who knew it would be so hard?

eman614 · March 21, 2009, 12:56:00 PM

went turkey hunting this morning. opening day in ga. had for birds gobbling at first light. one was only about 70 yards from me so i set up. after fly down they got lock jaw . at about 8:30 and very little calling. i could hear one drumming. talk about a rush! so i let out a couple yelps, and he gobbled one more time, and marched rightin. needless to say i was just a little excited

he was about 8 yards from my decoy, and about 12 yards from me. he decided something wasn't right with my decoy. he came out of full strut putted twice, and before i could draw was gone. al i could do was sit there with my bow at half draw and shake my head "[dntthnk]"

all and all it was big time fun and i'll be back out tommorow morning for another lesson. hope everybody else had as good or better luck than i did. can't wait to hear some stories.

ishiwannabe · March 21, 2009, 04:37:00 PM

Sounds good, I was down there a few years ago trying for a bird. My nephew couldnt sit still....worse than a kid! (He is 33) Never actually saw one with all his commotion....lol.

Good luck tomorrow!

trashwood · March 21, 2009, 05:52:00 PM

I think a smart ole tom can see your eye moving

. If a turkey could smell ya'd never kill one.

It helps when a ole tom is coming in if ya don't blink, don't breath, and are one of the luckest son of a guns around. Best thing that can happens is have an armadillo rooting around to distract 'em

it is sooooo worth it but it ain't easy

rusty

eman614 · March 21, 2009, 07:39:00 PM

couldn't wait till the morning so i went ahead and got schooled again this evening. in the exact same spot. same bird maybe i don't know. i never got a look at him this time. couldn't have been more than 20 yards, but he sounded much closer. wasn't really ready for him. i was on my way out this evening when a crow let loose. the turkey gobbled just around the bend in the road. i just dropped my decoy and headed for cover. gave him a couple yelps, and he gobbled again. sounded about 30yards out. i could hear him walking in my direction. next thing i know he's out there struttin and drummin back and forth about 15 yards away. thats just a guess cause i never got a look at him. after about 5 minutes of that he must of seen something he didn't like cause he putted a few times and walked up the hill. that was the last i heard of him this evening. oh well better luck next time i guess.

bawana bowman · March 21, 2009, 07:51:00 PM

eman,
At least your seeing and hearing Turkey while your in an area that your able to shoot in.
I went this morning, didn't hear or see anything.
On the way home I saw 7 gobblers about a mile and a half from where I was hunting, walking along the side of the road! Saw 1 hen while driving out of the Management area I was hunting.
Hopefully things will be better in the morning.

eman614 · March 22, 2009, 10:01:00 PM

got schooled again this morning. the first got within 40 yards and actually presented a shot, but was just to far away so i had to let him go. a couple hours later i called in three jakes and one gobbler, they all came in together, but they never got within 60 yards, so i had to let them go also.this crap would be much easier with a shotgun. that is all i got to say about that.

trashwood · March 22, 2009, 10:44:00 PM

a tom spring turkey is one of the best tradbow hunting trophies there is. if you called him in it is one of the most exciting tradbow hunting trophies that most of us get to hunt.

if you know of tradbow that has taken an elk and sprint tom, you know that tradbow hunter is a serious bowhunter

hang in there! rusty

CHAD · March 22, 2009, 11:25:00 PM

eman614,
Hang in there when it happens it will be worth it for sure.I know that there are days that birds seem to love the calls and you could blow a goose call at them and they try to climb in the blind with you.But most of my mistakes in the past are calling to much. I have had most of my birds sneek in on me that last 60yrds. when i thought they where gone.I try to stop calling when they get 50 to 60 yards and that seems to drive the big boys crazy and once they see them decoys they come right in.

Good luck:Chad

Roy Steele · March 23, 2009, 12:47:00 AM

Your making my heart pound.Here in WV I can't let arrows fly unto APRIL 20th and they will fly they do every year.O'well plenty of mornings to lession,time to practice calling, shoting and dreaming.Other than calling deer theres nothing like a spring morning calling turkeys.Anyone who's a turkey hunter knows the felling.

wollelybugger · March 23, 2009, 07:22:00 AM

Try to quit calling when you think they are moving in, they hang up because of too much calling. Get aggressive and then shut up, they can't stand it. Set you deeks by big trees and you can pull when they go behind them. In Pa. they become decoy shy and won't come in, they want the bird to come to them. I quit using deeks the second week of the season.

eman614 · March 23, 2009, 06:37:00 PM

i left my decoy at home yesterday cause the tom opening morning kind of got spooked by the decoy. course he was only about 8 yards from it, but i wished i had yseterday. the tom didn't what was makin the noise so he didn't hang around. oh well better luck next time i guess. roy you think your excited i couldn't hardly breath when i saw the turkeys coming in, much less call. i've been turkey hunting for a while, and i'm pretty good about not calling when i don't need to. can't wait till this saturday, don't think i'll be able to make it out again before then.got a busy week of work but oh well. good luck to anyone headin out this week or next weekend