A Bird in the Hand,Another Gobbler in the Bush

[Hatchet Jack]

Got lucky this morning after finally coaxing in 3 hens that were hanging with this gobbler. They were feeding in a food plot below me. He would not leave them to come to my calls so I figured the next best thing was to try to call the gals up hill to my food plot. After almost an hour they finaly made their way up to me. At the same time they were making their way up the powerline toward me, a loud thunderous sounding gobbler was making his way thru the woods behind me as well. He sounded extremely aggressive. Sounding off more frequent as he was getting closer to the powerline. Once the hens and gobbler made it to my food plot they stopped short of my decoys. The gobbler with them hung back a bit and was very leery and reluctant to come in. All the time the gobbler in the woods was getting closer and louder. Something tells me the reluctant gobbler was intimidated by my jake decoy. Even though I just recently colored his head all red and removed his beard to make him look more immature.(No more jake decoys for me.) The whole time I was hoping the gobbler in the woods would show himself because he sounded big. As the reluctant gobbler started to skirt the decoys and looked more and more skittish, I decided to shoot him rather than wait for Mr. Thunder Chicken back in the woods. You know the saying about one bird in the hand vs a monster gobbler in the bush, or something like that. Any way..... here is my cell phone camera, hand held, very shaky, self video. I had to put the phone down in order to make the shot. When I did you can hear Mr. Thunder gobbling back in the woods. It took me a while to make the shot because I was waiting for the hens heads to get out of the way before pulling the trigger. Once it was all clear I tried to pulled the trigger and realize I forgot to take off the safety. Not too worry. I waited a second time for the hens to get out of the way and made the shot. He flopped and died 10 yds from the shot. If you watch, please be sure to turn up the volume.

Watch "April 23, 2020" on YouTube

 

[gle3105]

Nice hunt there Hatchet. And pics.
As for me this week.
Gobbling like mad on Tuesday morn. Like a switch it all died 8:30 am. Must have found hen harem
Back Thursday morn. 6:44 first gobble. Pretty quiet though.
8:00 am
Coyote comes into decoys. Sniffing hen.
Leveled TK2000.
50 yds. Duplex #7& 9 TSS
Dead coyote.
No turkey yet.
LOL
Back tomorrow.

Eastern Panhandle WV

 

[Hatchet Jack]

Nice hunt there Hatchet. And pics.
As for me this week.
Gobbling like mad on Tuesday morn. Like a switch it all died 8:30 am. Must have found hen harem
Back Thursday morn. 6:44 first gobble. Pretty quiet though.
8:00 am
Coyote comes into decoys. Sniffing hen.
Leveled TK2000.
50 yds. Duplex #7& 9 TSS
Dead coyote.
No turkey yet.
LOL
Back tomorrow.

Eastern Panhandle WV

Good luck and keep leveling those coyotes.

 

[Ninering62]

Got lucky this morning after finally coaxing in 3 hens that were hanging with this gobbler. They were feeding in a food plot below me. He would not leave them to come to my calls so I figured the next best thing was to try to call the gals up hill to my food plot. After almost an hour they finaly made their way up to me. At the same time they were making their way up the powerline toward me, a loud thunderous sounding gobbler was making his way thru the woods behind me as well. He sounded extremely aggressive. Sounding off more frequent as he was getting closer to the powerline. Once the hens and gobbler made it to my food plot they stopped short of my decoys. The gobbler with them hung back a bit and was very leery and reluctant to come in. All the time the gobbler in the woods was getting closer and louder. Something tells me the reluctant gobbler was intimidated by my jake decoy. Even though I just recently colored his head all red and removed his beard to make him look more immature.(No more jake decoys for me.) The whole time I was hoping the gobbler in the woods would show himself because he sounded big. As the reluctant gobbler started to skirt the decoys and looked more and more skittish, I decided to shoot him rather than wait for Mr. Thunder Chicken back in the woods. You know the saying about one bird in the hand vs a monster gobbler in the bush, or something like that. Any way..... here is my cell phone camera, hand held, very shaky, self video. I had to put the phone down in order to make the shot. When I did you can hear Mr. Thunder gobbling back in the woods. It took me a while to make the shot because I was waiting for the hens heads to get out of the way before pulling the trigger. Once it was all clear I tried to pulled the trigger and realize I forgot to take off the safety. Not too worry. I waited a second time for the hens to get out of the way and made the shot. He flopped and died 10 yds from the shot. If you watch, please be sure to turn up the volume.

Watch "April 23, 2020" on YouTube



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Awesome! Congrate on a nice bird & successful hunt. Thanks for the video & pics.

 

[DaMitch]

Great story and video and pictures. Good looking bird as well.

 

[Idaholewis]

BIG CONGRATS Hatchet Jack!! These Turkeys are addicting to Hunt

 

[Ninering62]

BIG CONGRATS Hatchet Jack!! These Turkeys are addicting to Hunt

Absofreakinlutely they are.i fell head over heels my very first turkey hunt long long ago. I can still close my eyes & see it now all these yrs later. Still feel that excitement of it too. Amazing.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

BIG CONGRATS Hatchet Jack!! These Turkeys are addicting to Hunt

Hi, my name is Hatchet Jack and I am a turkeyholic.?

 

[Ninering62]

Hi, my name is Hatchet Jack and I am a turkeyholic.?

HiJack ( since we ain't in the airport I can say that right )
Welcome, keep comin back.

 

[Cobweb]

Good job Hatchet Jack! Congratulations!!
My brother-in-law and several others are saying the same as you. Here in Missouri their gobbling like crazy until fly down then just clam up.
Must be putting their mask on and social distancing!

Big John

 

[BuckDoeHunter]

Congrats!

 

[deermanok]

Got lucky this morning after finally coaxing in 3 hens that were hanging with this gobbler. They were feeding in a food plot below me. He would not leave them to come to my calls so I figured the next best thing was to try to call the gals up hill to my food plot. After almost an hour they finaly made their way up to me. At the same time they were making their way up the powerline toward me, a loud thunderous sounding gobbler was making his way thru the woods behind me as well. He sounded extremely aggressive. Sounding off more frequent as he was getting closer to the powerline. Once the hens and gobbler made it to my food plot they stopped short of my decoys. The gobbler with them hung back a bit and was very leery and reluctant to come in. All the time the gobbler in the woods was getting closer and louder. Something tells me the reluctant gobbler was intimidated by my jake decoy. Even though I just recently colored his head all red and removed his beard to make him look more immature.(No more jake decoys for me.) The whole time I was hoping the gobbler in the woods would show himself because he sounded big. As the reluctant gobbler started to skirt the decoys and looked more and more skittish, I decided to shoot him rather than wait for Mr. Thunder Chicken back in the woods. You know the saying about one bird in the hand vs a monster gobbler in the bush, or something like that. Any way..... here is my cell phone camera, hand held, very shaky, self video. I had to put the phone down in order to make the shot. When I did you can hear Mr. Thunder gobbling back in the woods. It took me a while to make the shot because I was waiting for the hens heads to get out of the way before pulling the trigger. Once it was all clear I tried to pulled the trigger and realize I forgot to take off the safety. Not too worry. I waited a second time for the hens to get out of the way and made the shot. He flopped and died 10 yds from the shot. If you watch, please be sure to turn up the volume.

Watch "April 23, 2020" on YouTube



View attachment 8687View attachment 8688View attachment 8689

Awesome hunt. I don't think there's anything more exciting than the being in the woods and hearing those gobblers.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

Awesome hunt. I don't think there's anything more exciting than the being in the woods and hearing those gobblers.

Hearing elk bugles might run a close 2nd.

 

[deermanok]

I hope I live to hear that. Never been on a Elk hunt. One of my dreams.