Live From The Woods 2019 Turkey Edition

[ATbuckhunter]

Woke up 40 minutes late and didn’t get to my spot till 5:50. No gobbles heard on the walk in, but it was pretty bright out already so I guess it makes sense. Guess it’s another day of running and gunning for me


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[LET EM GROW]

Yesterday..

Long story short, I missed.. lol

Found 2 longbeards, 1 jake and 3 hens grouped up not moving much.. drying off from the wet evening before.. It took 4 setups between 630am and 930 am to finally get them within range.. On the fourht sit i got ahead of them finally.. and just waited them out, no calls or anything. One hen got to about 5 yards and didnt like what she saw, slowly turned back and putted away.. the two toms stopped at 40 and broke strut but didnt run.. actually just started eating and pecking around.. waited for the more dominant bird to pick his head up and when he did..... i pulled the gun off of his head, probably by a couple of feet, then squeezed the trigger... no idea why.. Guess theres a first for everything.. First miss on a bird in my books. Bummer.. 

Man do these little 20ga handloads pack a punch, hot dang!

On the first setup, I had a fisher at 30 yards.. man did I wanna squeeze one off at it in the worst way... After that a huge male yote with maybe a 3" tail and a smaller very dark female strolled through. She had something in her mouth..

 

[The_Real_TCIII]

I had the safety off twice this morning, once on a Jake that walked right by me and then the Tom but he was at around 50. After last weeks miss I was a bit gun shy and he was already way to my left, I didn’t think I was really locked on him. A third Gobbler joined them with at least two hens. They gobbled to everything I tried but wouldn’t move so I backed out. I hope to go back later


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[Pygmy]

Bingo !!….Tagged out  in NY at 5:48 AM  ...Good bird and textbook hunt..Story to come....

[Steuben Jerry]

27 minutes ago, Pygmy said:

Bingo !!….Tagged out  in NY at 5:48 AM  ...Good bird and textbook hunt..Story to come....

Congrats! Waiting for the story!

[Pygmy]

This bird had been roosting on an oak ridge about 100 yards off a field....He would gobble a few times on the roost, fly down and walk out into the field to gobble and strut to attract hens...I set my pop up blind on the edge of the field and set out two hen decoys..

He gobbled on the roost at 5:30 AM, about 100 yards into the woods behind me....He gobbled on the roost a half dozen times and I was listening for him to fly down before I called...I never heard him fly down, but suddenly he gobbled on the ground behind the blind and he was CLOSE...He gobbled one more time and I could tell he was coming out of the woods to my right, so I got set up to shoot out of that window... He stepped into the field, took one look at Esmerelda and Henrietta and went into strut...Then he folded up and started walking toward the decoys....I shot him at 38 of my Pygmy paces from the blind...I looked at my watch and it was 5:48...I never even took the rubber band off my box call.....18 3/4 pounds, 9 3/4" beard and  7/8" spurs....He could have been a brother  to the one I killed 100 yards away from that spot Sunday morning..

Now it's off to Canada, EH ?.....

[Buckmaster7600]

Successful hunt This morning. Got my daughter on bus at 7 drive around the block and found a bird strutting with 3 hens about a half a mile from the road. Ran home and grabbed my gun and a camo shirt and went after them. After a long walk and a wet creek crossing and a crawl through a shy field I got to within 20yds of the birds and it was just a Jake. Oh well fun way to waste a few hours. He never gobbled once all morning.


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[moog5050]

1 hour ago, Pygmy said:

I shot him at 38 of my Pygmy paces from the blind...

So about 15 yards?

[Pygmy]

53 minutes ago, ODYSSEUS said:

Another Quick 2 hour Turkey hunt before, I had to leave. I heard just 1 Gobble today. I was close when , I heard the Tom. Both quickly and softly rolling my Hikers over Sticks so that none Crack, I got close in the Swamp. Hen took him away though. No response to my Sweet Hen Talk. I am going back down to New Jersey Tomorrow as, I will have the whole morning to 12 noon.  I have a nice Tree on the top of a short Ridge where a NJ Bow Deer Hunter built a Nice Blind. This is where, I took my NJ Fall Gobbler last year. I am 0 for 15 Mornings now.        Now, I never read -- " THE TENTH LEGION-- a book that compares this Famed Roman Legion for their sheer willpower and stick to it Toughness  during Battles and   Stubborn, ironwilled Turkey Hunters like me who refuse to give in. I may not cut a Feather this Spring on Tough Public Land, but if that is the case, I will be  0 for 37 with 6 April days in NJ. Time will tell. This is how, I got my Tally up though. Hunting before work everyday .

The Tenth Legion is one of my all time favorite books...I bought my  signed copy from Tom Kelly  himself at a  NWTF convention in Nashville. He is a fine old gentleman....

Kudos on your persistence, Bill...I used to hunt every single day as long as I had a valid tag...Now that I am older I have to take an occasional day off to recharge my batteries, but I am still out there most of the days...You have to be IN it, to WIN it....

[Hunter007]

Went out this morning didn't here a thing no birds  around. But the bugs are out in force boy  good thing I spread the  hell out of my close with insect repellent. Drove up 1 hour away then  noticed I Lost my box call  or left it home not sure where it is .had only a homemade one on me, made from a pill bottle  which is not  the greatest .

 

 

 

[Marion]

So about 15 yards?

More like 15 feet

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[Robhuntandfish]

Was out this morn and saw 6 deer as I went in. They busted out of field.   Never heard a gobble all morn. But saw a real big Tom about 6:30 hot footing it thru the woods at 100 yards.  Thought maybe he busted me but then I see a tractor pulling up through field on the other side of woods I was hunting.  Big boy .  So went across the road and nothing, left about 9.  

Decided to try to take out boat and fish too for a little while.  Was out about 10 minutes and the wind was just too much.  Even though it's an East wind which helps this side of the lake it was so bad I was drifting faster than I would if trolling and didnt want to fight the wind rest of the day. 

Back out this weekend.  Have sat,sun,Mon off. 

Congrats on the bird Pygmy!  

Edited May 9, 2019 by Robhuntandfish

[ATbuckhunter]

DIdnt hear a single gobble today. I got there a bit late, so i probably missed the roost gobbles. I went to the area where i shot that gobbler monday and I saw a ton of sign there from the last couple days and possibly this morning. Next time I go, ill be going straight there instead of where I usually go. Doubt Ill get out this weekend so maybe monday? 

[turkeyfeathers]

I’ve only been out 3x of first 9 days. Last year was like 24-25 days of 31.  Love me the end of season when woods have popped though.  Probably go Tuesday and call for my cousin on his dirt and never killed a bird.  Then hopefully call for a few others on this forum. New trees and views always nice   Trying to get a few guys their first bird 

[jpastor1759]

I like my Striker vest from Bass Pro. Wasn't very expressive and is comfortable. Only thing that sucks is the box call pocket. Good vest.

I like my cabelas tactical tater 2 vest, but sadly I'm sure that bass pro ruined it like the rest of what was cabelas

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[kpkot]

Group of six hens followed by a nice Tom but out of range at 80 yds. He never made a peep bit did strut and fan out. Watched them for a good 20 minutes. Started to get windy.  walking out I spooked a hen. 

[Pygmy]

I am planning to drive up to Ontario May 17th, and come back on the 23rd...That will give me six days of hunting... I  Gotta remember to pick up some fuel  for my thermacell...Skeeters are brutal up there later in the month...   Last time I  hunted up there in mid May I forgot  the thermacell and damn near got eaten alive...

[Five Seasons]

On 5/9/2019 at 6:48 AM, LET EM GROW said:

Yesterday..

Long story short, I missed.. lol

Found 2 longbeards, 1 jake and 3 hens grouped up not moving much.. drying off from the wet evening before.. It took 4 setups between 630am and 930 am to finally get them within range.. On the fourht sit i got ahead of them finally.. and just waited them out, no calls or anything. One hen got to about 5 yards and didnt like what she saw, slowly turned back and putted away.. the two toms stopped at 40 and broke strut but didnt run.. actually just started eating and pecking around.. waited for the more dominant bird to pick his head up and when he did..... i pulled the gun off of his head, probably by a couple of feet, then squeezed the trigger... no idea why.. Guess theres a first for everything.. First miss on a bird in my books. Bummer.. 

Man do these little 20ga handloads pack a punch, hot dang!

On the first setup, I had a fisher at 30 yards.. man did I wanna squeeze one off at it in the worst way... After that a huge male yote with maybe a 3" tail and a smaller very dark female strolled through. She had something in her mouth..

 

20 gauge at 40 yards is a decent poke my man. heck i'm shooting 3.5" mags out of a 12 lol.

[Five Seasons]

18 hours ago, jpastor1759 said:

I like my cabelas tactical tater 2 vest, but sadly I'm sure that bass pro ruined it like the rest of what was cabelas

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another vote for this vest. picked it up last year. I think the pockets could have been better thought out, but the kick stand is absolutely money. No need to find the right tree.

[Five Seasons]

On 5/8/2019 at 10:59 AM, ODYSSEUS said:

Since May 1st, I have had a ton of Action . Passed up 2 Fine Gobblers. The first had 2 Saplings between him and me and the 2nd was at over 60 yards.    This morning, I was cut off at-- Who Cooks For You with my new Owl Hooter. Never was able to finish with -- Who Cooks For You Alllll. A Tom Gobbled 20 Yards away!! I had to hide behind a Tree !! Made the move very slowly. I was stuck for over 30 minutes.  I never saw him until he flew out.   I might try NJ again tomorrow . Getting closer.

good luck bill, but as a side note. Passing up implies you had an opportunity. 

[Swamp_bucks]

Daughters getting her first tags tonight then hunting in am before nyssma tryouts.

[crappyice]

Daughters getting her first tags tonight then hunting in am before nyssma tryouts.

Now NYSSMA is realm pressure- good luck to her on both fronts


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[Swamp_bucks]

49 minutes ago, crappyice said:

Now NYSSMA is realm pressure- good luck to her on both fronts


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Yea it is. Shes been competeing in singing events since she was 5 won couple but this is the only time ive seen her nervous. However music runs through her mothers side one of my wifes uncle is in cortlands country hall of fame her dad used to open for headliners across NY,wife had lead rolls in musicals they all live to perform.  But thank you and i will give her an extra good luck for both tomorrow. 

[Pygmy]

3 hours ago, Belo said:

good luck bill, but as a side note. Passing up implies you had an opportunity. 

In my vocabulary, passing up means you had  the chance to take  a good shot and chose not to, for whatever reason...

What Bill did, was  chose not to take a marginal shot, which is to his credit...

[crappyice]

GOT ONE!!!!!







Hope the 6% absorbed water helps the flavor whatever the F that means!


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