I started this year scouting and listening more than I have done in all the past years combined. My seven year old would be hunting the youth season and I really wanted him to get a bird. It took a couple of mornings but he did get his bird. We were so excited and my season was made. From here on out nothing really was going to matter. I wore a head mounted camera and video recorded his hunt. When we went to look at the bird our conversation went like this.
Me: you shot a jake
Josh: I shot a what?
Me: you shot a little jake
Josh: I shot a kid?
We gave thanks to God then laughed and had fun bounding like a father and son should.
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd387/chadly2/IMG_2111.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/chadly2/media/IMG_2111.jpg.html)
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd387/chadly2/IMG_2116.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/chadly2/media/IMG_2116.jpg.html)
I continued to park and listen to the turkeys all through 1st and 2nd seasons. Then third season came and it was time to hunt. I set up with a friend in an area where there were 11 birds the night before. There was a lot of excitement in the blind that morning as we settled in very early. Unfortunately not a single gobble to be heard. We saw two hens and we left. The season continued like that. The birds that did gobble only did it from the roost and not a lot of it. I lucked out one night by shooting a nice tom as he was walking by to head to roost. It's not the way I wanted to get a bird but sometimes you have to take what you can get. In hind sight I'm really glad I got this bird.
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd387/chadly2/DSCF9647.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/chadly2/media/DSCF9647.jpg.html)
Forth season started and the hunting continued to be tough. Often hearing one or two gobbles from the roost then nothing. I hunted more and more trying new areas and new techniques. Everything yielded the same results. I saw turkey's every time but once. However they had no interest in me. I picked some new areas to hunt for next year and found many mushrooms while scouting and hunting. The season ended with my tag unfilled. It happens not sure what I would have done different. I think all turkey hunters have to eat a tag every once in a while.
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd387/chadly2/DSCF0152.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/chadly2/media/DSCF0152.jpg.html)
My wife surprised me with this cake so I could finally put my hands on a longbeard. LOL
(http://i1217.photobucket.com/albums/dd387/chadly2/DSCF9897.jpg) (http://s1217.photobucket.com/user/chadly2/media/DSCF9897.jpg.html)
To those of you still hunting I wish you well. God is good and turkey hunting can be hard.
Blessings.
Chad
That long beard looks heavy, Congrats.
heck of a deal, congrats on the boy getting one and I am with gooserbat, that one you got there looks big....Iowaaaaaaaaaaa big ole cornfed gobblers eh??? I have hunted them big suckers up there but it has been awhile, plan on getting back next spring if I can draw and sell something to pay for that non-res tag, you only live once right :OGturkeyhead:
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Quote from: Gooserbat on May 27, 2014, 10:55:57 AM
That long beard looks heavy, Congrats.
:agreed: Definitely looks like a mature bird and a good one. Congrats to both you and your boy.....
Same situation here in NE Iowa. Congrats on your bird!
best looking plate of tag soup I've ever seen, not sure about the hunter though :-) Congrats, awesome that you got your little guy involved!! :you_rock:
well you got some down, the boy looks happy, congrats.
most find the tag goes down easier in a sandwich. :morning:
Congrats to You guys.. That long beard does look like a monster!
Congrats. Nothing like a kids first turkey. Sometimes it's better if he has to work for it a little bit.
Thanks guys. We did have to work a bit to get my sons bird but it was really awesome to have him see the things he saw. He keeps talking about how funny he thought a tom looked while he strutted. I thought it was so cool to see the tom blow smoke as gobbled in the cool morning. It was great.
My bird was not that big. Just a normal Iowan gobbler.
I love bow hunting deer. It's what I really love to do. With that said over the last twelve years or so turkey hunting I'm finding it very addictive. However, I get frustrated turkey hunting. They are so unpredictable. Other than roosting in a tree at night I've found nothing else to be a for sure thing. Sure at times I get frustrated deer hunting too. But turkeys can flat out make me mad. I just remind myself this is a day the Lord has made and I will be glad and rejoice in it.
Blessings.
Chad
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Nice, clean pictures.
Congrats on your hunts. Your son will always remember his first turkey, and that's worth more than a whole plate full of tags. :icon_thumright:
Quote from: chadly on May 28, 2014, 06:57:29 PM
Thanks guys. We did have to work a bit to get my sons bird but it was really awesome to have him see the things he saw. He keeps talking about how funny he thought a tom looked while he strutted. I thought it was so cool to see the tom blow smoke as gobbled in the cool morning. It was great.
My bird was not that big. Just a normal Iowan gobbler.
I love bow hunting deer. It's what I really love to do. With that said over the last twelve years or so turkey hunting I'm finding it very addictive. However, I get frustrated turkey hunting. They are so unpredictable. Other than roosting in a tree at night I've found nothing else to be a for sure thing. Sure at times I get frustrated deer hunting too. But turkeys can flat out make me mad. I just remind myself this is a day the Lord has made and I will be glad and rejoice in it.
Blessings.
Chad
You said a lot there.....the only absolutes in the turkey hunting....well there are no absolutes!
Good luck with them big ole bucks this fall!
Congrats on the hunts! 4th season birds were a henned up pain this year, I'll agree. ;)
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