Georgia trip

[derek]

Went down south for a 3 day adventure this week.  Our good friend Doug gave me a little intel on a spot he's hunted in the past and I made the 11 hr trip after working all Sunday night.  I arrived Monday night too late to catch flyup but headed out the next morning.  Not the greatest gobbling morning but went after a bird over the private line that never answered and shut up.  I had heard some gobbling back deeper onto public in a creek bottom so headed that way.  Walked and walked and walked, never found em.  Circled my way back towards truck and struck a bird about 0930, likely the bird I started on.  He'd gobble, I'd move closer and couldn't get him to answer back.. then he would and he'd be a hundred yards farther... get up, make up the difference, repeat steps 5x and I lost him.  Covered serious ground that first day and didn't hear another bird till I got back into that same area for the evening.  At about 6pm that bird answered me, worked him decent for an hour and at one point thought he was coming.. He gobbled at 80 and did not answer the next time.. but didn't happen.  I did not get a good roost location on him as his last gobble was at 7pm. 

Did enjoy some pretty scenery and it was nice seeing the dogwoods in full bloom already - got a bit up here yet. 



Next morning, clear skies.  Thought it was going to be on, but very similar gobbling scenario first thing.. not much.  Never got a bird to answer and I had one fairly close.. he only gobbled twice.  Nothing amounted out of it and before long I was slipping down into the creek bottom again.  I finally heard a hen, she cut back to me.. we conversated for a bit but she wouldn't close the deal.  After she seemed to go away, I continued my trek into the bottoms.. halfway across (mind you, you can see a mile in these things) she cuts back at me fairly close, could not believe I couldn't see her.  I sit down expecting her to come in, but she never showed.  At one point in yakking with her, a bird gobbles to me from way back the direction I came from.  The hen lost it, she was giving me an ear ful and I wasn't about to take it.. I matched her and the gobbler answered me again.  Still facing the hen as she was so close, I'm periodically looking back towards where the gobbler was.. thought he had a while.. but suddenly I see him working down the hill, followed by 2 of his buddies.  They go behind some large trees and I take the opportunity to move around the tree I'm on and face their way.. but now I'm sitting directly in the sun.  Big open bottom and of course they stretch and look.. felt confident in the shot and when one stretched up in an opening.. 0955 I shoot and he goes down.  The other two moved out of the opening quickly so I stood up and took a step only to realize they hadn't gone anywhere.  I shoulder on the next bird and shoot.. he went down.  3rd bird scurried off this time.  One of the appeals about Georgia was being able to kill multiple birds a day, so I was more than happy to accomplish this.  When I get up to them, I see they're jakes (I wasn't concerned in the least), and as I'm filling out tags the 3rd bird gobbled again.  I set up and actually called him back to 40 with gobbler yelping.. decided I wasn't going to fill all my tags with jakes so let him walk. 





On the way out, I had one bird in the vest and one on a turkey tote (tote courtesy our new team member Captian Hooks!).. I'm getting close to where I worked that bird the night before so slow down and let a yelp out.. he hammers back and close!  I look for a tree that's not too far and begin to untangle my gun and turkey across my chest, as I take a few steps I hear him putt, he steps out 25 yards in front of me and I could not get shouldered in time.  He takes off flying and all I can do is cry.. that was a tough one.. I should have just dropped the bird and stood still.. but not in the cards. 

That evening I did not hear a gobble, but I did hear a gobbler fly up.  Slipped in on him the 3rd morning and was probably about 80 yds away.  He gobbled some but not much... 4 times on the limb and probably not 15 times before 820.  He answered me 4 times during that time and I was trying to go light on him to sweet talk him in.. not sure what happened but it didn't pan out and never got anything else going that day.  Except some tasty treats



An awesome trip though, well worth it IMO.  Thanks again Doug for your help, now PLEASE!!!! GO KILL THAT BIRD!!!

Otherwise I will be forced back next year. 

[BowBendr]

Man that sounded like a fun trip ! Is that your first trip this far south ? Congrats on the double !!


Gods of Thunder

[derek]

First trip that far south.  Have hunted VA and TN. 

[Doug Lewis]

Glad you had a good time bud! It takes a lot to go somewhere unfamiliar and do what you did. I'm headed there this coming weekend and will try and get ya some redemption....

[BowBendr]

Glad you had a good time bud! It takes a lot to go somewhere unfamiliar and do what you did. I'm headed there this coming weekend and will try and get ya some redemption....

It is now your duty to go kill that gobbler !!   

[Doug Lewis]

Yea... no pressure huh?  I can't promise anything, but Ima give it the ole "college try". 

[DMP]

Derek, you should've gave me a shout.  U could've swung by SC and gotten some hunts in.

[derek]

Appreciate it DMP.  How have things been going down there? 

[Fullfan]

Nice work D. Next spring I will stop on the way and pick you up. We can hit GA, Sc and Uncle has 1800 acers in Tenn we will hit on the way home. Should be able to do it in 5 days.

[whitelightning]

Awesome job bud. I was seriously bummed I couldn't go with you this year.

[BowBendr]

Nice work D. Next spring I will stop on the way and pick you up. We can hit GA, Sc and Uncle has 1800 acers in Tenn we will hit on the way home. Should be able to do it in 5 days.

Thats a dang serious offer, id hit him up on that !!


Gods of Thunder

[Captain Hooks]

Congrats again killer

[DMP]

Appreciate it DMP.  How have things been going down there?

They've been kicking my tail.  I have been 14 times. It have it worked birds 5 times.