turkeyfeathers

I'm sure your daughter feels terrible about it. Go get him together another day.

3 am the alarm goes off. Wake 11 year old daughter who then is standing in the kitchen ready to go minutes later. I'm toting her youth Remmy 20 gauge to try and break it in on a bird . Cross the trout stream, thru the beaver swamp where the peepers were singing. At about 6 am we hear gobbles over the top of the hill we sit on. At 6:30 we see a strutter and a hen in field about 200 yards off. He'd gobble and it was so windy you could barely hear him.We sit about 20 yards inside the woods overlooking this field. Standing DSD hen deke on edge of field. I called birds to within about 60 yards where they hung up. First hang up on a decoy ever. They farted around for a good hour. He displayed in circles and gobbled his fool head off. I purred very quietly but couldn't get him to come into range. Couldn't get bossy with the hen as they were too close. They had two choices of travel. Up towards us or into the woods. They chose the woods of course. Waited about 15 minutes and tried to go bitchy hen and drag her back with him in tow. No luck Awhile later we have two birds ripping down the hill and one over the hill top. Tim Hortons coffee wanted out at about 9. I stand up walk about 10 feet from daughter and proceed to pee. SOB , a bird in full display is cresting the little knoll. I try and sneak back that 10 feet which seemed like a mile. His eyes are completely on the decoy. I wait til he gets behind a tree and slowly make my move. Daughter seeing all this unfold. Putt, putt putt off he goes. We shock gobbled another bird or maybe him 500 yards off an hour later. We crested hill to set up and busted out 8-9 deer and bird never hit my hen calling. Yellow warblers, yellow rumped warblers, flicker.downy, raven, wood thrush, robins, phoebes. rose breasted grosbeaks. The woods were alive. Love that my daughter who takes ballet 5x a week can also enjoy something I love so much. She thanked me numerous times for a great day. Didn't take a bird home with us but enjoyed one heck of a great morning. That's what it's all about anyhow.

Isn't that train heavy to carry in your vest?

Been out 3 days so far. Multiple birds shock gobbled at my crow call every time. Hit it hard and loud. They gobble back and not even know they're doing it. Once you locate them they might not hit your hen call because they have their hens in tow already. Yesterday had strutter in field hung up at 70 yards. A car a half mile away beeped and he gobbled on it.

No training required They take care of everything right there From prints, photo and paperwork. All you need to do is throw proper paperwork in an envelope and mail it. Very easy process unlike trying to get a NY permit.

That was my parakeet

Took my Utah non resident just short of 5 years ago. Just got re-newal in mail yesterday as a matter of fact. Believe it's $15 and a new pic and I send it in. It's nice to have some reciprocity. I can drive from here to Florida and have all states covered with the exception of South Carolina I believe. I was told that you can call LE and let them know you are passing thru. Locked in trunk with ammo separate. Don't quote me on this though. I also purchased the 50 states book which lists each state's law. Quite helpful.

I'm no expert but some differences I see are "field mode" more so at end of season. Picking dandelions and bugs off the higher grasses. Field mode now is more dusting or rainy and windy days. End of season makes setting up closer to where they are roosting easier as the canopy is a lot fuller. Saw a Turkey Thug episode other night and the guys were asked which part of the season they enjoyed. All different answers. As far as drop off or tactics: I don't really see or change a thing.

Ah you get to hunt him again. Bittersweet problem to have. Love when it gets personal. Had deer foot stomping and snorting at me other morning. Every year I catch a coyote trying to sneak in ............... Good luck and enjoy the hunt(s) on that bird.

How was the wind? Hunted yesterday for a few hours and it was really windy. Haven;t heard a lot of success stories on windy days. I know I haven't had much luck on those days.

Great story. Congrats ! Nice hooks on that bird

Great idea. I usually sit in a leek patch so the turkeys can't wind me

nicely done

IMO windy days suck ! It's tough to judge just how loud or soft to call. Birds may hit the fields as their hearing sense will be dulled and will have to look for predators

I totally concur on hanging out until the tom's are unhenned. Opening morning I hit the crow call hard later morning after only hearing two gobbles on roost and nothing after. 3 birds shock gobbled and I was able to close the deal on one later morning. This morning in 9H took the 11 year old daughter. Could only hunt til 9 as I had to work. Shock gobbled one at 7 but I'm sure he was henned up as well because he wouldn't hit my calling. Dang was it windy out there this morning. Had we been able to stay I believe he would have been easier to call in.

Best $15 I ever spent was on a camo umbrella that straps to the tree over your head. Don't even need rain gear. I do sometimes get water running down the tree, thru the back of my vest ,thru my clothes and leeches down to my boxers. Oh how i love the feeling i wet my pants : )

Ha, seems like you are for sure hooked now. A great morning you had for sure. I third the motion of scratching leaves The best part is you get to hunt that Tom again. If turkey hunting was easy a lot of us wouldn't do it. And a personal thank you for not taking the golden bb shot at 60 yards A lot of guys would. I don't know who you are personally but respect you. Enjoy each and every morning. That's what it's all about. Crud, if I wanted a turkey so bad I'd hit the frozen food section at Wegmans. Taking one home is a perk, seeing newborn fawns, coyote coming in to ambush you, songbird arsenal of songs. But back to your question , good job not getting pegged by that hen that hung around. Sometimes calling in the hens is a sure fire way to get mr Tom in. Weird things happen with these birds. I run dekes and have been successful with them. Go with your gut feeling. Keep us posted.

I hunt off 362 in 9h

Um. Why were you in a ladder stand ? Congrats on the bird

Good luck

Go get him.

Nice bird. Congrats

Go to your go to spot IMO. They don't talk everyday. Every day is different. Killed my 8-9th bird this morning from under the same tree.

Zag, lol

He make it to your freezer ?