Opening day

[JeffC]

2am wake up, out of house by 2:30, arrived at spot around 3:45am, SUV already parked, plenty of land, throw lights on suv to see if anyone is still there, windows fogged up dont see anyone. Start in heading to spot I want to listen from. Dont hear or see anyone. Got to spot 4am. Hear Peacocks screaming on neighboring farms. Something was walking around in underbrush not 10yds from where I was standing, heavier than mouse, to light and too thick of briars for deer. Beautiful cold 30's morning. Finally, they wake up and start Gobbling! All directions, all on private. Gets light enough to see, I am standing 30yds in woods from a field on a grass road, 20yds deeper are POSTED signs. Really wanted to be able to go deeper that direction, have water about a 1/2 mile to act as a blocker, finally have 2 Toms gobbling down that road, know they are limited on direction they can go. Walk to posted signs and call they respond, game started. back up to where I was and go into woods find a good tree get set up. Fly down time and everyone goes quiet. They are still deep into private, I get impatient after 1/2hr and head East to get as deep into public closer to water and 1 direction they could head. Little sign no answers to calling. Head back to 1st location. They gobble, going West deeper into private. Have at least 2 hunters on other side of fields, calling. I decide to head East towards boundary and walk and call(scout, never been here before). 1/2 hour into walk have 2 birds respond, 1 was definitely a Jake, close less then 100yds. They gobble at me walking in leaves to tree, hammer at calls, scratching and woodpeckers, but wont come. See movement at 60yds, ducks on a pond, of coarse birds on other side, 1hr into battle, I cant go right, private, left is wide open woods, so move 20yds left and set up again, call they are still there, go quiet. Finally see movement from left side of pond, 40yds see multiple heads coming, hear drumming 2 of the 4 birds fan out, Jakes...5th bird is drumming, Jakes come into 10yds, 5th bird hangs back still drumming, hiding behind brush, I am hoping its a Tom, steps out at 25yds, maybe a 5" beard, small head, another Jake. The closer birds get nervous with me changing aim of gun so much, all start walking off. They gobble again as I get up and walk off towards field.
Get to field, 70yds from where I was all morning, 3 birds walk out of road I was on, 2 Toms and a hen, hen goes into brush where I heard animal in dark. Probably where she has nest, hope she is successful. Sneak back into woods and head towards the Toms as they walk West away from me, as I walk down the trail I used all morning, step over a log for the 3rd time, huge black snack takes off, heart was already pumping hard, about had a attack. Said a few words to snake and try to catch up to the 2 Toms, wont respond to calls, continue into woods onto private.
Good day, heard gobbling, saw birds, learned lay of land and what the Toms were doing. Going back tomorrow, Saturday and Monday.       

[lacire]

It's good you're seeing some birds, sounds like your new Franchi is getting a little impatient  good luck this weekend.

[HillclimberWV]

Finding birds is half the battle. You might need to feed that Franchi soon.

[JeffC]

Yesterday, Friday, 2nd hunt. Go about 1 mile deeper from opening day hunt. Hunted this area last year. Head into a inside corner of field, deer blows once as I sneak down field edge. Get to spot 10yds inside woods, North of area I think is a roost. Have a Whippoorwill start calling 10yds from me, 30's morning again.3 more deer announce to everyone my presence. Toms start gobbling around me most on private. 15minutes into the gobbling, the flock South of me, within 100yds joins in. Some of the best and most gobbling Ive heard in years.  3 Toms on left 1 on right. Light calling matching the hens that have started talking. Thinking, hoping they fly right to me, not today, they drop straight down, Tom on right has answered my calling and is headed towards me and rest of flock, can see 2 strutters from left heading along swamp towards the single Tom. They all meet up and head West away from me.
Tried catching up to them, no luck headed across road into private. He will respond to calls when he wants, just enough to keep me engaged. Private is not deep, marsh behind houses. He drifts left, South, I can move farther South and get in front of him. Jump in truck move 1/2 mile South, wanted to scout this area anyway. Hes been quiet for over an hour. I scout area inside woods along field, making a loop headed back to truck, want to go across street to be on side he was on. Walking and calling, gobble back at me within 75yds, I am in open woods, hes in brush along field where I just walked past. Spot a red head as I get to a tree, he for sure spotted me, go quiet, see another bird pass thru opening behind red head then a Tom walks thru, all headed to my right. Give them sometime and move towards where they are going. Call he answers, second gobble hes getting closer. Worried about cutoff time, reach into pocket for phone, no phone, cant find it, Im tired and panic mode kicks in. Just heard a vehicle pull out of parking lot I was 1st parked at. Got up and jogged back to truck, phone not in truck, worried it fell out in parking lot, look, tear apart vest, found phone in deep vest pocket. Said a thank you, checked time, had 1/2hr, ran back in, they were gone, sure they saw/ heard me leave.
Learning his routine, seeing and hearing birds. 1st tag eaten, 6 more to go. 

[JeffC]

Saturday, E tag (just Saturdays), arrive with a game plan at 350am. Head back into roost spot, spent a little time on Friday setting up a tree near (30yds) from where flock all hung out and strutted. Get into woods and its really quiet except for me walking in crunchy leaves. Trying to walk in the areas where they have been scratching. Cant find tree I set up. Took 1/2hr just to go 30yds. Gave up on tree. Can hear more trucks rolling down road. Big off-road tires make a lot of noise, gave up counting trucks after 10th one passed and heard 1 coming back out and parking on Southwest side of swamp, going to have company today. I am 80 plus yards from where they were roosted Friday, NE corner of swamp. Between me trying to sneak in and all the trucks rolling in, Turkeys had to know it was hunting season.
So flock across road on private starts the gobbling again, 3 or 4 Toms close, hear more farther into private. 15min goes by before the toms I am hunting open up, but only 3 today, all roosted together. Hens start talking and get them fired up, also hear hunters on other side start calling, I am staying quiet. 1st bird pitches out, crashing thru the trees headed out to point of woods, where I was yesterday...hear birds drop down into swamp edge, 2 hens come thru and head to my right, no one following.
At least 2 more birds fly thru trees to point, Tom starts gobbling on point, I start sneaking up that way, slowly, see a bird heading back towards swamp, think they all will do the same as yesterday, so I head into woods to get in front of them, hour goes by and 1 hen comes thru. I call and he gobbles, still in same spot. Head back that way, other hunters are doing a lot of calling, Tom responds occasionally but the flock starts heading into field, closer to houses, safety zone.
For the next hour Tom gobbles at everything, all from the safety of a yard. Finally he breaks towards the South again like yesterday. Jump into truck and get ahead of him. Theres a dirt road that is blocked off and parallels the private, see tracks in sand and a few dust bowels. Hes still gobbling but way off. Do a little scouting, lot of boot prints, wire fence along private, plenty of room for him to come thru. I do some calling after hearing him getting closer, fins a tree in opening 30yds from fence, call he responds getting closer, game on, go quiet. Catch movement out of left eye 8yds from me see turkey then 2nd, 2 Jakes came from behind me, spent 5 minutes looking at me and looking for hen, Tom gobbles again now 75yds out, Jakes try going to him, wont go under fence, walk road to right, as soon as they are out of sight I call again, gobble closer, Jakes come back thru really confused, continue down rd to my left, then I hear the treaded sound of dirt bikes. They are on the blacktop, 40yds to my right. Never hear Tom again. Day 3 done, leared more ground, learning his routine. Have plan for Monday.   

[JeffC]

Monday "B" tag week, late out of house, follow another hunter into area, he goes deeper into area, no one at my spot, frustrated with this Tom, I plan an ambush hunt. Go into spot I was Friday morning. Temps are in the 60s, humid, big change from last week. Trucks start rolling thru, thankfully no one stops here. Once again, the private flock starts off the gobbling, but now more Toms over there. Dead quiet where I expect the Tom I am after to be. Finally hear 1 hen start talking, no one answers. She continues to call and no answers. She finally flies down.
I start to think all the pressure busted up the roost. Trying to figure out where, what to do next. I heard 2 distant gobbles while she was calling, but 1/2 mile maybe in opposite directions. Want to go scout the 1 direction anyway, start to get ready for a hike when turkey gobbles in direction of my truck, he gobbles again, grab call and start a conversation, keeps getting closer, I think about going towards him, decide he knows where I am and is very vocal, hes coming hot and fast. stop calling, get ready.
See him below me between field and swamp, stops at 60yds, looks around and gobbles again. Keeps coming, see beard swinging, safety off, gets to 31.6yds, stops and really starts looking for the hen hard, really wanted to see him strut, squeeze trigger watch him fall, CONTEST CRUSE broken!! Ive eaten 15 tags since I joined this contest, was really happy that I didnt ambush him, hands were shaking as I tried taking picture. I dont know for sure if its the same Tom thats beaten me for the last 2 days, but I think it was.
After checking Tom online, loaded truck and drove around to lower road, 2 older gentlemen were just getting out of truck on SE side of swamp. I stopped and ask if it was them here on Saturday, it was, I thanked them for not crawling up into the area I was located. Let them know I killed the 1 Tom and it sounded like the flock was across the street. It was a nice conversation with them, both PA hunters, wished them good luck and headed home.       

[Tom007]

Way to go brother! Persistence pays off. Number one Woodsman-ship tactic, you employed it. You deserve it, you earned it. Well done!!

[JeffC]

Thanks again Tom, Its awesome when it all come together!!

[austinc]

Congrats JeffC!

[lacire]

good one Jeff.   

[backforty]

Congrats Jeff. I would have quit this contest long ago to try to get the bad ju ju off me with that kinda bad luck. Hopefully this is the turning point for ya.

[JeffC]

Thanks all. Killed enough Toms over the years to just want to go and enjoy. This contest is for fun, makes it better when we all share our experiences good or bad, want this team to hang around the "Campfire" and enjoy each other's company and hunting stories. Really wish this team was more involved and active.

[Muzzy61]

Congrats Jeff!  That's a great bird.

[JeffC]

Thanks Muzzy, did the gators get snowman??

So cleaning this Tom found shot that made it thru feathers but not into meat, had it along breast down into legs. Think someone took a long shot at him, saw where someone was setup along field/ wood line, at least 80yds from where they where strutting on Friday. Tough bird, surprised he didn't relocate. 

[GobbleNut]

A belated congrats on your gobbler, Jeff.  Great pictures and stories. Hope your luck continues and we read (and see) more...