MattRaymond
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2015
- Messages
- 183
- Reaction score
- 50
It's been a good season so far. I'm kinda limited on time this season, like with all seasons, so I try to make the most of my days afield. I had a free morning yesterday so I decided to head back out into the turkey woods. I tried a spot that I've hunted deer on public land, that borders a section of private land I hunt as well. I'd estimate both sections to cover about 150 acres of deep hardwoods and logging trails.
I started out 1st thing along an old logging trail. Walked into the woods about 1/4 mile until it felt right. Waited along the logging road waiting for the morning to evolve on it's own. Around 4:45-5:00 I hear my first two gobbles...about 40 yards behind me and on the upper section of the wood road. I walked right under the roost of a couple of mature gobblers! I tried to remain calm and quietly slipped further past them in the dark so that I was about 80 yards away and beyond their field of vision. It worked, the sounded off again and I gave them a few quiet morning yelps to let them know I was there. They continued to gobble their heads off for what seemed like forever. Cutting me off when I yelped, and I continued to answer the bird that would gobble first. Around 5:20, they pitched down on the uphill side and I figured they'd walk right in to my irresistible hen talk.....NOPE!
In typical Turkey fashion they both turned away and walked off to about 150 yards. I didn't want to lose them so I broke position and set up again closer to them...boom the gobble again but now they are farther off...we played this game of set up, and move at least 7 times during the course of the next 3 hours, and covered darn near all of my available acreage! Up and down the ridges and hillside. Each time my frustration and anticipation grew...these two were smart, and they were getting under my skin...
After my last set up, things went silent and the last I heard from them was about 100 yards away and they no longer really seemed interested. I sat there wondering what went wrong from the hundreds of decisions I made that hunt. After about 30 minutes alone in the woods, I picked myself up and started my "walk of shame"... On the way out, almost to where they had been roosted 1st thing....I thought I heard a faint 1/2 gobble...I stopped, yelped a bit and BOOM...massive gobble about 80 yards away...this time he was alone...it was the break I needed. I quickly surmised that for what ever reason his wingman decided to leave, which left him a bit lonely. I set up for what would be my final time. Winded and adrenaline pumping I knew this was my final chance. I laid it on fast and hot....he hammered back and was closing the distance. I first caught a glimpse of his tail as he approached a blow down. Then his neck and body sliding through the woods using large Oaks as cover. He made it to about 30 yards and peeked around a large Oak...safety off...he hears the "click" and takes another step out from cover...just what I'd been waiting for, the chess battle was about to end, Check Mate...
Once the gun went off and he fell back in his tracks. I looked at my phone and it was a little after 8:00...He was done, and so was I. I literally put my gun aside and slid down with my head resting on my tree's roots against and laid there on my back with relief. Once I composed myself I got up, exhausted both physically, and emotionally, I walked up to him in amazement. This bird was my personal best...I've been fortunate to harvest some great birds so far but this one really gave me a run for my money and took every bit of calling skill and woodsmanship for me to get the job done...I felt like with this particular hunt, I'd evolved from a "guy who hunts turkeys", to a "Turkey Hunter" it took me 5 years to feel worthy of the title.
In the end, he weighed in at 20lbs, had a double beard of 11 inches and 7 inches respectfully, and his spurs were 1 inch long and worn down from the rocky varied terrain. I'd say he was at least 3 years old.
I started out 1st thing along an old logging trail. Walked into the woods about 1/4 mile until it felt right. Waited along the logging road waiting for the morning to evolve on it's own. Around 4:45-5:00 I hear my first two gobbles...about 40 yards behind me and on the upper section of the wood road. I walked right under the roost of a couple of mature gobblers! I tried to remain calm and quietly slipped further past them in the dark so that I was about 80 yards away and beyond their field of vision. It worked, the sounded off again and I gave them a few quiet morning yelps to let them know I was there. They continued to gobble their heads off for what seemed like forever. Cutting me off when I yelped, and I continued to answer the bird that would gobble first. Around 5:20, they pitched down on the uphill side and I figured they'd walk right in to my irresistible hen talk.....NOPE!
In typical Turkey fashion they both turned away and walked off to about 150 yards. I didn't want to lose them so I broke position and set up again closer to them...boom the gobble again but now they are farther off...we played this game of set up, and move at least 7 times during the course of the next 3 hours, and covered darn near all of my available acreage! Up and down the ridges and hillside. Each time my frustration and anticipation grew...these two were smart, and they were getting under my skin...
After my last set up, things went silent and the last I heard from them was about 100 yards away and they no longer really seemed interested. I sat there wondering what went wrong from the hundreds of decisions I made that hunt. After about 30 minutes alone in the woods, I picked myself up and started my "walk of shame"... On the way out, almost to where they had been roosted 1st thing....I thought I heard a faint 1/2 gobble...I stopped, yelped a bit and BOOM...massive gobble about 80 yards away...this time he was alone...it was the break I needed. I quickly surmised that for what ever reason his wingman decided to leave, which left him a bit lonely. I set up for what would be my final time. Winded and adrenaline pumping I knew this was my final chance. I laid it on fast and hot....he hammered back and was closing the distance. I first caught a glimpse of his tail as he approached a blow down. Then his neck and body sliding through the woods using large Oaks as cover. He made it to about 30 yards and peeked around a large Oak...safety off...he hears the "click" and takes another step out from cover...just what I'd been waiting for, the chess battle was about to end, Check Mate...
Once the gun went off and he fell back in his tracks. I looked at my phone and it was a little after 8:00...He was done, and so was I. I literally put my gun aside and slid down with my head resting on my tree's roots against and laid there on my back with relief. Once I composed myself I got up, exhausted both physically, and emotionally, I walked up to him in amazement. This bird was my personal best...I've been fortunate to harvest some great birds so far but this one really gave me a run for my money and took every bit of calling skill and woodsmanship for me to get the job done...I felt like with this particular hunt, I'd evolved from a "guy who hunts turkeys", to a "Turkey Hunter" it took me 5 years to feel worthy of the title.
In the end, he weighed in at 20lbs, had a double beard of 11 inches and 7 inches respectfully, and his spurs were 1 inch long and worn down from the rocky varied terrain. I'd say he was at least 3 years old.
