My Iowa Season

[chadly]

I started this year scouting and listening more than I have done in all the past years combined.  My seven year old would be hunting the youth season and I really wanted him to get a bird.  It took a couple of mornings but he did get his bird.  We were so excited and my season was made.  From here on out nothing really was going to matter.  I wore a head mounted camera and video recorded his hunt.  When we went to look at the bird our conversation went like this.
Me: you shot a jake
Josh: I shot a what?
Me: you shot a little jake
Josh: I shot a kid?
We gave thanks to God then laughed and had fun bounding like a father and son should. 


I continued to park and listen to the turkeys all through 1st and 2nd seasons.  Then third season came and it was time to hunt.  I set up with a friend in an area where there were 11 birds the night before.  There was a lot of excitement in the blind that morning as we settled in very early.  Unfortunately not a single gobble to be heard.  We saw two hens and we left.  The season continued like that.  The birds that did gobble only did it from the roost and not a lot of it.  I lucked out one night by shooting a nice tom as he was walking by to head to roost.  It's not the way I wanted to get a bird but sometimes you have to take what you can get.  In hind sight I'm really glad I got this bird.


Forth season started and the hunting continued to be tough.  Often hearing one or two gobbles from the roost then nothing.  I hunted more and more trying new areas and new techniques.  Everything yielded the same results.  I saw turkey's every time but once.  However they had no interest in me.  I picked some new areas to hunt for next year and found many mushrooms while scouting and hunting.  The season ended with my tag unfilled.  It happens not sure what I would have done different.  I think all turkey hunters have to eat a tag every once in a while.


My wife surprised me with this cake so I could finally put my hands on a longbeard.  LOL



To those of you still hunting I wish you well.  God is good and turkey hunting can be hard.

Blessings.
Chad

[Gooserbat]

That long beard looks heavy, Congrats.

[J. Adams]

heck of a deal, congrats on the boy getting one and I am with gooserbat, that one you got there looks big....Iowaaaaaaaaaaa big ole cornfed gobblers eh??? I have hunted them big suckers up there but it has been awhile, plan on getting back next spring if I can draw and sell something to pay for that non-res tag, you only live once right

[DirtNap647]

 

[tomstopper]

That long beard looks heavy, Congrats.

Definitely looks like a mature bird and a good one. Congrats to both you and your boy.....

[COssman14]

Same situation here in NE Iowa. Congrats on your bird!

[learn2hide]

best looking plate of tag soup I've ever seen, not sure about the hunter though :-) Congrats, awesome that you got your little guy involved!!   

[owlhoot]

well you got some down, the boy looks happy, congrats.
most find the tag goes down easier in a sandwich.

[captin_hook]

Congrats to You guys.. That long beard does look like a monster!

[trackerbucky]

Congrats.  Nothing like a kids first turkey.  Sometimes it's better if he has to work for it a little bit.

[chadly]

Thanks guys.  We did have to work a bit to get my sons bird but it was really awesome to have him see the things he saw.  He keeps talking about how funny he thought a tom looked while he strutted.  I thought it was so cool to see the tom blow smoke as gobbled in the cool morning.  It was great.
My bird was not that big.  Just a normal Iowan gobbler. 
I love bow hunting deer.  It's what I really love to do.  With that said over the last twelve years or so turkey hunting I'm finding it very addictive.  However,  I get frustrated turkey hunting.  They are so unpredictable.  Other than roosting in a tree at night I've found nothing else to be a for sure thing.  Sure at times I get frustrated deer hunting too.  But turkeys can flat out make me mad.  I just remind myself this is a day the Lord has made and I will be glad and rejoice in it.
Blessings.
Chad

[beagler]

 

[richard88]

Nice, clean pictures.

[Triple B]

Congrats on your hunts. Your son will always remember his first turkey, and that's worth more than a whole plate full of tags.

[J. Adams]

Thanks guys.  We did have to work a bit to get my sons bird but it was really awesome to have him see the things he saw.  He keeps talking about how funny he thought a tom looked while he strutted.  I thought it was so cool to see the tom blow smoke as gobbled in the cool morning.  It was great.
My bird was not that big.  Just a normal Iowan gobbler. 
I love bow hunting deer.  It's what I really love to do.  With that said over the last twelve years or so turkey hunting I'm finding it very addictive.  However,  I get frustrated turkey hunting.  They are so unpredictable.  Other than roosting in a tree at night I've found nothing else to be a for sure thing.  Sure at times I get frustrated deer hunting too.  But turkeys can flat out make me mad.  I just remind myself this is a day the Lord has made and I will be glad and rejoice in it.
Blessings.
Chad

You said a lot there.....the only absolutes in the turkey hunting....well there are no absolutes!

Good luck with them big ole bucks this fall!