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Finally got a tag on one

alloutdoors

By alloutdoors,
in Turkey Hunting

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alloutdoors Newbie

alloutdoors

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I've called enough birds into range so far this year to fill several seasons worth of tags, but none had presented a shot opportunity until this one. I got to the farm I was planning to hunt yesterday morning only to find that someone had beaten me there. Normally this wouldn't bother me, but the day before I was working birds on this property when this same idiot showed up, saw my truck, and still decided to try and belly crawl the birds that were in the field. Needless to say I was a little steamed. I've been hunting this farm pretty hard because there are a ton of birds there, and with all my focus there I haven't been keeping close tabs on some of the other properties I usually hunt. Last weekend though I roosted a bird on another nearby farm so I decided to head that way and see if he was close by. A quick rain had moved through about an hour before daylight so I figured he would head for the nearby field once he flew down.

I walked in and found a spot just off the field edge between the field and where I had heard him roost a week ago. As it got light he gobbled and was right where I was hoping. He gobbled two more times and then I heard a hen fly down out into the field. I gave a few soft tree yelps, waited a couple minutes and then gave another short series of yelps before using my hat to do some fly down wing beats. After a brief pause I let out several sporadic clucks and then shut up. I heard him hit the ground about 70 yards away, and he gobbled two or three more times as he came my way. It was all over in ten minutes when my M2 seriously ruined his morning with a load of HW 7's at 35 yards.

The best part was when I drove out and the guy back at the other farm was still sitting in his tent out in the middle of an empty field. As I drove past and got near the top of the field two gobblers and a hen were crossing the road away from where he was hunting so I graciously slowed down to let them pass, then pulled up and "encouraged" their progress across the field and into the woods on the neighboring property. :spiteful:

The bird weighed 22lbs 15oz, had a ratty 8 1/2" beard that looked like it took a beating with the snow we had this winter, and had 1 3/8" and 1 5/16" spurs.
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The trumpet is from Billy McCallister, MacDaddy Custom Calls. I had a chance to meet Billy when I hunted GA last month and he gave me the call in trade for one of my wingbones. It's the first of his new design and I'm calling it Black Magic for the effect it's been having on the birds, and because I was starting to wonder if I had acquired a curse by taking it from its master.  :ph34r:  The number of birds I called in this past week without being able to get any shots was getting ridiculous. Thankfully it appears the curse has been lifted. I highly recommend hitting Billy up for some calls to add to your collection. He also makes some pot calls that are absolute screamers.

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alloutdoors Newbie

alloutdoors

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Thanks everyone! It was nice to get this one out of the way. It's been an odd year with lots of action but no chances to pull the trigger until now. It's been awhile since I've still been hunting for myself at this point in the season, I've gotten used to tagging out by the end of the first weekend.

 

Very nice.I have always wanted to try a trumpet call but I have heard they are tough to get the hang of.May have to give it a shot!!

 

You should get one. Some people pick it up very quickly, and others not so much. I was able to make passable yelps and clucks almost immediately when I started, although it took a bit longer to get the consistency and confidence I needed to go to it in a hunting situation and there is always room to refine and improve your technique.

 

Good deal man! Judging by the first pic of you and the bird you're hunting some good looking country!

 

Agreed, it really is some pretty turkey country.

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