I missed the 4/28 Saturday's Opener due to family stuff but headed to my Sullivan County Camp this past Sunday to hunt the week. Hunt was planned for WMU 3B Loyalsock State Forest.
Monday the ole 4:00 am alarm came sooner than expected as always. :lol: I arrived at 5:30 AM in the area where I saw some turkey in Late Flintlock Season. I was in a mix of hemlocks and it was still fairly dark at 1/2 hr. before sunrise. At 6 AM I hit the ole Cody Woodsman slate & immediately had a gobble about 100 yard down the ridge. Within 15 seconds then heard a hen yelp within same area & that was it. Worked several ridges & heard no more gobbling but still hunted till noon. Tues, Weds & Thurs More of the same...heard gobbling within first hour of daylite & then quiet. Told Mrs. Loggy I was gonna hunt Friday till mid-morning or so then come home.
Friday was predicted to be a beautiful day & it was in many ways!
I was in my hunting area around 5:15 AM & set-up. It was in the high 20's so was glad for the xtra clothing that I almost didnt bring. I called was using 3 calls: Lynch Fool Proof box, Cody Woodsman Slate & a Madd Ship Wreck Triple reed mouth. This morning was first i heard No Gobbling at day break. Im sitting there thinking around 9 AM I will pack it in & head home. Been away from home for 5 nites & Mrs. Loggy's startin to miss me. :lol:
It was a cold calm morning & you could really hear. Around 8 AM I heard a gobble about 200 yards down the ridge. At first he responded then was quiet. I switched call & then he responded again & was mivin to my right but a lil closer. This went on for about a half hour & he hung-up.
Then, unexpectedly, i heard a gobble behind me. He sounded at least 200 yard up the ridge on the other side of a large clearing. I thought to myself ..he will never cross the clearing to get to the thick stuff I was set-up in. Then the gobbler below me gobbled & they were gobbling back & forth to each other. Man, that was exciting!!!
Then they both started to answer my calling but they didnt seem to be moving. This went on for another half hour or so. I hit the ole Ship Wreck Triple Reed & then the Cody Woodsman. I looked toward the clearing which was about 50 yards from me & I saw the upper gobbler at full fan about 5 or so yard on my side of clearing!!! I could hear my heart pounding!!! Couldnt believe how he moved in so quick plus crossed the clearing to the thick stuff. It was like he appeared from out of nowhere!!
I raised my Browning Gold Stalker Semi & squeezed off a Federal 12 3.5 Flite Control HV load of copperplated 5's. The gobbler flipped on its back & flopped for about 30 seconds & that was it. All my scouting & effort put out this week finally paid off. I paced off 45 yards & the Browning 12 3.5" hit him hard!
He weighed 22 Lbs, had a 10.5" beard with 1 1/4" spurs. The one that was gobblin below me sounded a big ole boy too...maybe even bigger. ;D
Not a bad bird for a PA State Forest. Saw very few hunters all week & heard a decent amount of birds while eve scoutin & saw plenta a sign.
Me & Gobbler
Gobbler On Camp Porch W/Browning
Monday the ole 4:00 am alarm came sooner than expected as always. :lol: I arrived at 5:30 AM in the area where I saw some turkey in Late Flintlock Season. I was in a mix of hemlocks and it was still fairly dark at 1/2 hr. before sunrise. At 6 AM I hit the ole Cody Woodsman slate & immediately had a gobble about 100 yard down the ridge. Within 15 seconds then heard a hen yelp within same area & that was it. Worked several ridges & heard no more gobbling but still hunted till noon. Tues, Weds & Thurs More of the same...heard gobbling within first hour of daylite & then quiet. Told Mrs. Loggy I was gonna hunt Friday till mid-morning or so then come home.
Friday was predicted to be a beautiful day & it was in many ways!
I was in my hunting area around 5:15 AM & set-up. It was in the high 20's so was glad for the xtra clothing that I almost didnt bring. I called was using 3 calls: Lynch Fool Proof box, Cody Woodsman Slate & a Madd Ship Wreck Triple reed mouth. This morning was first i heard No Gobbling at day break. Im sitting there thinking around 9 AM I will pack it in & head home. Been away from home for 5 nites & Mrs. Loggy's startin to miss me. :lol:
It was a cold calm morning & you could really hear. Around 8 AM I heard a gobble about 200 yards down the ridge. At first he responded then was quiet. I switched call & then he responded again & was mivin to my right but a lil closer. This went on for about a half hour & he hung-up.
Then, unexpectedly, i heard a gobble behind me. He sounded at least 200 yard up the ridge on the other side of a large clearing. I thought to myself ..he will never cross the clearing to get to the thick stuff I was set-up in. Then the gobbler below me gobbled & they were gobbling back & forth to each other. Man, that was exciting!!!
Then they both started to answer my calling but they didnt seem to be moving. This went on for another half hour or so. I hit the ole Ship Wreck Triple Reed & then the Cody Woodsman. I looked toward the clearing which was about 50 yards from me & I saw the upper gobbler at full fan about 5 or so yard on my side of clearing!!! I could hear my heart pounding!!! Couldnt believe how he moved in so quick plus crossed the clearing to the thick stuff. It was like he appeared from out of nowhere!!
I raised my Browning Gold Stalker Semi & squeezed off a Federal 12 3.5 Flite Control HV load of copperplated 5's. The gobbler flipped on its back & flopped for about 30 seconds & that was it. All my scouting & effort put out this week finally paid off. I paced off 45 yards & the Browning 12 3.5" hit him hard!
He weighed 22 Lbs, had a 10.5" beard with 1 1/4" spurs. The one that was gobblin below me sounded a big ole boy too...maybe even bigger. ;D
Not a bad bird for a PA State Forest. Saw very few hunters all week & heard a decent amount of birds while eve scoutin & saw plenta a sign.
Me & Gobbler
Gobbler On Camp Porch W/Browning
