It took 5 days.....

[Divenut2]

Hi Folks,

Well, I became hooked on Turkey Hunting last year and bagged a beautiful 20lbs Tom the first day of my first ever Turkey hunt. Was the 5th week of the Spring season on some public land here in Northern IL. Didn't hear anything for the 1st 6 hours until a hen came in to my calls and purred...a short while later my 1st Tom strutted in and I was fortunate enough to drop him. Easy right? Or so I thought....

So I went out with high expectations this year (my 2nd ever). Bought a vest, more calls, decoys, practiced calling until my family was sick of it.

Day 1  High Wind Advisory, light rain 45-50 degrees. I see 1 hen, a Jake and  Tom...never got close to any of them. Heard nothing.

Day 2 Perfect weather, really a beautiful day. I head into the woods before sun up, set up my new decoys and hear gobbling real close at first light. First time this has happened to me and my heart is POUNDING! I make my first call. And get an instant reply, this goes back and fourth, he's coming closer each time. Then I get 2 other Toms replying from my left! Hands shaking when a fourth Toms Jumps in. They join together Gobbling like crazy ....Pooping myself as they close in. Then I see them straight ahead. They spot my decoys and STOP!!! Just out of range and do not budge. This goes on for about 15 minutes when 2 hens approach them and it's over.  I have never been more excited on a hunt in my life. That is a experienced I will never forget.

At about 11:30 am I set up w/o decoys deeper in the woods, higher ground. And get a big Tom to come in to about 15 yards. But the SOB stayed behind a thicket to my right strutting, thumping and carrying on. Couldn't get a clean shot, so I eased up. Got made and he bolted.

Overall a fantastic day for me.

Day 3 Thunder Storms - Took my wife to breakfast and hung around the house.

Day 4 Overcast, windy and cold (42-47F). Hear a goobler early on, but never got him to come around. Didn't see or hear a thing after that.

Day 5 (Today) Raining, windy (44F). Set up in "the spot" 1 hour before sun up. But do not hear a thing. Move to scope out a field near the spot I bagged my gobbler last year. See another hunter set up with decoys, so I cut through the woods behind him and take the Loooong way around him. Pick up a trail along the river that runs parallel to this big field and spot two young toms feeding. I call and they look up but don't investigate. They seemed to be slowly working there way towards the far end of the field. So I slip back to the trail and hustle to the back side of the field. It's thick as heck with briars and thorns and I try to ease through it to get to the edge of the field for a peek. Nothing...thinking they must have slipped across the field and back into the woods. Sweating and sucking wind, I give a few calls just for kicks, and low and behold, they move back into sight about 40 yards away. A bit farther than I like to shoot with my old Mossy 500, but I line up on the nearest one and let her rip. He drops. I say a short "thank you" to the powers that be, tag him and head home.

Yes, it took me 5 days, and this young Tom only weighed 16 lbs. But I am now more addicted to Turkey Hunting than I ever dreamed I could be. Gotta start looking into that fall tag.

[guesswho]

Good job, and welcome to the addiction.

[lohaus]

Congrats, nice write up.  What took so long?  Jokes, again, welcome to the addiction.

[Mike Honcho]

Welcome to our addiction...I mean sport.  I enjoyed reading your post.   I have only been hunting turkeys actively  for about 4 years....called in my first bird and harvested him with one of my buddies who was more experienced along with me.   Calling in that first one and harvesting him got me hooked for life! You'll learn a lot from the experienced hunters on this forum. 

I learn something every time I hunt...usually what I did wrong!!!!!

There's nothing like hearing that first gobble of the morning and you're not more than a few yards way.

Good luck in your future hunts.

[Divenut2]

Thanks guys. The day hasn't even passed and I am already "jonesing" to get out again.

What took so long?

LOL! Good one lohaus.

[surehuntsalot]

congrats

[MAKEemQUIVER]

Good job, congrats!!

[Spring_Woods]

Hey good job man. Sounds like your a natural!

[tomstopper]

Congrats.

[intherut]

Congrats!

[dirt road ninja]

It only gets worse. Congrats.

[Gold Spur]

Congrats on a nice bird! Sounds liked your hooked for sure. Even after hunting turkey for 20 years, my heart still pounds when I get on a bird.

[Wrangler95]

Very nice going,congrats!!

[Tail Feathers]

Congratulations!
Patience and observation will get you a lot of birds over the years.
Way to keep on changing up till you find what worked.

[turkey slayer]

congrats!