After a long wait, the Indiana turkey season finally came in. A lot of birds dropped during the youth season so I had high hopes going into the regular season. Unfortunately, right before season opened the weather turned really nasty here. Temps took a nosedive and opening day was greeted with very high winds.
Opening morning was pretty much a bust. I didn't see a tom or even heard a gobble all day. I called in a few lone hens, but other than that things were very slow in the woods. The second day of season brought a few gobbles on the roost, but nothing close. Things just seemed to be off in the area I was hunting compared to years past. Very little gobbling after fly down which makes me think the birds are henned up really bad.
The third day I was beginning to get a little frustrated by the lack of action so I decided to run and gun the whole day. Again, very little gobbling after fly down. Did not hear a single gobble from 8 am until noon. At noon I struck up a gobble and off I went after him. I spent 4.5 hours chasing this gobbler. He had hens with him, but I have no idea how many. I ended up calling in 5 of his hens from him to my set up but he stayed with the other hens he had with him. I was unable to see how many he had but I knew he had hens because a hen kept yelping at me and he just gobbled right beside her side each time she did. I wasn't able to bag the bird, but I was happy to have at least had some action.
Day 4 brought more really nasty weather. More rain and more high winds. My buddy and I decided to hit a farm where we could set up a blind in a big open field. As the morning broke, we were very pleased that it looked like the rain and wind would be holding off for just a little while. We heard no gobbles on roost, but I didn't expect to hear any gobbles from the area where we were set up, but knew birds made their way to this field after fly down. A little past 8:20 am, we heard a gobbler let loose on his own. He was across a holler in another field, but I knew he would be headed to the field we were set up on. I called, and he answered immediately. Every single time I would throw a call out to check his location, he answered. Once he gobbled so close that I could hear that rattle in his chest I shut up and got my gun up. He entered the field to my left at 30 yards. I didn't waste much time at that point. I pulled the trigger and let the Hevi-7's do the rest.
He was a beautiful bird and I was really happy my buddy was there to share the hunt with me. He sported 10 5/16" beard and 7/8 spurs. Gotta love 2 year old gobblers.
(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff268/buck_hunter21/Turkey%20Hunting%202015/IMG_20150425_084154_747_zpswnrbhh2q.jpg) (http://s239.photobucket.com/user/buck_hunter21/media/Turkey%20Hunting%202015/IMG_20150425_084154_747_zpswnrbhh2q.jpg.html)
(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff268/buck_hunter21/Turkey%20Hunting%202015/IMG_20150425_083350_536_zpskd7eqovi.jpg) (http://s239.photobucket.com/user/buck_hunter21/media/Turkey%20Hunting%202015/IMG_20150425_083350_536_zpskd7eqovi.jpg.html)
(http://i239.photobucket.com/albums/ff268/buck_hunter21/Turkey%20Hunting%202015/IMG_20150425_083204_119_zps5tetqhm5.jpg) (http://s239.photobucket.com/user/buck_hunter21/media/Turkey%20Hunting%202015/IMG_20150425_083204_119_zps5tetqhm5.jpg.html)
Fine bird, congrats!
Congrats!
Congrats
Nice bird. congrats
Congrats
Good job !!
Congrats!
Congrats man! I know those high winds on opening morning sucked. I got lucky and tagged out anyways!!
congrats! Nice one
:turkey2: AWESOME BIRD
I am a fellow Hoosier, Allen County.. what county you get your bird in ?
Well done
Thanks all!
Good turkey hunter right there :icon_thumright:
Adapt and adjust. Great Pics too!!!
WTG :you_rock:
Congrats. From talking to folks seems like we're having a pretty good year in IN
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congrats