What better way to follow up an opening day double than with a next day repeater double except this time on public land! Took a buddy down into the Black Hills and got to a spot that has always held high amounts of birds. Started walking in the dark and noticed piles of people foot prints in the snow. So it looked like a whole army hunted there on the prior day/opening day. (Honestly thought no one else knew about that spot. First time I've seen anybody else there) Had a couple different birds gobbling around so I set up on an old logging road because everything else was covered in 6 inches of snow. Right at daylight a group of 5 guys walked right into my decoys and was mad that we were hunting the area. Now granted we were there 1 hour earlier than them, but typical jealous hunters. I'm pretty sure they intentionally tried to walk in the snow right up to the roost and the closer bird shut up. Waited about another hour and he fired back up, but of course didn't want to come in.
Jumped up and made our way back to the truck when we could here gobbling right across the pavement road. I knew there was a service road way down and the terrain was very steep and rough. So we just grabbed our guns, a hen decoy, and my Woodhaven Ninja Hammer! Didn't take us too long to get where we thought they were and we stood on the edge of about a 100 foot cliff and I did a medium volume yelp and they gobbled literally right below us. We backed up about 20 feet and sat facing where the cliff ended and turned into a steep hill. A minute later they gobbled again except now they were out in front of us and I knew they were coming. Another 30 seconds and I'm wondering where they are and then I noticed they were on the cliff edge coming our way! My buddy couldn't see them until they were right next to us. So I whispered to just shoot so he had to swing the barrel right next to my head and he fired one off and killed the smaller gobbler. As soon as he shot I pulled mine up real fast and slammed mine before he could even think. Both birds fell off the cliff down next to the creek. Took as a few minutes to get down there, but it made for a heck of a first hunt and first turkey for my buddy.
That makes 5 South Dakota gobblers in 1 1/2 days of hunting spread across 2 weekends. 3 were my harvests and 2 I guided. Despite all of the snow we have found a way. Pictures to come.
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(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20180415/4f73c282d5bf91299f861112c41045d9.jpg)
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Woo! Forgives it out with tapatalk!!! So that's my bird and the two next to the creek
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Very nice. Congrats to you both.
Smitty, Looks as if you guys are putting the hammer down on those birds. The snow hasn't slowed those birds any. BIG SMILE, so I can tell you guys are having a Wonderful Time. CONGRATS!!!!
Quote from: bbcoach on April 15, 2018, 05:31:57 PM
Smitty, Looks as if you guys are putting the hammer down on those birds. The snow hasn't slowed those birds any. BIG SMILE, so I can tell you guys are having a Wonderful Time. CONGRATS!!!!
I've mentioned that too. The birds have been reacting great, but these really cold temps and deep snow is making it miserable to hunt in. I've never been this tired by the second week and I'm in much better shape than in previous years. It's finally maybe looking warm from now on. But who knows!
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Quote from: SD_smith on April 15, 2018, 05:59:27 PM
Quote from: bbcoach on April 15, 2018, 05:31:57 PM
Smitty, Looks as if you guys are putting the hammer down on those birds. The snow hasn't slowed those birds any. BIG SMILE, so I can tell you guys are having a Wonderful Time. CONGRATS!!!!
I've mentioned that too. The birds have been reacting great, but these really cold temps and deep snow is making it miserable to hunt in. I've never been this tired by the second week and I'm in much better shape than in previous years. It's finally maybe looking warm from now on. But who knows!
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Fat Chance in SD. As I stated in an earlier post, we were out there the first week of May and hunted in 6 inches of snow but had a Blast. Keep after them.
That's a beautiful bird! Congrats!
Awesome job man! This is the first year I can say I've been miserable in the cold mornings sitting in the snow! Brutal at times. However, it has been cool seeing blatant turkey sign.
congrats
:icon_thumright:
Congrats
SD----congrats on your birds----
You just handling things ain't ya. Congratulations.
Great hunt!Ive always wanted to hunt the hills.Might do it this year.Ive also heard Nebraski is excellent turkey hunting.
Very nice gobbler,congrats!!! :happy0064:
Congrats! Beautiful birds!
Congrats!
neat
Congratulations nice bird
I think it's great when you get in that cliffey country, and you can shoot out over a cliff at a flying bird.Well done!
Great story. Congrats
Congrats!!
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Well done
Nice birds, congrats