Not Much has happened since we last spoke!
Youth Turkey Day Success
Regular Turkey days not so much...
It all started at the pre-dawn hours of youth turkey day. Well...not so much for me and my hunitn buddies. But for our gracious guide it did, he was at the gate to our spot on public land at 4:30am running off would-be-turkey-hunters. So when me and my girls rolled up a little after 6:00am we had the run of the place. Now I tried turkey hunting last year, and a 4:30am arrival and a 3 mile bike ride in only to be thwarted by a hunter who had been walking the same trail for an hour, kind of dowses enthusiasm. But...this year was different on all fronts!We hiked down the fire road just before sunrise, a short silent stop..then Clint who-dee-hoots on his owl call....gobble gooble, who-dee-hoot...gobble gobble...We bust into the woods double time speed! The kids said they never ran through the woods so fast before!! Clint sets up with big huntin buddy on one side of a point and little huntin buddy and I get over on the other side of the point. Out comes Clint's slate sounds just like a hen, kee kee kee....... GOBBLE GOBBLE! kee kee kee...GOBBLE GOBBLE! kee kee ke.GOBBLE GOBBLE! kee keGOBBLE GOBBLE! kGOBBLE GOBBLE! That tom was hot to trot! Clint didn't even finish his clucks and tom was calling back and he was close. Me and little huntin buddy were listening intently it was waaay cool. Then they both stopped! I was afraid they were going to get busted so I yelped with my mouthcall..GOBBLE GOBBLE! Whew! he was real close. Me and little huntin buddy heard two more off to our right a ways off then BOOM! The sound of a 12gauge 3"magnum turkey load! A whistle and a holler and...
I have gone a few more times since that day. I have gotten quite good on the mouthcall. I called two within sight one day but could not get them to take the 3 extra steps to get into the clear. But that was a fun hunt! We hunted hard saw some great deer signs some some wild boar signs and had to use the compass to get back to the truck! It was awesome!
Now remember I started all of this to be able to hunt by the house right.?. So guess what.. there are turkeys within walking distance of my front door. I suited up one day, walked full camo, bow in hand across the neighborhood, though a vacant lot, across a busy 2-lane road then finally across the railroad tracks and found a sweet spot to hunt. I had seen turkey in an adjacent field but can't get permission to hunt because of some crazy "no weapons on campus rule"! But I got as close as I could on public land and started calling..kee kee kee...gobble gobble! He was far away but we were talkin'! kee kee kee...GOBBLE GOBBLE! he got close quick then a train came and he disappeared. (insert sad face :-( here). But I kept calling kee kee kee...kee kee kee.........kee kee kee...gobble gobble gobble gobble What? That sounds like 2 toms! kee kee kee...gobble gobble gobble gobble, It is 2 toms and they're getting closer, kee kee kee...gobble gobble GOBBLE GOBBLE! kee kee kee...GOBBLE GOBBLE!GOBBLE GOBBLE! They are so close!! I am soo ready, then they just disappear!!! Still an awesome hunt my calling skills work! But now turkey season is over and it's time to fish until DEER season and we have some good plans to bag a few!
