Post by osprey on Apr 14, 2007 11:13:29 GMT -5
Good Gawd What a morning!!!
My normal kid I take hunting was gone this weekend, so I went with an old friend and his 9 year old son, plus my buddy's father-in-law, on the first turkey hunt for any of them. Sweet mother of Jeeeesus we had turkeys!!! Must of been 25-30 of them gobbling on the roost, birds were everywhere. Got them set up by two decoys and I went 30-35 yards behind them to start calling. In fifteen minutes the first bird came in, silent, a HUGE tom strutting at 12 yards from them. Boy didn't know WHAT to do, bird got off to the right and then he couldn't shoot across his dad. That one finally saw them and walked off.
Still more gobbling not far away. Had a hen come in and sit between the decoys for 15 minutes while six gobblers and jakes walked by them at 30 yards. The granddad thought it was too far for the 20 gauge so he didn't shoot, but woulda been a clean kill. They finally worked on through.
Another 20 minutes, birds still gobbling in the distance, a group of 5-6 birds came from another direction, at least 2 toms in them along with hens and jakes. Boy had a good 25 yard shot at a jake, but they thought it was a hen and I wasn't close enough to tell them different. That group worked in and out for a half hour, finally one of the big toms followed a hen in, TEN yards in front of all three of them. They weren't in a blind, just sitting on the ground. I could see the boy aiming, the grand-dad and dad saying shoot, the birds just stood there, then FINALLY putted and walked off. He never did pull the trigger - I think he had Gobbler Fever. ;D
That was all by 9:30, then to breakfast and telling tales. Kid didn't bag a bird, but he had a GIANT smile and is ready to go again, says he likes it much better than deer hunting.
So that was 4 opportunities, 9 different gobblers in range (I think, there was soooo many) and two strutters in his face. Public land.
Okay Fox, soon to be your turn. I expect a happier trigger finger on you pal.
My normal kid I take hunting was gone this weekend, so I went with an old friend and his 9 year old son, plus my buddy's father-in-law, on the first turkey hunt for any of them. Sweet mother of Jeeeesus we had turkeys!!! Must of been 25-30 of them gobbling on the roost, birds were everywhere. Got them set up by two decoys and I went 30-35 yards behind them to start calling. In fifteen minutes the first bird came in, silent, a HUGE tom strutting at 12 yards from them. Boy didn't know WHAT to do, bird got off to the right and then he couldn't shoot across his dad. That one finally saw them and walked off.
Still more gobbling not far away. Had a hen come in and sit between the decoys for 15 minutes while six gobblers and jakes walked by them at 30 yards. The granddad thought it was too far for the 20 gauge so he didn't shoot, but woulda been a clean kill. They finally worked on through.
Another 20 minutes, birds still gobbling in the distance, a group of 5-6 birds came from another direction, at least 2 toms in them along with hens and jakes. Boy had a good 25 yard shot at a jake, but they thought it was a hen and I wasn't close enough to tell them different. That group worked in and out for a half hour, finally one of the big toms followed a hen in, TEN yards in front of all three of them. They weren't in a blind, just sitting on the ground. I could see the boy aiming, the grand-dad and dad saying shoot, the birds just stood there, then FINALLY putted and walked off. He never did pull the trigger - I think he had Gobbler Fever. ;D
That was all by 9:30, then to breakfast and telling tales. Kid didn't bag a bird, but he had a GIANT smile and is ready to go again, says he likes it much better than deer hunting.
So that was 4 opportunities, 9 different gobblers in range (I think, there was soooo many) and two strutters in his face. Public land.
Okay Fox, soon to be your turn. I expect a happier trigger finger on you pal.