Opener:May 1 in Western NY Two lone hens hit the field I'm 30 yards into hardwoods from. No talking. Call lone hen few hours later. No gobbles on roost nor on the ground. Little disappointing for "the big day, when i feel like a 5 year old on Xmas morning".
May 2: Two birds fire up on roost where they usually do about 400 yards away off the property i am allowed to hunt. Slowly they work their way down the hill and back up at me. One is 2x and 3x gobbling. Another is gobbling about 200 yards away from him. I quickly shift my set up to concentrate on the thunder gobbling. He's probably 100 yards over the hill from me when I hear a "phloom". Awe crud, the other bird is in strut about 10 feet behind me. I must have moved as he spooked me a tad. Alarm putt sounds. I quickly turn. Nice rope on him but not going to be that guy and shoot at a running bird i never got 'the show" from. I want that other bird too. Guessing he was a two year old and shut down when he got closer so he didn't get his butt whooped by the mature bird. Silence then occurs. Soft called for a few hours. A frew crows fire off, pow,pow,pow the bird goes off. I'm not a run and gun type of guy but had to cut the distance some. He was a ways off. Quickly picked up stakes and hit the crow call to locate him. He rips again. I get to top of hill and quickly set up with my back to a fallen tree. Pow, he's coming. The guns been up for about 15 minutes now and i see a top of his fan. Then only a blue,white and red head. He's only 30 feet tops. No way I can take that shot with my arms now quivering from holding the gun for so long and pattern that close is waaay too tight. . I wait for him to crest that little ridge just a little farther for the ideal shot. cmon bird give me something I think. Ten minutes later I'm still waiting, and waiting. Now my arms are ready to fall off and my heart pounding thru my chest. Poof! Gone without a peep. When he was peaking up over the ridge he saw no hen. Amateur mistake, all I had to do was rustle a few leaves behind me with the free hand to imitate feeding hen.
About two hours of soft calling every 20 minutes or so, nothing. Hit the crow call again and he lights up. Have to cut the distance again. Now he's in the bottom of the gorge. I find a great white pine to sit up against with the sun at my back .perfect set up. He's double and triple gobbling and meandoring slowly up the hill. 45 minutes later and seems like he's taking his time to die I look at my watch. 11:50. can only hunt til noon here. Dang! I slip out unnoticed with him no more than 100 yards downhill.
May 6th: 3rd day out Called those two hens into the field. A few yelps and they were done talking for the day. No gobbles again.
May 7th: 4th day out. My nephew and his family are home from CO and hasn't hunted turkey in since his last visit a few years ago. man, 2:30am comes early to go pick him up and drive to my hunting spot. The day before I cleared out a nice spot next to big stump for him to sit. Red fox starts yapping and barking. definately has smelled us. Starts getting light. Hmmm, wheres Sam?! He sat about 10 feet from where I suggested facing slightly diffferent than i had hoped. Two hens hit the fiels without a sound. I see Sam hand motion me . Bird in full strut on the field edge ( hens were off 300 yards from him). I see Sam raise his gun. Mine is still in my lap. Told him this is your hunt. I'm waiting and waiting for him to shoot. Nothing. Bird is twirling around my foam pop up jake and hen decoys set on the edge of the field. Now i think i better get my gun up for a follow up in case he misses. All of a sudden the bird sticks his head up and looks his way. Aw man. My circle x has been on him now for maybe a minute and i can't wait for him any longer. i drop the hammer. As I jump out of my blind to go for the head stand I yell why didn't you shoot Sam? "Didn't have a good shot" he says. After retrieving what i believe was the same bird I had sneak in behind me on the second day I tell him to sit where i told him ."yep, he says. You were right" He had all day to shoot him had he sat there. So wanted him to shoot that bird. 9" beard/7/8" spurs. Didn't weigh him. Great hunt regardless. he said the bird got spooky when his sling rattled the last post in his blind when trying to swing around tree.
Haven't been out since. Awaiting this Saturday the 25th to take my 10.5 year old daughter with me to "listen to the woods wake up' as she would put it. I'm toting her Remington youth 20 in pink and wood grain laminate. Bushnell t optics and jellyhead loaded with heavi blend that patterned very well. She can't squeeze the trigger on a bird here until she's 12. But thought it would be more special for "us" to kill one with her shotgun. Amazed at my what an incredible little girl I have. Spring concert last night(plays flute wonderfully), ballet tomorrow( incredible at that) and turkey hunting with me on saturday. Hope to post a pic or two to follow. Thanks for reading. Again, glad i found this forum!
