Boom Boom, Out Go The Lights!

[Borden811]

Somehow I missed the general forum with all the turkey stories, and first posted this in the turkey gun forum. I thought it would fit better over here, so here's my story! Well, the plan on the PA opener was to get a first turkey for my brothers g/f. We almost got it done. We got set up on the birds he roosted last night, and they started hammering as soon as light appeared on the horizon. I was set up 15 yards from them to do the calling, and they were set up together to film/shoot. After flydown, and a few soft calls, I had a longbeard and a jake following a hen about 40 yards in front of me. I let them pass, as they were headed straight for my brother and his g/f. Turns out they couldn't see them because of some brush, and they eventually followed the hen out through the woods 100 yards or so, and started strutting in circles. I tried to get the hen fired up, and when I did, she started right for me. She got to within 40 yards, but the gobblers never followed her. Shortly after that, two other people who we had talked to in the dark(and had agreed to stay on the other side of the farm we were hunting) tried to move in on the gobblers and spooked them. We headed away from those hunters, and found another longbeard, a jake, and 5 hens in a field about 200 yards away. We cut down into the woods, closed the gap a bit, and were just getting ready to set up and call to them when three hunters from the other direction called, and got a response from the gobbler. Within 2 minutes, we could see them sneaking down the field edge from the other hill, trying to get closer to the birds. I'm not entirely sure how close they planned on getting, but at 80 yards or so, they spooked the whole flock. By then it was 8 a.m., and no ther gobbles could be heard. Since my brother's girlfriend had worked till 1 a.m., and then gotten up at 4a.m. to hunt, she wanted to call it quits. Back to the house we went. I ate some breakfast, watched a little tv, and around 10 decided to head back to the farm, figuring I'd have it all to myself. I was right. I threw on my vest, loaded up an headed for the far woodline. Once there, I let out a few cutts, and got an immediate response. I moved inside the woods 50 yards, got set up and called again. He double gobbled, and I set the call in the leaves, put the gun up, and waited. Twenty minutes later, and still nothing. I picked up the call, gave a few purrs, and set the call back down. When I looked up, I caught movement about 70 yards out. He topped a small rise in full strut. I never called again, and it took him about 10 minutes to strut all the way in to 33 yards. At that point, he stretched out his neck to look around, and I gave him a face full of metal! Those 7's absolutely crushed him! Not the biggest bird in the woods, but I was thrilled to get him after all of the mornings events. Plus, this bird completed my PA triple trophy for this year. He weighed 19 lbs, had an 8 3/4 in. beard, and 7/8 in spurs. I'd like to thank M. Yuengling from this site for the call he made me that I called this bird in with. He sure loved the sound of that copper pot!

[hobbes]

Good looking bird!  Congrats!

[jshively]

Great bird and story.  Too bad the G/F did not get a shot at the birds earlier in the day.  Not sure about those other hunters.  You are a better man than me cause I would have has some words to say about their actions.

So what is a PA triple?  Is the deer, bear and turkey?

Cograts!!   

[Borden811]

Yep, buck, bear and gobbler, all on the same license. I've got an 8 year streak going with the gobblers, but since PA has started the two birds a year, I never gotten them both. Hopefully this yr will be the year, then I can say I got a "triple trophy plus", lol

[turkey slayer]

Congrats on the Bird!

[clarksvalley]

congrats on a fine gobbler,it looks like it was ment to happen for you saturday one way or another.you got to love pa its getting harder to out smart the other hunters than the turkeys anymore.

[Hognutz]

Way to go..

[Basser69]

Congrats on a fine bird!

[WyoHunter]

Congrats!

[BOFF]

Great hunt and persistence!!

Mike makes some great calls. I almost feel like we're brothers



God Bless,
David B.

[Ky strutt n bust n]

great hunt ! congrats. gotta love those mid morning hunts.

[harvester]

NICE BIRD CONGRATS.

[Wrangler95]

 

Very nice,congrats!!!

[M,Yingling]

Great bird ,,, Congrats on the triple trophy ,,Iam glad the call helped you out

[cannonball]

Nice gobbler!