Robs huntandfish journal

[Otto]

Sure, come on over! 

[Robhuntandfish]

Prob my best day turkey hunting ever without getting one.  Set up in spot I had planned.  Had a lone hen come out and walk around in front of me for 35 minutes then she went into the woods.  1/2 hour later one comes out on my left in brush at 10 yards to my left. Then I see movement to my right and there is another hen at 10 yards on that side. They go out and wander around field for a 1/2 hour then up over the top of field.  Heard a couple of close shots figure Tom's must be in other areas. 

About to think about leaving and another hen comes out .. and I hear a gobble a ways in the woods.  Hen goes up to top of field and gone then a big Godzilla gobbler comes out about 250 yards up field. He's tailing a hen .  Gobbling and fanning and putting on a show.  I try to piss off the hen and bring her down but no luck. They go across field and I can't see them. 

So figured I better wait a little while so I don't spooky them. About 20 min and out steps another gobbler and a Jake.  Smaller Tom maybe a 6" beard. I Yelp at them and they keep milling around. They come out farther in the field and I Yelp and they look and see my dekes.  So they start coming a little. Wind blows and dekes move and that's it they are committed, here they come.

Gobbler keeps stopping and fanning and gobbles.  Jake just keeps looking. They get to about 40 and hang up and heads start bobbing a little and they start to move left and away.  Figure this is my only shot.  Swing and a miss. Gobbler and Jake off and running.  

Paced it off and it was more like 49 yards. Def farther than I have shot.  But I have taken gobblers out to 30 and have patterned shot out to 35.  So 40 is my tops but it was a little farther.

Anyway great day of turkey hunting.  I saw 7 turkeys - 2 were Tom's, one Jake and a then hens.  Awesome.

Gonna try tomorrow but going to setup at top of field for the big boy as they all seem to head that way. 

Edited May 2, 2020 by Robhuntandfish

[Robhuntandfish]

Slower day today.  Same field just higher up.  Seen three deer, 2 wood chucks and a hen.  Woodchucks were chasing each other and almost ran over me.  

Heard a couple early roost gobbles from a ways away, and a lone hen spent two hours out in the field I was hunting but no Tom's around.  

[Robhuntandfish]

Had action today. Turks roost gobbling at 3-400 yards.  Hen comes out wanders.  Then Tom comes out. I Yelp lightly and he sees dekes and leaves hen .   Comes this way and right in shooting lane with sights on him...but 70 yards. He didn't come up treeline went out to far in field.  He gobbles and fans and goes back to the hen.  Comes back out on field at 100 and struts but can't bring them my way.  Think I should've just put a hen deke out and not the Jake. 

Also seen a yote and 5 deer.  Crazy thing had three deer come out and a hen with them.  They were so close she had to move not to get stepped on. They came out into field as a group.  Deer looked at decoys and went back in woods. Hen hung out in field for 20 minutes, but no Tom's or gobbles so headed out.  

Next set gonna try closer to where they keep coming out and use just a hen as a set.  This weekend.

[Robhuntandfish]

Second half of day on the water. Limit of eyes, also a couple panfish. Got three shorts as well and two other hits.  Good and needed day on the water.  And first fish in the new boat is a keeper eye. 

Edited May 6, 2020 by Robhuntandfish

[wolc123]

36 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

Second half of day on the water. Limit of eyes, also a couple panfish. Got three shorts as well and two other hits.  Good and needed day on the water.  And first fish in the new boat is a keeper eye. 

Nice walleyes, what did you catch them on ?   I am going to try for some on Silver lake out in here WNY, the weekend after next, when hopefully it warms up a bit.  I don't mind the cold, but my wife and kids don't like it.   Usually, I fish for Northern pike there at this time of year, but those are a no-go with her on board.   The walleyes are a lot fewer and farther between there as the pike usually are at this time of year.    

I am setting my boat up for some "backtrolling" along the emerging weed-lines, using my old 1956 Evinrude 5-1/2 hp "kicker".  That thing idles down real nice so that you can almost see the prop turn.  We will probably go mostly with bucktail jig & minnows for bait and maybe some of my brown, crawfish-pattern bucktail jigs.    One thing I like about walleyes, is that they don't seem to mind the below the waterline gas-outboard exhaust noise, unlike bass or pike.  I am always stuck using the electric motor and lots of juice for those.  Gas is cheap now, so may as well put some to use catching fish.       

Edited May 6, 2020 by wolc123

[Robhuntandfish]

I used worm harnesses. It's what I fish for walleyes the most with.  1/2 once sinker ahead of them and slow troll with the trolling motor.  Back trolling should certainly work with those as well. Hope u get some.  

[Pygmy]

27 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

I used worm harnesses. It's what I fish for walleyes the most with.  1/2 once sinker ahead of them and slow troll with the trolling motor.  Back trolling should certainly work with those as well. Hope u get some.  

What depth are you finding them at, Rob  ??

[Robhuntandfish]

12 minutes ago, Pygmy said:

What depth are you finding them at, Rob  ??

19-23 ft. I was also fishing midday.  I've heard people getting them anywhere from 10-27 feet though. They are kinda scattered now after post spawn. 

[Pygmy]

6 minutes ago, Robhuntandfish said:

19-23 ft. I was also fishing midday.  I've heard people getting them anywhere from 10-27 feet though. They are kinda scattered now after post spawn. 

As cold as it has been, I'm surprised they are not still spawning...

Keep after that gobbler,  my good friend..If you can set up closer to where he coming into the field, that is a GOOD thing....

[Pygmy]

BTW...Nice that you are getting some FISH SLIME in that new boat....Hehehehe,,

[Lawdwaz]

Great job on the turkey and feesh Rob......damn I hope we can come up this summer like we were planning.  I NEED to fish this year.

[Robhuntandfish]

7 minutes ago, Pygmy said:

BTW...Nice that you are getting some FISH SLIME in that new boat....Hehehehe,,

Thanks. It was def a needed day. I got my limit and just rode around for a little while just cause .  

Ice was out early so most of them are back in the lake. Last year we still had ice mid April.  

Looks like sat isnt much of a fishing day so prob be out after gobblers again.  Been close a couple of times. 

Edited May 6, 2020 by Robhuntandfish

[Robhuntandfish]

2 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

Great job on the turkey and feesh Rob......damn I hope we can come up this summer like we were planning.  I NEED to fish this year.

That's for sure . Early June they are usually on the bite hard too. Hope it works out. 

[Robhuntandfish]

Looking forward to tomorrow. Got the day off and going turkey hunting in the morn and fishing after.  Perfect wind for fishing with a SE on this end of the lake. It's been a white wave mess out there for days. Let's go! 

[Robhuntandfish]

Great morning hunt just didn't seal the deal.  Had 8 deer cross field right at twilight, wanted to take a pic bad but had roost gobbles at 300 y.  Beautiful scene backlight on the ridge.  

So I setup closer to where theyve been coming out. Roost gobbles. Then about 6 a hen come out at about 70 yards and she yelps just like you would work a call. Usually when I hear them it actually sounds nothing like that. And the gobbler in the woods behind her answers.  Game on. 

She walks out into field and I see movement behind her. Gotta be the Tom. Nope it's a deer . She walks all the way across the field and the deer follows her. No Tom. 

So I hit the box call to see where he went. He cuts me off and is in brush at about 60. So gun up safety off. I see movement and here he comes. He comes out into field all fanned and headed to my hen decoy.  Gets in an open spot and I got this....

Bang .....and he just looks.... I am stunned dunno what happened. Rack another and he starts to run , I take a quick shot and he flies into woods. WTH.  No explanation or excuse on the miss.  Did find one feather.  Played out perfectly the way I planned it except for the shot.

Prob won't go again til memorial weekend. But it was a great hunt. 

Went and setup on another field but nothing. Breakfast and fishing time

Edited May 14, 2020 by Robhuntandfish

[Robhuntandfish]

2nd half of day on the lake. Got a few. It was a little tough.  Glass out there , but a great day and Charlies first trip in the new boat. I think he approves.  Good day. 

[Lawdwaz]

Damn it, good score. 

[Robhuntandfish]

45 minutes ago, Lawdwaz said:

Damn it, good score. 

Thanks. Had to work for them today. Lost a nice one and caught a couple of shorts too that went back. 

Edited May 14, 2020 by Robhuntandfish

[Robhuntandfish]

After last night's downpours and that I didn't charge the trolling motor battery.  Opted for a turkey hunt.  Had roost gobbles and some sporadic gobbling til 6:30 from a distance.  Had two hens cross the field, but no Tom's to come out and flirt with Hen Anniston.  

[Robhuntandfish]

Morning out fishing on Oneida with buddy Corey.  We each lost a walleye but they were tough to come by. But got a nice bunch of good sized perch. And a day out fishing with a buddy and a beer after like your supposed to!  

[Robhuntandfish]

Sat and sun catch on the lake.  Corey was Killin them on sat.  I did better on Sunday. Good days on the water. 

[Robhuntandfish]

Short turkey memorial day hunt. Storm coming in so had to bail out after an hour and 45 min.  No gobbles, no hens. If I go again will try one of the plowed fields as grass is past knees now.  

[Robhuntandfish]

Too rough to be on the lake so turkey hunt it is.  Had a hen come in behind me cackling the whole way. But no gobbler in tow. Seen 4 deer.  And all bucks. This one was 15 yards and trying hard to get my decoy to move. Already starting a nice rack. Heard one gobble a long way away and tried for 2 hours after.  Last of the season for me. Had my chances just didn't get em. That's usual for me though a turkey every other year.  

[turkeyfeathers]

Still have tomorrow