Well, so far it has been a kinda odd season in my woods. Seems as though the birds are running a little later than usual with hens and gobbler still grouped up. I managed to get my limit so now my main objective will be to get my 6yo nephew his first bird.
3/25/2013 - A very fast paced hunt, especially for an afternoon (lots of luck involved in this one). I was able to ditch work a little early and made my way to our family property. The wind was howling at 25-30mph with strong gusts, so I eased down into a little hardwood drain trying to get out of the wind. I got setup and gave the woods a few minutes to settle down. As soon as the wind died down for just a moment, a let out an aggressive cutt and was immediately cutoff by a gobble about 100 yards up the creek. Just a few soft clucks and purrs and he shows at 40 yards in strut. I let him close the distance a little but couldn't get him to break strut. Boom, #1 of 2013 is flopping. Doubled beards 9-1/4" & 8-1/2" with 1-1/8" spurs.
3/30/2013 - A typical roost hunt, minus gobbling in the tree. At first light a group of birds were firing off 300-400 yards across the property line. I decided to setup in a section of twice thinned pines where I keep the undergrowth cut. Setup and heard a few hens roosted 100-150 yards down into a creek bottom. A few minutes later I heard two birds fly down that hadn't made a sound from the roost. They pitched down into the pines just over the hill from me. A few quite yelps and I begin to hear drumming (still over the hill and out of sight). Just a few purrs and I see his fan just over the crest of the hill. The next 20 minutes were consumed with lots of gobbling, strutting, spitting, and drumming. I fought the urge to make just one more call. He slowly closed the distance into shooting range. I sent the Nitros down range and #2 is flopping. Beard 11-5/16" Spurs 15/16" & 1"
4/8/2013 - I decided to try a property that I haven't hunted in a couple years. Got setup about 1800 hrs and did some light calling with no visible or audible response. About 1900 hrs I got a little more aggressive with some excited yelps and cutts, no response. At 1920 hrs I cutt for everything I was worth just hoping to get one to give away his location for future reference. This time a pulled a gobble, but from a jake on the adjoining property. At this point I packed away my pot calls with the intention of waiting and trying to pull a gobble at roost time. Within 5 minutes I hear a subtle cluck over my left shoulder through a desnse hedge row. I turn and get into position for a shot should a long beard be bringing up the rear. Just as I get positioned I hear that infamous vvrrrroooom, but its is at my 2 o'clock position (120 degrees) from where I'm looking. I slowly turn my head and shortly see a gobbler at 60 yds and closing. Shortly after, I catch a glance of another bird strutting behind the first. They close to within 25 yds and the strutter (#3) is flopping. Bears 9-7/8" Spurs 15/16".
It has been a great season. I've tagged out fairly early and watched my nephew miss his first attempt at a nice gobbler. I have seen a ton of jakes, so next season looks promising. Hopefully, I'll be able to add a few more to the tally as I will be doing some calling and filming for the remainder of the season.
