Hell of a first week. I hunted 3 different SC upstate counties, 4 hunts, 100 miles from each other. Had encounters every single time. Fields, pines, and swamps.
Opening day, March 20 - I scouted a few places on my new club and had turkeys located, until the week of the opener. They disappeared. No gobbles, no tracks. I went from having plan A, B, and C to nothing. Saturday I was walking a section and found fresh gobbler tracks. So, followed them as far as I could and decided to hunt it Sunday morning. I got to the general area, not really expecting anything. At first light I was just BSing around waiting for a gobble and bam, gobble, not 75 yards from me. I get low and crawl to a tree. Light yelp once, and a few minutes later I bust his head open at 15 yards.
That evening my buddy calls me to say he watched quite a few turkeys, and at least 4 longbeards go to roost on the edge of wheat field. The next morning I drive two hours to meet him at the farm. We get setup well before sunrise, not knowing how far the are off the field. The first crow brings a gobble 300 yards off, but nothing near us. I noticed a white dot to our right, but thought it was a fence post..and then I see the strutter with another bird silently walking our way. We had no plan, and not really in range to whisper to each other. He had first shot, a bird flops, the strutter jumps up and sails not far enough. Donald yelped at him and I made a lucky shot.
Now I am 2 days into the season with just 1 tag left. I take a couple days off and go back to my club on Wednesday. I decided to hunt with an old Winchester model 12, 20 gauge. I get a bird worked up, he gets to within 100 and shuts up, so I did too. 30 minutes later I yelp and he's gone further- another away. Short story, I followed him for 3 hours, grinning the whole time. Finally a hunt.. But he quits eventually, after crossing the highway twice, and a creek once. And I leave empty handed.
March 25- Good Friday. I call out of work to hunt with another friend, who that has never shot a turkey. Last year we had multiple close calls on a pair of toms, but never could get a clear shot on them. We setup in the same spot and an hour after daylight finally get an answer. After a few series of yelps and gobbles, they approach on our hard left. We are both leaning against the same pine tree and he whispers "I SEE ONE, HERE THEY COME". Finally they come into my field of view, running, 3 birds. The strutter approaches the hen decoy, and I start the count down, he mumbles something... but I keep going. BAM, two turkeys are flopping, the 3rd runs away, changes his mind, comes back to the action, and gets shot. So now my buddy finally gets his first turkey(s) and I am tagged out. What a great morning.
So, summary. First hunt solo kill, second double, third I got played the fool, and finished with a triple... I think maybe I died and went to turkey heaven.. Fun week, hopefully I can do some travelling now.
