This years hunt

[EdB]

It has been a tough but very fun turkey season so far. It was great to sleep in today for the first time in a couple weeks. I got my bird 4:45 PM yesterday after an all day hunt. The short version is he had a 10-¼ inch beard and one inch spurs. I’ll get some pics up later from my buddies camera. If you want the long version, read on. I even labeled it for you.

The BS: My hunt started Monday and I hunted every day. I enjoyed some great hunts and close calls all week. I called some jakes and hens in a number of times. Got some morals! I saw some cool birds. The Rose Breasted Grosbeaks and Rufous Sided Towhee’s in the branches close around me were an awesome sight. Hummingbirds are hitting the early tree blossoms. I saw a few snakes too. I always tell people that I guide to walk in front on the trails and have their gun ready. On Tuesday, I had mine slung over my back carrying my decoy when I crested a hill to see a long beard and 3 hens well in range. They all stick their heads up for a pause before they ran and flew off. At least my hunt didn’t end early and it’s more fun to use my calls.

The public land birds around here had me covering lot’s of ground. I lost 8 needed pounds since turkey season started. I scout very hard prior to the season and during the early hunt periods ahead of me. I know the area well and had numerous roost locations pinpointed. I also scout where other hunters are at so I can focus on spots without a lot of pressure. Even with that, every single first morning set up this week stunk. I’d get in early near a great roost and their would be no birds in it that morning. I’d hear them a long ways off and have to make a move. That is the best part of a general hunt permit, you can chase some long distance birds sometimes. I never found birds in the same roost two days in a row. I still had some good 2nd and 3rd set ups. I had some ground gobbling and tom’s in the 60 to100 yard hang up zone and I couldn‘t close the deal. The real hens were better than my calling. But I’m a big believer that if keep turkey hunting hard, you are going to cross paths with a lonely gobbler sooner or later. I have read other guys here talking about the tough hunting they were having this year and I was too.

On Friday morning the day I got my bird, once again I set up in the wrong spot. The birds were a long ways off. I waited too long to move hoping for a nearby bird and by the time I got there, they were on the ground and shut up. It was the toughest morning all week. I hunted till 11:45AM and never heard another gobble. I had 3 coyote’s cross a field in front of me. I was supposed to get to work but I called my boss to take the afternoon off and hunt all day. That was a good call!

The hunt: I took a break for lunch and was back out by 1:00PM. I went to a very large track of land that held a lot of birds and got way back in deep. I forgot my face mask in my truck, darn it, that was a long walk. I rigged up a mask with my gloves.

I set up near a big field opening in the forest. I’d call a bit every 20 minutes or so and finally heard a gobble back about 2:30PM. He wasn’t real close but not real far either. I couldn’t get a second response. I little while later a hen popped out the far side of the field and then a strutter popped out behind her. I gave them a few calls but the hen wasn’t buying it and just fed back and forth in a small area. I got to watch him strut for a ½ hr until the hen went back into the woods and he followed her. About 4:15PM, I get another gobbler to answer my call. This one is close just off the field. I see them step out into the field and it’s 2 gobblers. They see my decoys and head my way. The gun is on my knee and call on my lap. They hang up out of my sight behind some thick brush but if they come past it, they’ll be in range. I can move and give one soft purr and a cluck and ready the gun. It seems like forever before they step into view and they move in to about 30 feet away looking at the dekes. I watch the big one strut but I can tell the smaller one spots me and he goes on alert. The biggest one drops his strut and sticks his neck out and I drop him. On the walk out back to the truck, I spooked two different hens off nests. Both had big clutches of eggs. One was in a thick briar patch and one was in the leaves in a wide open part of the woods. I get back home and the celebration begins with my girls! Good luck to everyone still out!

I'll add the turkey pics when I get them. Got this with my cell phone, not to bad for a camo glove mask:

[Fishwhisperer]

Congratulations on the bird and thanks for the great story.

[GLF]

Yep.....Looks like this turkey has about a 10 1/4" beard.

Nice job and GREAT story!

[EdB]

Yeah Mike, that's turkey ugly. Don't those eyes look tired.

Here's the other turkey pics:

[GLF]

Great photos Ed!

[Nailer]

Nice job Ed!

Love the shot with your two girls.

[Priority1]

Gj Ed, Nice story and pics.

[Adam Bomb]

Great story and pics EdB. What an awesome season you had. You worked your tail off for that bird. I can definitely appreciate that! Well deserved bird my friend.

I just bought a pretty boy decoy off ebay and recieved it this morning. So, this coming week we'll be putting that to use on my Mothers hunt. I sure hope we can get one in and attack it! I kicked a hen off a nest while relocating on my buddies hunt over the weekend. (Which was unsuccsessful when it comes to getting a bird. Let some jakes go. Still a great hunt.) She scared the heck outta us because she was on the back side of a large oak out of sight. She exploded outta there when we came bopping down the logging road. So, after inspection i found her nest between two large protruded roots on the oak...14 eggs in all. No camera.

Congrats again on a great bird!

[phishtix]

Great story and pics! That bird is huge!

My hunt started today. Got the general permit ZE may 11th through the 31st.

[fishsniffer]

arent you the guy from predater:grin:

[Adam Bomb]

arent you the guy from predater:grin:

:lol::lol:...Nice!