Managed a new property just before archery deer closed and 7 new properties a few weeks ago to hunt turkey....
First spot we hit up I scouted once and then had the landowner keeping an eye on movement and reporting back to me.
We got in and setup with about 10 mins of dark left before legal shooting.
Around 6 am I figure 4-5 birds started sounding off quite far from us so opted to move closer to the back corner of the property almost setting up within 30 yrds of another hunter hunting the next door property. So back to the opposite corner we go roughly 125 yrds away from him facing the field I have.
I placed 1 decoy out in the filed 20 yrds away and we picked our trees and began our wait.
Birds went silent as soon as they hit the ground and heard nothing until 7:15 and our first bird was on its way. Had a jake 10 yrds from me but the guy with me couldn't get the shot and the bird seen something it didn't like so off it went until it seen my decoy.
Came in doing the whole routine for us but kept just outside his comfort zone.
Not 5 mins after that had more gobbling heading our way, and with a little calling broke 2 toms away from a hen and danced all the way into 22 yrds showing off to the decoy.
I waited for him to give the go ahead when he was ready and our shots rang out, BUT only 1 bird hit the dirt.
Managed to drop my bird and he MISSED.......
After tagging and getting the gear loaded we headed for another spot and had one pissed off hen come into us and that was it for there.
Spot #3 we had 2 hens pop out in front of us as we were on our way in.
We got to where I wanted to set up and I started with the calling and nothing for around 2 hrs so opted to move to another location on the property.
After a good hr+ I finally got a gobble and the tom was on his way only to spot my friend shaking BAD from excitement when it hit 80 yrds and he turned tail and got out of there. As quick as he took off another bird started up and was on its way and #2 tom pegged him AGAIN at around 70 yrds and that was it for our day.....
Pics to follow......
22 1/2 lbs
9 3/8" beard
Matching 6/8" spurs
Tagged out on a tom Tuesday AM with my brother and dad out.
Made it to another one of my new properties and got settled in on a field edge putting 2 hens and a jake decoy out while the birds were sounding off in the bush within 100 yrds of us. 45 mins into legal light the first group of birds showed itself as the broke a small brushy point off the bush 40 yrds away.
5 hens and 2 jakes skirted us with 1 of the jakes coming in for a look, but my bro decided to let him walk even though he had the recurve in hand and said he was shooting a jake if given the chance.
2 birds kept us occupied for quite awhile back in the bush and closing the distance and backing off for who knows how long before deciding to show themselves.
2 toms finally entered the field not more then 10 yrds from me gobbling and strutting as they walked by me at 3 yrds heading for the decoys.
I was waiting for my brother to launch an arrow at them when they hit the 19 yrds but they wouldn't break apart enough for him to shoot and started to walk away.
When they got to 22 yrds to my right and out of range for him I let the 12ga bark and I was tagged out...
23 1/2 lbs
10 1/16" beard
7/8" & 1" spurs
Wed we went to the same spot I shot my 2'nd tom with a little action and then decided to make a move to another property early afternoon and fired up a bird.
15 mins and we had the tom into 20 yrds but he wouldn't come out from behind a few branches that were in the way for my brother to shoot and we watched him walk away.
Thursday morning we decided to try and work the bird from Wed with action all morning.
First birds in were 2 jakes hanging up at 30 yrds, 5 yrds outside my brothers comfort zone.
A tom fired up within mins of the jakes coming in and we worked him for about 2 hrs before getting him into 25 yrds but on the wrong side of the blind so no shot.
We made one big move and switched up the calls and worked 5 jakes and 1 hen into view "came in silent" only to spook after seeing my dad turning his head because he didn't know they were there.
Me and my brother thought that was probably it for the morning but as I was looking at my dad through the window of the blind I could see he was positioning himself to shoot as he slowly shouldered the gun.
I looked out the camo mesh on the side window to see a tom working in at 14 yrds "silent" and told my brother to get ready.
When he popped out onto the trail at 25 yrds my brother sent the arrow on its way just missing but dad backed him up and BOOOOOOOOOOOM the bird was down.
Wasn't there when they weighed or measured.......
Around 20 lbs
10" beard?
?
7/8" spurs?
?
