Hey guys, not much to post lately, 7 morning listening trips, and 11 total ground covering trips looking for tracks, looking for poop, plus countless drive bys of popular haunts, and until yesterday morning I had not seen, heard, or seen sign of any turkey. I have basically four farms I can hunt, the largest having less than 50 acres of timber total, the smallest having less than 20 acres of timber. Three of the farms have been scouted intensely with no luck.
The fourth was iffy on permission and finally contacted the land owner and verified I could go. I was greatly relieved as it is one of my favorite places to hunt turkeys.
Started the morning off standing next to my fav pine tree next to the water and was greeted by several small bunches of mallards coming in to get a drink. The morning was cold and brisk with temps in the high 20's range rising into the 40's for the day. The first gobble of the season for me was distant, not on the property, and I decided since it was so far away I would walk across the dirt field to the timber edge. I was less than 10 yards from the edge when another gobble rang out much closer, I eased into the big tree and settled down to watch the timber come alive. The bird never gobbled again, but I could hear him spitting and drumming on the limb and as the sky lightened, I began to hear a few hens in the area.
I had a cramp in my leg and decided to lay flat on the ground to stretch out, and just after I moved I heard a hen on the ground and glanced up to see a big ole white head and full fan coming through the brush right at me! Well crap...the longbeard continued right at me to less than 3 yards before he changed directions and I looked up to see three hens and EIGHT jakes coming into the clearing as well. As the longbeard attempted to go around the "strange log" laying in his way, (me), the jakes attacked him like a gang of crazed teenagers. The attack was fairly savage, and as it occurred less than 10 yards away, I got to experience a turkey fight like I have never done before.
It was a whirlwind of purring, neck pulling, vicious lefts and rights with the wings,...it ran through my head, as they moved closer along the fence that if they got close, I was gonna grab one of those punk arse jakes! Luckily for me, they never moved any closer, but rather pinned the poor ole boy up against the fence and pummelled him!
All the while the three hens stood less than 5 yards away and watched. Finally the tom got loose and ran out in the field behind me with all 8 jakes in hot pursuit. They chased him over 200 yards and out of sight and as the hens walked over the hill, I took the chance to get out of dodge. I glassed the field from the truck and all 8 jakes were right back in the field strutting, the longbeard was no where to be seen.
I have a youth hunt this weekend...hoping to give the marauding jakes an attitude adjustment!
later,
CS
