***What a season!! ***

25contender

Twelve Pointer
I don't think we could have had a more perfect season than we have had this year.
It all started on youth day opener two weekends ago. My good friend and son whom I have been turkey hunting with for quite a while set out to get his son his second bird in two years. We had been spending a lot of time scouting and watching with spotting scopes a huge part of the property from a lookout we have. We can see much of the prime turkey strutting and gathering areas from this spot. We had been seeing multiple gobblers strutting and fighting so the time was right.





We were excited about the youth opener and arrived early to make the long walk to where we wanted to be. It wasn't to many years ago when my friends son had a hard time keeping up with us on youth opener. Not this year as he was right on our heels the 1/2 mile walk in. The air was cool, the sky was clear, and the winds were calm, my favorite type of morning to hunt. We arrived at the spot we wanted to be and setup just in time for a long series of gobbles from at least 10 different birds. All from within a 400 yd radius of where we sat. My friend with his son setup about 20yds to the left and in front of me. I started recording as soon as the first gobbles started. We were not disappointed as this went on for quite a while. I finally decided to crack a call as I knew one bird was on the ground. Right after the call the show began with one flying down and strutting on the ridge in front of us. While this was going on I watched as two gobblers lit out of a tree 200yds across the lake in front of us. They landed 80yds in front of us and went into strutting mode. Doing what turkeys do this continued for at least 45 minutes.
Eventually a few hens showed up and carried the gobblers off over the ridge. At this time my friend and son made a move to try and close the distance. Well we all know what happens when the move is made!! That is right 10 minutes later a nice bird crossed 5 yds in front of me and 10 yds in front of the first tree they setup under!! As the morning calmed down we decided to go grab a bite to eat and set up in a blind for the afternoon and blind call a little.
It was a long afternoon as we sat in the blind but finally had a few hens show up. We had a few decoys 20yds to our left and eventually one of the curious hens ventured over to investigate. She hung around them and laid down in the clover next to them for at least 20 minutes. Not long after that two more hens showed up and joined the party. After a hour of this I looked out of the corner of my eye and noticed 3 jakes in a grown up field headed our way but those were not the only birds coming our way. A nice tom was trying to chase them off which he pretty much failed to do. They eventually made it to the clover field. The jakes kept going but when the Gobbler saw the decoys he stopped in his tracks then proceeded to come and investigate.
Much to his dismay this would be his last 60yd walk as Jackson put the most perfect shot on this bird with his youth 20ga shotgun. This ended a great youth opening day and the neat thing all of it was caught on video.





 
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25contender

Twelve Pointer
The day before general turkey season opened Jay and I made the trip to sit in our favorite area to scout from. Once again we watched multiple birds strutting and two put on a boxing match for a good 15 minutes. It looked like a life and death cage match as they darted in and out of a grown up area on the power line. This year has been the first year I have seen so many gobblers go at it like it was life or death.





The problem for me this opening day was that I had to be at a wedding by 5pm in Richmond Virginia. That is right a wedding on turkey opener!! So we were hoping to make things happen fast Saturday. We sat up and listened as the gobbling began. It seemed like another morning like youth opener. Cool,clear skies, and calm. As we listened we decided to move in closer. Little did we realize we would end up 150 yds from where some hens and a gobbler were roosted. We sat about 50 yds apart and as I listened I once again started to record the sights and sounds of the morning. Eventually we watched as the gobbler and hens flew down and landed in some sassafras saplings. As they landed I watched another gobbler fly from across the creek and land in a tree close to where the other birds had landed. As he looked down at the other birds he suddenly flew down and landed next to the other gobbler which was strutting. Needless to say the fight was on. These two birds went at it for 30 minutes. I mean went at it. Finally it became a shoving match, like two sumo wrestlers locked together. They both had a grasp of each others head with their beaks. The more dominant bird shoved and pushed to the other tom up the hill 10 yds past me. I thought to myself how the he$$ do I just shoot one bird. These two birds were so intense and committed to fighting that they didn't notice me stand up to see them better so if they did separate I could get a shot at one of them. Once they separated now at 35 yds I finally had a chance to take one of the birds. When I shot I thought I had missed as he tried to fly off but he didn't get far. Talk about exciting!! As long as I have been turkey hunting I had never seen as much fighting as this year. And to get it on film was a big plus.
As you look at this photo you see me smiling. Not because of the bird I shot but because there was another bird about 400 yds away hammering away like there was no tomorrow. I posted this pic here and as I was doing so Jay was saying we have to go!! Lets make a move!!



Putting that bird in my vest and gathering the camera and everything else we made a mad dash of about 100-150yds. I told Jay to run Up the road and grab a seat near the curve of the road. I sat down turned on the camera and as soon as Jay sat down I made a few light calls. Instant GOBBLE....... GOBBLEGOBBLE............... GOBBLE about 200 yds in the woods. I was trying out Jays new copper pot call and didn't feel comfortable with it so I switched to a a old glass call of mine. Before I called again I waited for about 5 minutes to strike another set of light purrs and clucks. Again more instant gobbles from the same spot. After 5 more minutes he gobbled again but much much closer. Later Jay told me he watched him come towards the road then he started to strut. Without me being able to see him I did a few more light purrs. More gobbles even closer!! He sounded right on top of Jay in the curve of the road. Finally a shot rang out in the cool morning air! Bird two was down. This all happened with time to spare for me to make it to Virginia for a friends wedding at 5pm!!

 
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25contender

Twelve Pointer
So off to Virginia I went!! The plan was to drive up and then back after the wedding to bow hunt Sunday morning. Well I stayed longer than I thought I would but started home anyway. There was no way I could make it all the way home as it was 11:30. When I hit the VA NC border I pulled in to a rest area to take a short break and a little shut eye. Well when I woke up it was 5am!! Crap no hunting this morning. So I took my time and decided I would go home then hunt the afternoon. I haven't picked up a gun for deer hunting in 25 years but have never killed a turkey with a bow. With all the activity I thought this would be my best chance at taking one with a bow. So at noon I struck out to set up a blind then do a little light calling trough out the afternoon. Since one of our clover fields seems to be the hub of many of our turkeys world this year I set up where Jackson shot his during youth opener. From scouting it looked like a few more dominant birds had moved into this area.
After a few hour of light calling I saw a gobblers head bobbing through some tall grass about 200 yds away. I made a light call and he looked my direction but disappeared like a ghost back into the tall grass. It was still early so I was very optimistic. As I sat there I was trying to figure out how all this was going to play out. I went though a mental check list a few times. When I set up the blind I made sure I could shoot out of two windows yet still film. I wasn't sure which direction the turkeys would come from or if they would even come to a call on the field so I placed my camera to my left which made it harder to film. It did however make it easier to shoot a wider swath of the field. I took my range finder and ranged a few poles and some clumps of clover as well just to get a reference. I knew by ranging the field it was 90yds across.
So back to a little more light calling. After another hour of calling I heard a hen off in the distance and a muffled gobble. Things were looking up as it was only 5pm... It was finally starting to cool down in the blind as it was 81 degrees out and the blind had zero cover. The breeze instead of being warm had cooled off as well. You know as you sit there for a few hours you try and play out how things might happen. As I did that I noticed two hens heads crossing a grown part of the field to my right. I thought to myself dang definitely the wrong side to shoot with a bow!! I was relived to see them cross the field to the other side. About that time I heard another gobble in the direction the hens were headed. 30 minutes went by without a peep and then watched as a lone hen came onto the clover field. She fed around and to her right in the tall grass I could see a faint fan of a strutter. Here we go I thought to myself!! Now if I can just get him into shooting range from where he was at 100 yds out. I made a few soft soft calls and one of the hens talked back ever so lightly. She saw the decoy and paid it no mind then kept on feeding. Finally two more hens entered the field feeding with the gobbler in tow.
I decided to sit tight to let nature take its course and just be at the ready. Slowly he strutted around at 80 yds for what seemed like forever. With bow in hand I watched as one of the hens was watching the decoy I had to my left. She finally started towards my side of the field along the edge then went into the grown part of the field. Soon after another of the three hens followed suit. At the same time the Tom was still strutting across the field but now he saw the decoy and started strutting down the edge towards the side of the field I was on!! Slowly but surely he came closer 70, 60, 50 yards then he stopped as the third hen came across the field like she was on a mission. As I watched him strutting at 50 yds I told myself if he came 5 yds closer I would take the shot as the other two hens were working away from him. He strutted a little closer then closer still and a little more as I ranged him at 45yds!! As he danced around in the clover I waited for him to get broadside . As soon as he did I drew back took careful aim not knowing if he was in frame of the camera as I couldn't see the screen. I lightly touched off the shot and watched it fly true and straight disappearing mid mast of his body. He dropped right in his tracks as I breathed a sigh of relief!!
What a few day of turkey hunting it has been. Probably the the best turkey season I have had since I started turkey hunting over 30 years ago. Finishing the short season with a bow kill was just a bonus. Now if my Nephew can get one during his Easter break from school that will that would be fantastic.



 
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genesis27:3

Old Mossy Horns
Nice write up Mark. There's only one critter that's more fun to chase and hear in the woods than a fired up gobbler!
Now, tell us about "Day 2".
 

sky hawk

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
It sounds like all of the hard work leading up to the season paid off. Congrats on a very successful season. That place seems to get better every year.
 

25contender

Twelve Pointer
Yes it has. Five or Six years ago if we killed one bird that was a big deal. Since we implemented measures to keep the birds there year round it has blossomed 10 fold from what it used to be. I truly believe that hatch after hatch certain things have been imprinted so the young now hang tight. Used to be we just got birds that were passing through. Now it has become the goto place for us. It really hasn't cost us that much to get these results. Mostly just time and patience.
It sounds like all of the hard work leading up to the season paid off. Congrats on a very successful season. That place seems to get better every year.
 
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jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
cool pics..... congrats on a good season. Those perfect years don't come around much.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
Yes it has. Five or Six years ago if we killed one bird that was a big deal. Since we implemented measures to keep the birds there year round it has blossomed 10 fold from what it used to be. I truly believe that hatch after hatch certain things have been imprinted so the young now hang tight. Used to be we just got birds that were passing through. Now it has become the goto place for us. It really hasn't cost us that much to get these results. Mostly just time and patience.


Congrats on the great season so far but that right three is the best part - you got proactive and made a nice turkey hunt are

Congrats
 

25contender

Twelve Pointer
Well my season is pretty much over for this year. Went on my 4th hunt last saturday to help a friend get his second bird. It took us a while to find one that would gobble then found the three Amigos. ( that's what we call them ) they gobbled like 5 year old birds but it was fast and furious. We sat up and made a few calls. We heard them off in the distance so we made a move through the pine thicket to the top of a rise. As soon as I called one gobbled back closer now. I could see them running around trying to find the hen which they heard. I turned on my video camera and called again as they were looking in the wrong place. They ziged when they should have zaged!!! It was really quite comical to watch! After that call they finally headed the right direction and my friend put the smack down on bird 5 of the season for 4 hunts. Don't think I will have another season like this one. Great thing was 3.5 bird kills on video!!

 
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