I'm sure guys who have kids can relate. I'm not complaining too badly though because I will remember where I am not.

Tomorrow due to the circumstances I will be picking up another trad brother with car troubles and he will show me some of his areas. It will be a great morning to be out and about with a good bud.

Charlie, best time to hunt is when you can. Sometimes the toms are more receptive to a few calls later in the morning after their girlfriends go back to the nest. Good luck!

QuoteOriginally posted by huntmaster70:
Charlie, best time to hunt is when you can. Sometimes the toms are more receptive to a few calls later in the morning after their girlfriends go back to the nest. Good luck!

That's a very good point. I've actually followed a tom with hens on more than one occasion, for several hours, til the hens left him. Some I killed, some I didn't. But again, good point.

I had a really short hunt this morning.

A new day, with a new plan I thought might work. Worth a try, anyway.

The old tom and his hens flew down into the field as usual, but shortly thereafter, they spooked and ran into the woods.

A couple minutes later, two shotgun hunters that weren't supposed to be there, walked into the field about a hundred yards from me.

I walked out where they could see me, and they headed back the way they came. Hopefully for good!

I should have stayed to see what might develope, but I was so disgusted, that I came home.

I hope you guys had a better morning.

Bob

Got out Wednesday with a buddy just to get some woods time. Zero gobbling but I did manage to call in a hen. She walked out of sight and a few minutes later I saw a flash of black running toward me from where she was. I thought she saw me and spooked but it turned out to be a black coyote. It circled me and got pretty close but once it got downwind it vanished like a puff of smoke. Never seen a live one before, super pretty animal.

Glad you got out and had some excitement Izzy. I always get a kick out of calling in a hen, whether she brings a boyfriend with her, or not.

I had one come in by herself not long ago, and slap my decoy around with her wings. she beat on it for a couple minutes, then walked away.

I called in a couple coyotes on opening day myself. Same deal, they came trotting in, scented me, and were gone. I've never seen a black one in person though. Blond, grey, a couple as red/orange as a red fox, but never a black one.

Keep after 'em Izzy, good luck.

Bob

Seeing a black Coyote is pretty Cool.

Yesterday was a nice day to be out with a good bud aside from not hearing or seeing a turkey and getting turned around for a bit.

It was a nice piece of public land and My friend has some ideas for deer season.

I went over to my buddys place after dinner, to see what the birds were up to.

I snuck along the edge of the first field off the road, to a spot where can see a fair amount of the next field through some brush and small trees. I got the glasses out and took a good look, but didn't see anything in the places I could see.

I'd sat there for about 10 minutes, when 3 hens fed into view, headed toward me and to my left.

They eventually fed out of site and into the strip of brush separating the two fields, about a hundred yards from me. I glance back out into the field, and here comes that nice tom I've been fooling with, and he's got two buddies  with him. Cool!

The next thing I know, here come the three hens over the little knoll, and into the field I crossed to get where I am from the road.

They're hoofing right along towards the road now, and it dawns on me that they're going to cross the road and spend the night on the other side. But the toms are going to be lonesome in the morning, 'cause I see an opportunity.

I let the hens get a little further toward the road, and I hurried to where they'd entered the field I'm in, spooking them across the road.

In no time, the toms popped over the knoll, and I went at them as fast as I could with two bad knees. From where I'm at now I could watch them run up over the rise in the far field, back the way they'd come, toward the roost trees.

I've hunted turkeys too long to think I've got a sure thing set up for morning, but I'm really looking forward to being there when those toms fly down tomorrow.

Bob

Good Luck Bob.

Yesterday After feeding the horses, I watched a Tom strutting like crazy for a  hen that was across the road. Neither wanted to commit to going to the other, both were in the middle of fields.

An impatient wife didn't want to see the outcome of who ended up where.

I hate to say it but I am done turkey hunting for the spring. this season I saw 5 jakes , 2 Toms, 8 Hunters, and one hen. Much better than last year.

I got to my spot early this AM, and got set up against a big cherry tree with some nicely leafed out bushes in front of me. There's an old tractor trail between the two fields I mentioned, and It's a natural place for the birds to travel between the two.

I sat there waiting for the birds I saw last night to gobble, but didn't hear a peep out of them.

When it lightened up enough, I gave a fly down cackle, and waited for a gobble. Nope. What the heck? I separated the toms and hens last evening, and expected to hear some quality gobbling this morning.

A few minutes later I heard something to my left. I didn't dare turn my head, but not long after, one of the biggest coyotes I've seen came into view at about 20 yards, heading for my decoy. it winded me, and headed back the way it came.

I knew those birds were there somewhere, so I decided to wait them out.

I sat there for 5 hours, and heard one yelp in the field towards the road in all that time. Nothing showed up in the field I've been seeing the birds in every time I've been there.

I'd hoped that the toms would use the trail to get to the closer field, and the hens that I'd spooked across the road yesterday evening.

My back had enough after about the first two hours, but I'm stubborn, and I want a shot at that big bird in the worst way.

When I'd had enough, I thought I'd sneak up over the knoll and take a peek in the other field before I left, just in case.

It's just a few yards from where I was hiding to where the knoll crests, and I can start to see into the field.

I hadn't taken more than a few cautious steps, and there stands that big bird, at about 30 yards. He was headed right toward the tractor trail, and where I was hiding.  

He took a couple running steps, and flew in a semi circle, into the other field, and out of my sight behind some brush.

If I'd been carrying a shotgun, he'd have been a dead bird. He was plenty close, and there wasn't a twig between us. But I guess that's why we choose to hunt the way we do, for the added challenge, and the added satisfaction when everything comes together.

I instinctively drew on him, but I couldn't bring myself to risk wounding him. I probably wouldn't have connected anyway.

It's my own fault. I knew that bird was there somewhere, and I should have stuck it out a little longer. Just a couple more minutes, and he'd have been right in front of me at about 15 yards. He rarely gobbles, but if I'd heard just one, it would have kept me there, bad back or not.

That's the closest I've been to him so far, and the best look I've had at him other than at a distance with my binoculars, and he's even nicer than I thought he was. I'm pretty sure he's a better bird than the one I killed earlier this season.

I'll be back after him again tomorrow.

Bob

Hmm... Sounds to me like you had him all figured out Bob!!! You just forgot 1 impotant detail...

Take a Nap!!!!! It makes waiting them out,that much easier!!!  :laughing:

QuoteOriginally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
Good Luck Bob.

Yesterday After feeding the horses, I watched a Tom strutting like crazy for a  hen that was across the road. Neither wanted to commit to going to the other, both were in the middle of fields.

An impatient wife didn't want to see the outcome of who ended up where.

I hate to say it but I am done turkey hunting for the spring. this season I saw 5 jakes , 2 Toms, 8 Hunters, and one hen. Much better than last year.

Thanks Charlie. I must have been so excited to share my wonderful success this morning, that I missed your post.

The way I look at it, if you're able to get out and have some encounters with the birds It's a good season, and I'll add that you show a lot more sense than I do.

It's a disease with me. It's like I've heard said of the mafia. Just when you think you're out, they pull you back in.  :D  

Thanks again charlie.

Bob

quote:

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Originally posted by woodchucker:
Hmm... Sounds to me like you had him all figured out Bob!!! You just forgot 1 impotant detail...

Take a Nap!!!!! It makes waiting them out,that much easier!!!   :bigsmyl:  

Bob