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Well I finally did it....

"J"

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
58,789
288
North Carolina
With a lot of help from a good friend lmao...

First off my turkey hunting adventures have not been stellar too say the least lol.... I'm no turkey hunter and my half ass approach too turkey hunting usually borders on lunacy.... I have a borrowed box call, a borrowed 870 20ga (ok it's my sons gun and he left it at the house so that's all fair I call it rent) my back pack for turkey hunting is the same pack for deer hunting minus a few items lol....

I turkey hunted with my brother the first 2 seasons that DNR had for Columbiana county, We were both pretty clueless but we had motivation and property too hunt.... We had a few close calls the first year but never had one within range, the second year was much worse and at the end of season too I told him he's on his own I'm done with theses stupid birds lol

Fast forward too last year, my fishing buddy Shawn wanted me too turkey hunt with him and he had the calls and decoys and said we'll have a lot of fun... Well we had fun but never had one close..... He had connected the two previous years so I figured I'd jinxed him lol....

Comes 2017 season, I was sick for the beginning of it as I was getting over bronchitis or something similar and had a cough that wouldn't stop, especially when I went outside.... Not even going too attempt hunting these damn birds that I can't get too come in without coughing....

Last Saturday and Sunday my cough subsided and I figured Monday starts all day hunting and I'd give it a whirl... Shawn loaned me his call and decoys but I passed on the decoys for the time being... I did some scouting and the birds were doing the same as years past, roosting on other properties and throughout the day would make it to this property on their route....

Saw two birds across a 500 yard field and they saw my truck and took off like scalded cats.... Not a good sign.... Tuesday I had birds on another property that were gobbling all morning and wouldn't cross a fence and a creek to come see what was yacking at em.... Selfish little bastards....

Wednesday brought the same, I made a comment too some guys Fugg theses birds.... Some agreed lol.... Thursday I woke up too rain, looked at the forecast and went back too bed.... Fugg theses birds lol
 
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"J"

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
58,789
288
North Carolina
Later that morning I get a call from a couple of fishing buddies who went too Erie only too get blown off by 3-5' waves that were forecasted at 1-3'.... They asked if I was hunting and I told them much like their fishing adventure I went back to bed instead of getting wet and frustrated.....

They said they'd come out with me in the afternoon and do some scouting and calling to see if they could help (AJ was already tagged out and Dick said he didn't care too shoot he'd just want too call) so we met at 2:00 and while getting dressed we had a gobbler going off a couple hundred yards too the SW of us, way off the property so we set up on a hillside too see if they would move our way.... They called and I sat watching and hoping too see something but it didn't work out... But Dick said he'd come out in the morning with me if I wanted go out, I took him up on his offer and met him at 4:45 this morning.... Now I slept like crap last night tossed and turned most of the night.... So when I looked at the clock and it was close to time to get up I was like screw it, I should just text Dick and tell him maybe tomorrow lol.... But I didn't and got my butt up and out the door.... Dick was there waiting on me....

We setup in the same spot as yesterday in the hopes of getting them too come our way off the roost.... Unfortunately they weren't there, but 3-400 yards further off of the property.... Heard one gobble at day break that cemented that they weren't close... Dick tried some calling too maybe get them moving our way.... No takers... We got up and walked a hundred yards up too a ridge did some calling and had one respond due south of us about 2-300 yards away, made it too the top of the ridge and set up on two large oaks and got situated and did some more calling... Due south bird let loose, then we had one SE also go off... They were gobbling about every 10-15 minutes but didn't sound any closer... We also heard one due E of us but he was really out there.... Now I've had this scenario dozens of times through my misadventures of turkey hunting, just could never seal the deal.... The birds were gobbling except for due S, we didn't hear him anymore...

We had 2-3 more gobbles of SE and E toms but that was it... About that time there was a squirrel about 20 yards from me going off the deep end and I looked at him thinking he had busted me but he was facing the opposite direction.... I looked around didn't see anything but kept my eye on that area for about 5 minutes....

After 5 minutes I looked at Dick and shrugged my shoulders.... Turned back too look straight ahead of me and caught movement too my left out of the corner of my eye.... Slowly turn my head and catch the head of a turkey looking around.... Then it went behind some tall weeds, I lifted my gun and waited.... Seemed like 5 minutes went by but it was only a minute, then I see his head move again... Now at this point I'm not sure what this turkey is, male, female, jake, mature bird as I can't see anything other then the top of its head.... Now other than deer hunting and having them walk by my stand, this is the closest I'd been to a turkey too date.... He was at 15 yards at this point.... But still covered up by undergrowth and bushes.... Then at 30 yards he comes out of the weeds and I see a beard and it's a good one, Dick is making these little pur noises and he lifts his head up and boom.... Happened so fast I was in shock.... The bird flopped around and I was ready too put 2 more In himlol.... Unbeknownst too the both of us, there were 2 birds and they were real close in size, but #2 decided I'm outta here before anyone realized it lol....

So that was the rundown of my first turkey harvest.... Couldn't have done it without Dickie and his mad calling skills.... He had 12 calls on him and used 5 of them on this sequence lol.... Dudes got mad skills with them calls I'll tell you....



IMG_4154.jpg
 
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"J"

"J"

Git Off My Lawn
Supporting Member
58,789
288
North Carolina
Here's Dick, the turkey caller extraordinaire....

IMG_9471.JPG

He and I spent a lot of time chasing bunnies this last winter and I got in on the tail end of his squirrel hunting season with his dog... Good times with this fella....

And we'll be fishing against each other all summer down on the river lol....


 
Fletch

Fletch

Senior Member
Supporting Member
6,201
136
GREAT STORY.... EVEN GREATER BIRD "J".... Congrats young man...
 
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