California 4/2/2019
After getting off work the morning of April 30th, Bradley and myself head out on the 35hr drive to northern California. We arrive Wednesday afternoon May 1 and get our hunting license and head out for an afternoon hunt\scouting mission. We didn't have any luck that afternoon but we did run into a fox hunter who told us about some places to look.
May 2 California
The next morning found us on a 2 mile flat that was mixed tree groves and open fields with rocks in them. It was a strange mix for sure and we struck out that morning not hearing anything. So we moved farther down the road and stopped on the top edge of a huge canyon. There we could hear 2 birds gobbling below and we decided to try to get to them. There was about a 600ft elevation change and it was pretty steep. We were able to drive an access road to the bottom and once we got out we headed towards the hardest gobbling bird. Wouldn't you know it he was right in the middle of some private land, the only private around, and he wasn't coming off of it. This private land had the whole valley blocked from access on the west side. So we left that bird and started walking the east end of the valley in hopes of striking another bird. After a mile or so in we were getting to the end of the valley where it made a big fork. I made a call and a bird gobbled in the distance so we took off closing the distance. When we got to a point that we couldn't move much more we decided to set up and try our luck there. I told Bradley to go ahead and I'd call, we ended up setting next to one another on a huge pine tree. I started calling and the bird would answer back and just as I thought something was about to happen it did. Bradley jumps up and said he's got to go he's getting eaten up; we had sat down on a tree that was covered up in some type of ants. He was covered with them, he said he was fine until one bit his face and they all started biting him, then he had to go. I felt horrible but as he left to go shuck clothes I made a small loop and go a little closer to the bird, and started calling. The bird answered and after about 10 minutes I hear Bradley make a call. Then Bradley starts moving farther away calling. The bird finally left his strut zone and started my way. I could finally see the tips of his fan as he inched his way to me. Then I could see him strutting and looking. Seems like it took forever and I told myself to relax and be patient and just let him come. That's something I'm not very good at; I tend to shoot as soon as they get in range. He finally struts to about 30yds and when he stretched his neck out to look around I took the shot and punched my California tag. I told Bradley I'm gonna have to call this bird the TK and Mike bird because it was pretty fitting.
