Been a rough start to turkey season for me. 1st few days of the season there just was not any birds on the places I was hunting. Would hear some way off on other property, but not on the land I was hunting. Thursday I hunted on NF and got set up on a roosted Tom. He gobbled good till I let out a few soft tree yelps. Then he never gobbled again until he flew down and gobbled a 100 yards further away from me. (Talk about getting your feelings hurt). Never heard another hen and he was by himself. Not sure what his problem was... Friday I called in my 1st bird. He was on the adjoining property, so it was some long distance calling. Turkey came in and was gobbling his head off. The problem was a thick fog had moved in and I couldn't see 20 feet in front of me. I kept him interested and finally the fog lifted and there he was in full strut @ 40 yards. He stuck his head up and I sent the load his way, just to watch him fly off. I must have pulled my shot. Then the next day ( Saturday ) I hit some NF land again. Had 2 birds way off gobbling. I sent some calls there way and one gobbler was heading my way. He came in to where I was just about ready to start seeing him judging by his gobbles, then just like that he shuts down. I waited and called and nothing. Then I spot another hunter to my right heading straight for my gobbling bird. Guess the old gobbler spotted this over eager hunter trying for the ambush. Done! no more gobbles from him. Guess he headed back to his buddy. I should have known better hunting NF land on a Saturday. This morning I hunted a farm where I hunted the 1st Monday where I heard 2 gobblers way over on another property. That day they would answer some long distance calling but would never come in. I could here they also had lots of hens with them. This morning at 6AM a gobbler sounds off in the same area. This time I never heard his buddy. So I send some long range yelps his way, not expecting much because of how far away he was. He was answering though. Then the gobbles were getting closer. So I think maybe he will come this time. He gets about 200 yards out and I start hearing a whole group of hen start calling in the holler below me. At this point he has been silent for about 5 minutes. I was thinking he probably turned and went to the hens. I had made my mind up. I was not calling again until he gobbles, then I would lay it on him with more aggressive calling. Well that never happened as I catch a glimpse of him heading straight my way. Rolled him at 35 yards.
20.2 pounds
10" beard
Spurs were both ¾" Amherst county VA
(http://i1350.photobucket.com/albums/p777/Todd_Hostetter/DSC_0023_zpsu85drjw2.jpg) (http://s1350.photobucket.com/user/Todd_Hostetter/media/DSC_0023_zpsu85drjw2.jpg.html)
Nice pic. Congrats!
Way to keep after them. Congrats!
Congrats!
:icon_thumright:
VERY nice pic! Congrats.
Nice bird. Congrats.....
Quote from: econo on April 21, 2015, 07:02:05 PM
Been a rough start to turkey season for me. 1st few days of the season there just was not any birds on the places I was hunting. Would hear some way off on other property, but not on the land I was hunting. Thursday I hunted on NF and got set up on a roosted Tom. He gobbled good till I let out a few soft tree yelps. Then he never gobbled again until he flew down and gobbled a 100 yards further away from me. (Talk about getting your feelings hurt). Never heard another hen and he was by himself. Not sure what his problem was... Friday I called in my 1st bird. He was on the adjoining property, so it was some long distance calling. Turkey came in and was gobbling his head off. The problem was a thick fog had moved in and I couldn't see 20 feet in front of me. I kept him interested and finally the fog lifted and there he was in full strut @ 40 yards. He stuck his head up and I sent the load his way, just to watch him fly off. I must have pulled my shot. Then the next day ( Saturday ) I hit some NF land again. Had 2 birds way off gobbling. I sent some calls there way and one gobbler was heading my way. He came in to where I was just about ready to start seeing him judging by his gobbles, then just like that he shuts down. I waited and called and nothing. Then I spot another hunter to my right heading straight for my gobbling bird. Guess the old gobbler spotted this over eager hunter trying for the ambush. Done! no more gobbles from him. Guess he headed back to his buddy. I should have known better hunting NF land on a Saturday. This morning I hunted a farm where I hunted the 1st Monday where I heard 2 gobblers way over on another property. That day they would answer some long distance calling but would never come in. I could here they also had lots of hens with them. This morning at 6AM a gobbler sounds off in the same area. This time I never heard his buddy. So I send some long range yelps his way, not expecting much because of how far away he was. He was answering though. Then the gobbles were getting closer. So I think maybe he will come this time. He gets about 200 yards out and I start hearing a whole group of hen start calling in the holler below me. At this point he has been silent for about 5 minutes. I was thinking he probably turned and went to the hens. I had made my mind up. I was not calling again until he gobbles, then I would lay it on him with more aggressive calling. Well that never happened as I catch a glimpse of him heading straight my way. Rolled him at 35 yards.
20.2 pounds
10" beard
Spurs were both ¾" Amherst county VA
(http://i1350.photobucket.com/albums/p777/Todd_Hostetter/DSC_0023_zpsu85drjw2.jpg) (http://s1350.photobucket.com/user/Todd_Hostetter/media/DSC_0023_zpsu85drjw2.jpg.html)
Nice Bird, congrats
Very nice. Congrats.
congrats on a good looking bird
Congrats!!
Congrats
Nice bird, Congrats
Awesome! Congrats!
Way to hang in there! Nice bird and pic!
Congrats! And as many here have noted, Great Picture!
Great pic and bird.
Nicely done Congrats
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