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Yesterday was a great one.

Started by ilbucksndux, April 24, 2015, 12:37:26 PM

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ilbucksndux

Yesterday was the start of 4th season in Southern Illinois. I'm lucky enough to have two tags for the next 7days. I killed a bird first season( 2 weeks ago) and have been scouting different areas and know where several birds are.

Plan A was some private land that had a couple birds staying there and a couple more using the area but the day before I learned a friend was planning on being there and that was his only option for the day. So the evening before I went out and walked some public land that I had hunted earlier. I was mainly looking for sign of other hunters and was happy to see no boot tracks.

Thursday morning was clear cool 38° and no wind.I was standing at the edge of a slough and the birds were chirping,owls hooting,but no turkeys.

I stood there thinking that maybe I should have went to the hills and heard one fire off 200 or so yards on the other side of the slough. I headed off his direction and heard another deeper on the woods. The closer one gobbled just enough for me to have a good idea where he was. By now its light enough that the woods is almost silent. Im thinking he can't be more than 100 yards away so I found a suitable tree and sat down. The bird deeper in the woods was pretty vocal but the closer one had not made a sound in more than 5 minutes. I made 2-3 soft tree yelps made a fly down sound with my hat and sat there.

I thought I might have heard him fly down but a train went by and I was not for sure. I was fighting off the urge to get up and get about 50 yards deeper in the woods when I heard him gobble, he was close. I raised my gun and waited. Then I saw him about 50 yards out in the brush strutting. I made a soft call just so he knew where I was and scratched the leaves a little.He strutted straight for me. I was afraid that I was not his good enough so when he was about 40 yards and stopped I made sure my sights were on his waddle and squeezed. The second I pulled the trigger I Knew I had flinched. He rolled but was on his feet again and running right at me. A second shot and he was down for good.Next thing I know I ran over to him and but my foot on his head. After his death flop was over I rolled him over and saw he looked to be a 2 year old . 23 pounds ,1" spurs,9" beard. The other bird started to get fired up and I really thought about going after him,but decided to leave him for another day. I looked at my phone and it was 0620.
Gary Bartlow

alloutdoors


DawgsFan1

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not lean on your own understanding.
In all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make straight your paths.

Proverbs 3:5-6

steveo

Way to go !!! Nice gobbler and great story.....????

zelmo1

You did your homework, I hope the birds appreciate it. Good luck

101st501


Greybeard11

Congrats. Don't you love it when a plan comes together.
"Courage is being scared to death, but saddling up anyway."  -John Wayne

Roughneck


tomstopper


trkycaller


beagler

Never Misses

mgm1955


Gooserbat

Congrats, and IMHO any bird with 1" spurs isn't a 2 yr old. I'm thinking you got yourself a 3 yr old.
NWTF Booth 1623
One of my personal current interests is nest predators and how a majority of hunters, where legal bait to the extent of chumming coons.  However once they get the predators concentrated they don't control them.