A little late with the report, but there honestly isn't much to report. I don't want to even talk about the short CO hunt that I had and how I botched up a gimme tag if there ever was one. I will say this......I do not recommend hunting immediately after driving straight through 14 hours overnight. It leads to poor decisions and wishing you had never started turkey hunting in the first place.
On to Nebraska......We hunted from a Saturday afternoon to a Thursday morning. We hunted earlier this year than I've been hunting. We heard more birds, but had less interest from the birds we heard. I also saw more hunters and would not hunt a couple places I've hunted in the past because there were hunters already there.
For the most part we got our butt kicked. Finally on Wednesday morning we had a bird respond from a couple hundred yards. The second gobble was the same spot. The third gobble sounded like he was 150 yards and slightly right of the previous location. The fourth gobble was definitely closer at less than 100 yards. From then on it was a nice show of the tom strutting and drumming through sunlight peeking through the pines until we lost sight at 50 yards. He hesitated out of sight for a minute or two, but the drumming made it apparent that he was still there. He broke and walked in half strutt to 25 yards where I clucked for him to raise up so my son could take the shot. However, at the cluck he took two quick steps behind a tree and was getting really nervous. When the tom came out I gave my son several seconds to shoot then couldn't stand it any longer because the bird was about to bolt. At the shot my son's words were "I was just about to pull the trigger". My position just allowed me a clear view before he could see the bird. I wish I'd have given him another second or two, but we were both happy to finally have a bird on the ground.
We hunted hard the rest of that day and the next morning, but could not find an interested bird. We did get to stop in SD on the way home so my parents could see Mt. Rushmore. We also tried to get in one more day in MT in another area, but it rained so hard the night before that we could not access the location we wanted. We hiked around in an area that has probably never seen a turkey but had plenty of bear sign. I'll have to get my act together to kill birds in MT next season. I had also debated another mad dash to CO or NE at the end of the season, but the cost of fuel and the visitors we had in just did not make it possible. Our decision to not go home for a spring visit prompted visits to our house during turkey season. I'll have to try and avoid visitors during the turkey season next year.
Anyway.......enough of my whining.....here are a few photos (I didn't take as many as I usally do due to the effort it was taking to kill a bird).
(http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/540/p1070384ub.jpg)
(http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/1812/p1070388cj.jpg)
(http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/5919/p1070392w.jpg)
(http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/4387/p1070395o.jpg)
(http://img703.imageshack.us/img703/1328/p1070397u.jpg)
(http://img210.imageshack.us/img210/6321/p1070402a.jpg)
(http://img440.imageshack.us/img440/2253/p1070403e.jpg)
(http://img641.imageshack.us/img641/6116/p1070404.jpg)
I really need to replace this vest, but I believe I'll have to build a shrine for it if I replace it
(http://img651.imageshack.us/img651/3595/p1070406d.jpg)
(http://img560.imageshack.us/img560/2592/p1070408c.jpg)
Darn near stepped on this big bull snake. He was mad. The two kids gave him a wide path when I said "get back".
(http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/1176/p1070410t.jpg)
(http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/8251/p1070420n.jpg)
(http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/1663/p1070422f.jpg)
(http://img341.imageshack.us/img341/1205/p1070445y.jpg)
(http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/5526/p1070458.jpg)
Nice!
Congrats!! If it was always easy it wouldn't be any fun. The one Ya'll got was a really pretty one!! Really pretty pictures of some pretty country too!
Nice pics!
Scotchguard that seat cushion and you'll be good for a few more years!
Sorry your season didn't go as well this year. Better luck next spring. I'll be looking forward to your stories and pics!
Nice tom hobbs I've been looking for your post since I love the pictures you take of the country you hunt.Hope you have good next season in MT.
Great pictures!!
Thanks for sharing the great pictures!
Very nice pics! I think I may have hunted a couple of those places.
Bill
Nice beautiful pics.