Super Jake
For my friends who have been following the Pennsylvania turkey season, you're aware of the saga. First Saturday found Tanner and I shivering uncontrollably in the blind with no gobblers willing to top the crest of the hill. Had it not been the first Saturday, I would have relocated and worked them from another angle. So often when that happens though, they may be thinking the same thing and two scenarios happen; you bump into each other and end the game; or after you set up in the new spot you look back to see the gobblers checking out your last spot. If turkey hunting is anything it is a test of patience and willpower and I wasn't about to give in this early in the game.
Our second Saturday found us looking across the valley from the hilltop we hunted the previous week. This week we had company! From the trees that I was expecting to hear morning gobbles from, were quiet as I watched a father and son set up too close. Across the valley I could hear a number of gobblers bring in the morning from the treetops above my brothers head. That is until I watched another hunter casually stroll into the woodlot after sun up, but before fly down. This Saturday would be a valuable teaching experience of hunter and turkey behavior. From where I sat, I could see turkeys sneak around and hide from hunters. I could watch gobblers stare my way from a ½ mile away, and then walk with conviction in my direction until they would spy my fellow hunters. Some ran, some flew, and some ducked into the high grass until they felt danger had passed. I watched one long-beard for over an hour periscope it's head to find the hen from across the valley, trek my way, and then duck from danger as a hunter would move in the woodlot near the gobbler. He appeared persistent to make his way to Tanner and I, but the nearby hunter was standing up and moving around way too much. The long-beard finally tucked tail and ran in the opposite direction.
Other than the hen that fed and preened twenty yards from us most of the morning, something else caught my eye from the treetops in the valley. I watched 5 bear cubs in a tree that probably stood 75 feet tall. My guess is that the mother and cubs were strolling through the woodlot until they caught the scent of one of the many hunters that were occupying their backyard.
Just as I figured that my calling was in vain and the turkeys had been spooked way too much from my fellow hunters, I looked at Tanner and told him to sneak out and gather up the decoys. As soon as Tanner made his way across the field I spied a gobbler at less than 20 yards staring a hole through my soul. Too late! Until we meet again Sir Gobbler!! I guess this answered one of the many doubts that goes through my mind, "Is my calling effective?"
The third Saturday I titled "The Roaring Silence!" I moved to a new location to try a woodlot that consistently holds long-beards. The only gobble that I heard at first light came from the hilltop that I hunted the first 2 Saturdays. "Typical!!" The morning continued in silence that hurt my ears as I strained to hear something, somewhere. Finally the silence was explained as a fox squirrel above my head gave away the coyote that was patrolling the property. I tried to call him in, but to no avail.
Gobbler at 3 yards...
The fourth Saturday of the PA turkey season found Tanner and I back where we started from. On the way in we bumped into an opussum. We gave him a wide berth so as not to disturb him and set up where we had the 2nd week. Again a father and son came in from behind us as I was setting out my Avian X decoys. This time they turned and walked back the way they came. I was sorry, but we had the same right to be there as they did. No gobbles from the woods on our side of the valley this morning, In fact the only gobbles I heard were about a mile away. He was a hot one too, as he responded to every call I made. I thought that the distance was a lot to expect for him to travel, but stranger things have happened in the turkey woods.
Around 7:00 Tanner saw a man about 50 yards away staring at him. Unbelievable, but that may explain the silence from our woodlot. At about 7:30 six jakes came out of the woods below us and made their way across the field. I called a number of times and they all stopped and craned their necks my way, but remained silent. I'm guessing because they were spooked out of the woods by the hunter that Tanner had seen. The gobbler that I mentioned earlier did respond to the calls, and was closer, but I'm still thinking that is a lot to expect.
Later in the morning I watched a hen come out and feed in the field below us. I called to try to elicit some response. She did look my way, and remember the gobbler from the morning? He gobbled back, and closer than before, but still a long ways off.
I looked at my cell phone to check the time and see if anybody had sent me a text with a picture of a gobbler. I looked at Tanner and said things usually happen around 9:00. I told him I was going to doze off for a bit. I awoke a bit later to some crows calling nearby. I gave a couple of calls from my Penn's Woods mouth call. No response! I called to the crows, just to agitate them. I sat up to check our backs and less than 10 feet away was a gobbler staring in my direction. I also saw another gobbler checking out my Avian X decoy.
My mind yelled to Tanner, but barely a sound came out of my mouth. The gobbler looked Tanner's way and then into the young dogwoods that surrounded us. I believe he was looking for the hen he had heard earlier. I don't think that I even allowed my eyes to blink as I watched Tanner try to slowly pick up his gun. I thought to myself that he'd never be able to pull it off, but I appreciated the effort. As Tanner's hands wrapped around the grip and fore end he had to shift his weight against the tree. The gobbler noticed the movement and took a step towards Tanner as Tanner swung his gun and squeezed the trigger. The gobbler tried to turn and run, but too late.
Tanner stood a better chance of missing the gobbler than getting him as the gobbler was probably closer to 2 yards than the 3 yards I stepped it off at. When I finally caught the gobbler to stop him from flopping, Tanner looked at me and asked me if my heart was beating as fast as his was. For a while I'm not even sure if my heart was beating.
What I first thought was a jake when it first arrived, turned out to have a full fan, a curly 6" beard, and less than ¾" spurs. I can remember reading an article in Turkey and Turkey Hunting about Super Jakes. I think this bird fit the bill. I can remember the article defined them as a two year old that had been born late in the season, or a one year old that had been born really early in the season. I'm not sure if anybody has a real grasp on this, but this was a trophy just the same.
This is Tanner's second spring gobbler. The first fell as Tanner couldn't hold out for a long-beard as 7 jakes gobbled in his face at about 20 yards. We have missed a double and an enormous gobbler together, but hopefully we have many seasons yet to come. I don't think we'll forget this hunt as long as we live, and I can honestly say that I'm so proud of my boy. Great job Tanner!!!
So many times while hunting you have questions that go through your mind, and you often question your abilities. Should we move? Should we stay put? Should I call? Should I not call? Is my calling effective? Should I use the decoys? I don't think that there are ever any absolutes here. To many variables to consider, but that's what keeps me going back to the turkey woods. Glad I could share it with my son.
