A gentleman on a local SC forum wrote on of the truest statements I have ever seen on turkey hunting. He wrote, "The Lord loves a turkey hunter! He can put upon him the troubles of Job in the morning and Bless him like the King of Kings in the afternoon (or vice versa!)" That is about as perfect of a description of my opening day hunt as you can get.
We had a lot of rain Monday night and when I woke up Tuesday morning it was a very muggy 60 degrees outside. Fortunately the weather had pretty much moved on out as we were originally going to have rain and storms throughout the day. It was a bit foggy at first light but not bad. Did not take long after getting to the property I was hunting to get in the critters. There were 8-10 hogs standing in the first plot when I got to it. It was a big sow, a couple medium sized hogs, and a pile of piglets. I wanted to shoot the big sow but she was just out of pistol range so I just scared them from the plot so that I could make my way to my starting point.
As I was walking I heard the first gobble of the morning. It was quite a ways off but it had my spirits up as it was still pretty early for the gobbling to start. I heard him sound off about 2 more times, but after that it went dead. Got set up and stayed put a good hour and 45 minutes to silence. I thought with the weather and fog they may be later than normal but nothing. I waited until 7:30 to even call and never heard anything.
Finally got tired of sitting there so I moved back up front where we typically have some action between 8-11. As I was moving I heard the hogs squealing again, but never saw them. Crossed a plot and dropped into a creek bottom. I could scan the plot I was going to from the bottom as the woods are still wide open. Nothing was there. Went and got settled in where I spent the next hour and a half blind calling. Once again there was nothing.
Got up and went to an area I have been wanting to check out. Have heard birds here and saw a good many deer coming out the spot. Went in and it was beautiful creek bottom woods. I called a bit trying to locate and nothing. So I decided to start walking the loop calling every 100-200 yards. Walked the whole dang property and not a peep. There are without a doubt birds there as there always is and there was plenty of sign, just not wanting to play. I ran across hogs again as I was making the loop and thought for sure I was going to get to pick off a couple.
I saw them as they were exiting a food plot and coming onto the power line I was walking. I tucked into the woods and drew my pistol as I hid behind a big tree. I saw them drop down my side the ridge so I was waiting for them to pop out and be in range when I heard leaves start crunching across the power line. They cut into the woods just before they got to me. I snuck up there to try and catch one but they just disappeared. Well it is around 11:00 am now and I am hungry so I text my buddy I am headed to the car and going to park in town to make a work phone call or two. Just come when he is ready and we will get lunch.
We eat at Bojangles and he tells me about his action packed morning. He too ran into hogs and had the biggest he had ever seen behind him about 20 yards before light, that will get the ole heart pumping. He called in a hen that stuck around for a hour and even put on a show of strutting and pecking his hen decoy. He heard one gobble a ways off but could not move cause of the hen. About 30 minutes later he saw the hen staring at something and acting funny. Well some birds had slipped in on him and two were toms. He could not move his gun to shoot. They started working away from him and he was able to finally raise his gun and missed. He said the birds did not run or really react at all, just kept on working their way to the plot they were going to.
While eating lunch the sun popped out. We had decided Monday we would hunt separate in the morning then together that afternoon. We decided to go back to where he hunted since there were at least birds spotted. We park at the barn and decide to walk down and set up in the swamp he missed in but to call every 100 yards or so. Right before the opening of the swamp plot there is a curve and I decide to call there to make sure there is nothing in the plot. I yelp on my box and bam one hammers back.
Rob says he thinks they are in the woods in the swamp. I think they are in the back side of the plot right off the swamp. We move up and find a spot to set up and the bird gobbles on his own. He wants to move closer as he thinks the bird is in the woods. I agree to move forward slowly. As we are approaching the swamp the trees thin and we look and see the bird right in the plot where I thought he was. We move back and find a spot to set up. I cut some trash out of his way for a clean shot but I had no chance at a shot so we made the deal if the bird came he would shoot but if we had to readjust I got the shot.
We are set up and I call. The birds hammers back. I pull out a couple of other calls and try sounding like 3-4 hens yelping and clucking at each other. He gobbles again. Rob says, "I see him" and I see him about the same time. I tell rob to tell me when to cluck. Then we see the Tom walking in the back. I think to myself, "crap there are two and I have no shot whatsoever!"
Well the birds walk to the road we are on. I have been throwing the call sounds behind us and down the road so they would come looking. For whatever reason Rob did not get the shot in his opening and the birds were coming into the woods on us. Well I said, " if they come in the woods I can kill them." Rob had no shot in the woods. They stop and both gobble at us and then come in the woods. The lead bird popped out in front of my gun at 20 yards and I let it roar, he drops. The second bird jumps and gets back in the plot starting to walk off. I start clucking and purring hard and he turns right around and walks back. Rob shot him at 25 yards. He must have hit him with the side of the pattern as it knocked him down but he got back up dazed. Another shot or two and we were celebrating. Was about 30 minutes from striking the birds to killing them.
Not hunting today as the weather is bad. Going to the farm and will meet Russell tomorrow for 2.5 days of hard hunting. Hope all is well and be safe!
