Got my second bird.

noodle one · May 26, 2011

I have been very busy working around my house to do much turkey hunting . I haven't been out since taking my first bird on the first Sat. of the season. I am building a shed 16' x20' that needs to be build on post (20) and it is a lot of work. I retired so that I didn't have to work any more "ha ha". There is a pipe line down back of my house and I have taken many turkey there. I am up every day between 4:30 am and 5:00 am. I am out the door at first light and in the back yard getting things around so at I can get some work done between the rain drops and this year there has been many rain drops. Up to the last two years I have always heard gobblers down back, but for some reason there hasn't been any gobbling and or sign down back. I don't know what has happen to them , maybe coyotes, I just don't know. I always had them in my back yard , but have not seem any in the last two years. Every morning working out back ,I have not heard one gobble. Every morning after getting things setup for the days work I would get into my truck and head down to the corner store to get a coffee to go and then make a run around the mountain and up a back road to sit and listen for turkeys while drinking my coffee. Every morning the same thing ,not a gobble. I would get back to my house around 7:00 am. every day. About a week and a half ago, I was heading home and coming to a small open lot just before turning on to my road I spotted a hen bird heading for the pipe line. I saw her two more times after that at the same time 6:45 am each morning. I thought to myself that she was heading to a gobbler and he wasn't gobbling. About two days later while working out back I heard a hen yelp two times and then no more. no more yelps or gobbles. I said to myself that she has just meet up with the gobber. The next morning I was up and dressed for turkey hunting by 5:oo am. I did the same thing that I do every mornig and started to setup for the days work.At around 6:00 am I took two decoys ( hen and jake) and pick up my gun and headed for the pipe line. I wanted to get there before the real hen. I knew that if she was coming, at she would get there about 7:15 am. I was setup by 6:15 am and had my decoys in place. I gave three yelps and was answered with a gobble way out, I mean a long ways off. I waited a couple of min. and gave some more yelps and he was in the same piace and answered with a gobble. I waited five mins. before calling again and when he gobbled he was heading my way. I waited another ten min.to call and when he gobbled he was about two hundred yards out and coming. All this time I am hoping that he would show up before the real hen. I hadn't given him a call for about fifteen min now and was thinking about giving him another call ,when I looked to my left and there coming up the pipe line was a big fan. At that time he was about 50 yards out.and headed straight for the decoys. He was taken his time stopping every few feet to put on a show. It took him for ever to cover twenty (20) yards and come to within thirty (30) yards. I said to myself that he is one big gobbler. I gave him a putt and up came his head and it was all over. nine and one half in. beard (9 1/2 in.) and spurs of an inch and a quarter (1 1/4 ") and turning up to sharp points. This shows that there are more ways to find a gobbler than hearing them gobble. So if you see a hen or hens heading for the same place early in the morning, chances are that she or they are heading to the gobbler. This is not the first bird that I have taken this way, I can think of a half a doz. right off the top of my head and they all have been big birds. Thanks for reading my story and now I have to get to bed, because I still have to get up to work on the shed so I can go fishing. Thanks again, noodle one

Lawdwaz · May 26, 2011

Good job noodle one. Looks like you noodled two? <grin>

It certainly helps if you live in your hunting area, especially for spring turkey. You never know when a gobbler is going to show up or decide to test his vocal cords. I only hunted 4 days this spring, twice with friends and twice alone. The weather, work and the price of fuel (yup, I'll admit it) slowed me down. My closest spot is 50 miles, one way. At 16 miles/gallon, coffee and Little Debbie ride alongs, the trip gets expensive.

Fire up that camera and get us some pics of your new man cave/shed. Oh yea, nice pics of your gobbler! <grin>