Tagged out in MD

[mdtkyhntr]

For the first time ever I've tagged out in my home state of Maryland. It's been a whirlwind season in which I missed two good birds, and then couldn't get more birds into gun range until this week. I've been hunting a small tract of land near where I grew up, and had been scouting since early March hearing a good deal of gobbling. Everything seemed to shut down the week before the season. This was my most convenient spot, so I hunted it as often as possible before work. I'd come really close and had to walk away from gobbling birds twice for work responsabilities. This Monday was calm and beautiful, the kind we all dream of, yet at 6:55 I hadn't heard a gobble and was getting ready to head to work when I decided to make one more series of yelps. A bird gobbled back from about 1oo yds away, so I sat back down. 10 minutes later I picked up a red head picking through the greened up underbrush. He broke into strut and walked into the clear. He spotted me as I swung the gun in his direction, and I dropped him where he stood. Turned out to be jake, but after missing two earlier in the season it got my confidence back, and was the first bird I've ever killed on this property.




This morning we woke up to drizell and fog and headed to a spot my brother and I have been hunting. We set up early and heard very little gobbling. With the weather we decided to sit a field edge, and call infrequently. My second series of yelps after 30 minutes brought a gobble from close, but we couldn't see the birds. A few minutes later I spotted the movement, then there was a shot off the edge of the poerty and my brother thought they'd shot the gobbling bird. I wasn't close enough to communicate that the birds were 75 yds away in front of him, but I did say don't move loud enough for him to hear. Some clucks and purrs had the whole bunch within gun range in 5minutes. One hen and 4 jakes, and my bro shot the biggest of the bunch at 7 a.m.. He had obligations and had to take off so he didn't get to see the show I got starting at about 9:45. Had two big birds picking though the field answering my calls and coming to decoys, but man where they going slow. They would stop every two minutes and look at the decoys, strut,then start walking again. I could hear birds clucking behind me as well and figured it was the hen I'd seen back there earlier. 45 minutes later with my arms falling asleep movement to my left at about 30 yds caught my eye, and one strutter and 3 other mature gobblers snuck in the back door. I dropped the hammer on the strutter to end my MD season with a 19 lb 10 inch beard, 1 and 1/8 spurred gobbler.


I'll be heading back out without the gun next week to see if we can fill the final tag my brother has in his pocket. What a season. Lots of gobbling, strutting, and filled 4 tags, two in MD and two in TX. The plan next year is to complete my slam with the Osceloa.

[WiLL B]

Congrats!!

[Hognutz]

Congrats on the two birds. Well done..

[RustySap]

good job...

[strutnva]

good birds

[spitndrum]

Congrats!

[Shoregobbler]

You had a Great season!!!!

[Wrangler95]

 


Very nice,congrats!!

[njdevilsb]

Congrats on tagging out on a couple of nice birds.

[Basser69]

Congrats on tagging out!

[roosterpull]

Me too. Today. Both birds from Allegany County. I think they must have been twins because both were 18.5 pounds with 1-inch spurs and 9.5-inch beards. Got No. 1 on Earth Day, April 22, which I thought was a tribute to the planet that provides habitat for turkeys and turkey hunters.
No roost gobbling today. I did some real light hen stuff and tossed in a quick jake-like half gobble. Half hour later heard a gobbler cluck, then occasional gobbles. Finally, at 7:56 a.m., I called and he gobbled hard. Came in shaking wings and half strutting and when he saw the Primos $10 blowup jake and the hen decoys he dropped his head and went right at 'em. Got him at 20 yards as he walked.
Spring gobbler hunting is the best hunt that exists.

[JVA54]

        Congrats!!

[mdtkyhntr]

Congrats roosterpull! Hunting turkey is much better where I am then it was 10 years ago. I truly love chasing gobblers and will be in mourning after this weekend when I take my bro out to try to fill his second tag.