Favorite hunts Bird or not

[growalot]

19 or so Years ago I had gotten permission to sit in a down fall over our line facing our property and on the edge on another neighbors land . That land we bought several years ago. But I hadn't gotten permission to hunt it then. I called and got a Tom gobbling and strutting on said land,but he wouldn't come any closer then my being able to see the top of his fan. We played a long time when I see movement coming my way. Out of the brush came these hens 3 or 4 as  I recall. They were coming in from his direction which I found odd. Now back then admittedly my heart would pound in my throat at such encounters and I'd get shaky. Those hens walked single file  right up to the end of my barrel ,cocked their heads looked in and then proceeded to walk back down to that strutting Tom. By the time the last hen did this I was nearly choking trying not to laugh. It had given my mind enough time to think. WTH, did he send them up here to tease me! Vengeful bass turd..Lol...Did he send them to gather more hens?  Either way I was really giving him some credit as to being a smart old Tom. Once they got back to him he stopped gobbling and strutting then  disappeared. I sat there a long while running the scene of those silly hens literally peeking into my gun barrel single file. No bird but I think #1 hunt. Some of my best hunts  involve the antics of hens actually. What are yours?

[mowin]

Many yrs ago I made a ground blind for deer hunting. Just some branches and bursh. Definitely not the Hilton.

Got settled in a few days later. Wind was quite stiff from right to left. Had a little button buck snuggle up against my blind and bed down.  He was so close I could count hit eye lashes. Lol after I5 min of so I could see his gaze fix onto my foot, and slowly go up my body. When his eyes and mine met, all hell broke loose. 

I about tinkled myself at him trying to gather his legs under him.  Think he's still running. Lol

Edited May 22, 2017 by mowin

[wooly]

Mine would have to be a few years ago.

I killed a jake, and on my way home I was followed through the woods by a little yearling doe. She kept photo-bombing all my field photo attempts and even stole my hat off the end of my barrel.

No matter what turns I took she was right behind me all the way following me over a mile through the woods right to my backyard.

Many pictures were taken that day. I think about that hunt every spring since then every time I head out!

[Marion]

Mine would have to be a few years ago.
I killed a jake, and on my way home I was followed through the woods by a little yearling doe. She kept photo-bombing all my field photo attempts and even stole my hat off the end of my barrel.
No matter what turns I took she was right behind me all the way following me over a mile through the woods right to my backyard.
Many pictures were taken that day. I think about that hunt every spring since then every time I head out!

Clearly she wanted to be your new pet. Should have kept her and she would have been excellent buck bait

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[dbHunterNY]

years ago i had two toms gobbling moving across the valley below.  couple other hunters and i called to them.  they cut off every call but wouldn't stop for nothing and never changed direction.  it was close to 11AM so the others packed it up calling it a lost cause.  toms headed out of sight into a swamp below.  i unloaded, grabbed gear, and literally sprinted all the way down to the other side of the swamp from where they were headed.  got setup quickly with a hen decoy at the edge of a field and next to a bar way.  racked my Benelli pump as quietly as i could.  i couldn't keep the mouth call in i was breathing so hard.  took deepest breathes i could and got under control enough to throw out some assembly yelps.  they sounded off just inside the swamp.  throughout a quick cutting series and then shut up.  a minute later they were right there.  i saw them out of the corner of my eye working behind me and heard the spitting and drumming.  they were literally working through the brush on the other side of the one i was back up to.  they worked past and through the bar way.  before the bigger one in tow was clear of the bar way for a shot the first long beard was putting, so i let him have it.  aimed toward the base of the neck a few steps away, afraid i might miss.  didn't even flop or flap.  the running and gunning a long beard took all of about 15 minutes but about gave me a heart attack.

[dbHunterNY]

39 minutes ago, The Jerkman said:

Clearly she wanted to be your new pet. Should have kept her and she would have been excellent buck bait

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given how friendly she was, she was probably someone's pet.

[mpavlus]

Actually one of my favorite hunts was this past Saturday. A friend of mine knew this old man who use to hunt. He still makes turkey calls by hand. He gave my friend a box call. The old fella passed away this past winter. This box call has never been in the field. My friend said take it and call one in with it  in memory of Charley. He gobbled of his roost at at the call. Flew down and headed my way. The decoys did the rest. Absolutely awesome hunt. Very memorable.

 

[The_Real_TCIII]

I had a tom strutting back and forth on a railroad bed, gobbling to anything I threw at him but he never did break and come in. It was just a very cool scene watching him up there. Ive never prayed so hard for a train to come by...

[turkeyfeathers]

wouldn't know what to list as my best hunt :

There were sooooo many epic almosts that had the heart a pumping and something went wrong or just wasn't the day

In no particular order :

Brother and I worked a bird all morning, that ole boy took his time coming up that hill. Brother was set up about 30 yards above me. We both called. Finally dropped the hammer on him and get "wondered when you were going to shoot him"  My response was "enjoying the show"  First bird I killed hunting with my brother.

Had a bird gobble 100x across the creek . Everything I threw at him. All of a sudden I hear this crashing sound. That bird came in crashing thru the branches on wing across the creek and dang near into my lap. Quick snap shot and I wiped off half his beard, oops. We ate a few pellets with that one.

Woods erupted with half assed gobbles at first light. 7 jakes came running into me tripping over each other. I let them walk. They meander off and I hear the typical guy waling on the box call as loud as he could. I  wait about 10 minutes as the birds are now headed to this guy and I call again. Birds reverse direction and eventually right back to me. I stop calling and yup, box call Willie starts the decibels again. Birds start his way again. I wait and call them once again right into my lap. Birds see no hen and start heading back to his calling. Look at my watch ,it's 11:55   . I stand up and yell "it's almost noon , gotta go"

Nephew just returned from Fallujah (serious combat and carried the SAW) Hadn't seen him in years. Next day after arrival home I arranged taking him out . Had hot birds prior so knew we'd be into them. I wasn't going to even raise my gun when a silent strutter came in. Nephew just couldn't get on bird. Bird got a little spooky and I hear a "shoot" so I crumpled him. Really wanted him to shoot that bird but the hunt was awesome sharing the woods with him after not seeing him and thankful he was alive to share the moment.

Killing the 4/5+ year old triple beard ( and some long spurs) after having oh so many close calls with him over the years.  I mean a dozen times "I had him" so I thought. From on a string and then it started pouring without a cloud in the sky so he shut down, had him at 15 feet just over a knoll and all I could see was top of fan, he was coming in racing  triple gobbling and a  2 year old got to me first  The 2 year old gobbled only feet behind me, I jumped out of my pants, scared him, he putted and all went quiet. I shot that bastid 2 year old days later and that ole boy lived again.

Killing my old tom this year was pretty cool. I had sent a text the night before 'I'm going to smash that dominant bird tomorrow"  Surrounded in turkey, deer ,wood ducks . At 23.75 pounds,11" beard and limbhanger hooks Guessing he was 4/5 year old  Believe he was dominant bird of our woods. Early season 3 gobblers were in field and only one was allowed to gobble. He doesn't gobble anymore.

Any hunt with daughter has to be top for me. Those moments are by far the most special to me. By previous posts you probably already know that. Been taking her in the spring woods since she could barely walk. All scouting in April up until 3 seasons ago. Took her with me and I killed a decent 2 year old. We got a chuckle out of the other 2 toms beating their dead comrade up after he hit the ground. I still get the "my years are still ringing from that morning" comment periodically. Now the best hunt is still on the horizon......her first bird. No other hunt will compare to that !

Edited May 22, 2017 by turkeyfeathers

[Buckmaster7600]

Probably 15 years ago my wife/girlfriend at the times uncle wanted me to bring him turkey hunting on property he had permission to hunt.

Got over there and set up on the dark on a ridge. Way before first light a bird started gobbling his head off 150yds away. That bird flew down and gobbled more than any other turkey I have ever heard for 2 hrs but would not come across a stream that was between us. I kept telling him we had to cross it but he refused finally I said fine I will so I waited for the bird to turn away took my pants off waded the chest deep water and by the time I made it through the bird was turned back towards me so I tucked behind a tree and yelped softly. The bird was probably 60 yds from me and I killed him at 5 yds while he was still at a dead sprint.

Needless to say he was totally pissed and has never hunted with me again "not a big loss." That is my biggest bird to date and weighed 23lbs and had an 11 1/2" beard, don't know what his Spurs were because back then I didn't know they mattered. The best part was I killed him wearing underwear and a Tshirt.




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[mowin]

Have to say my favorite two turkey hunts were in the Catskills. 

1st was with some friends from Maine. I was calling and filming, no gun with me. Had several birds going nuts, and coming in quick when I hear a twig snap behind me. At first I thought it was another hunter stalking in on us, but I turned slowly to see a 300 lb black bear 20 yrds away from me.  Called that bear in twice that morning.  

2nd one we heard a bird gobbling a long ways away. It was going nuts, but we couldn't get any closer as we were on the border of another property. Have to guess this bird was a half mile or more away. Could hardly hear him.  I called as loud as I could. Cutting and cackling along with some assembly yelps. Sure enough, he was getting closer. Took over a hr, but he came within 40 yrds.  Triple beard.  25 lbs 1 1/2 Spurs.  Later that night the neighbor came over to visit. Told us he had a tom 60 yrds away when this wacko hen started going ballistic up on the mountain side and he headed that way. Lol he wasn't please when I told him I was that wacko hen, and he was a triple bearded bird.  Lol