- 9,726
- 168
Got in early, by the time I sat down I could barely see my feet on the ground. Waited for birds to wake up and I hear a gobble off in the distance. My bird is either here or it’s gonna be a bust so I’m not moving. Im actually 20 yards too far as I overshot my intended setup, but it doesn’t hurt.
finally hear a couple other distant gobbles, some jakes and a hen. Then a hen makes a couple soft tree yelps….shit it’s behind me I must’ve walked under her as she is probably 30 yards away. Then a loud rumbling gobble straight ahead of me about 60 yards. I cant see him in the tree as we have greened up like summertime in the last 2 weeks. Then a Jake to my right about 40 clucking before flydown. I hear 2 birds pitch out where the Tom is and then the Jake flies in front of me and lands in a tree 15 yards from me. At that point I’m not sure what it is. Few minutes he drops straight down and I know what he is. He goes back towards the Tom. Then the hen pitches out from my back and glides over straight in front of me. I can hear distant gobbles, hens and Jake’s gobbling. Few minutes go by and I hear limbs and wings as I imagine the Tom flew down. Oh, forgot to say, I didn’t even have a call out because they have been going away from me the last 3 days. Silence and being in the right spot is what I figured what was gonna kill this bird. Then I see him, bright white and blue head, then he walks out of sight. I line up for position and my adrenaline is pumping. Legs are shaking so bad it’s like I was freezing. Tried to calm myself but that wasn’t working.
I had this similar situation yesterday and I passed on the shot as it’s at my limitations of range in my head. The Tom pops back out all strutted and I tell myself this is it. Boom… the Tom flops then runs off or I can’t see him. I walk through the understory headed in his direction to find no bird and 4 cut chest feathers lying there.
I pause for a couple minutes looking and listening. Now what? Not sure the direction but I know if he’s hit good and didn’t fly off he will be tucked in a palmetto palm or hiding in a deadfall tree. I mark my spot and start search making a blood trail on ONX. Hate to say but I came up empty. Still a week left of season, just not on public. I will be on my property to see if a Tom is around. This deer season I had my first turkeys on my place that was 7 jakes. Will know more in the morning. Overall Hunter killed one, I wasn’t ready for a sneaker and lost one, and Dj didn’t shoot but had some great action all 4 days he hunted. This shit is like crack, love/hate game, but damn it’s exciting.
If your an outdoorsman and never Turkey hunted, you don’t know what your missing. So get your ass out there!
finally hear a couple other distant gobbles, some jakes and a hen. Then a hen makes a couple soft tree yelps….shit it’s behind me I must’ve walked under her as she is probably 30 yards away. Then a loud rumbling gobble straight ahead of me about 60 yards. I cant see him in the tree as we have greened up like summertime in the last 2 weeks. Then a Jake to my right about 40 clucking before flydown. I hear 2 birds pitch out where the Tom is and then the Jake flies in front of me and lands in a tree 15 yards from me. At that point I’m not sure what it is. Few minutes he drops straight down and I know what he is. He goes back towards the Tom. Then the hen pitches out from my back and glides over straight in front of me. I can hear distant gobbles, hens and Jake’s gobbling. Few minutes go by and I hear limbs and wings as I imagine the Tom flew down. Oh, forgot to say, I didn’t even have a call out because they have been going away from me the last 3 days. Silence and being in the right spot is what I figured what was gonna kill this bird. Then I see him, bright white and blue head, then he walks out of sight. I line up for position and my adrenaline is pumping. Legs are shaking so bad it’s like I was freezing. Tried to calm myself but that wasn’t working.
I had this similar situation yesterday and I passed on the shot as it’s at my limitations of range in my head. The Tom pops back out all strutted and I tell myself this is it. Boom… the Tom flops then runs off or I can’t see him. I walk through the understory headed in his direction to find no bird and 4 cut chest feathers lying there.
I pause for a couple minutes looking and listening. Now what? Not sure the direction but I know if he’s hit good and didn’t fly off he will be tucked in a palmetto palm or hiding in a deadfall tree. I mark my spot and start search making a blood trail on ONX. Hate to say but I came up empty. Still a week left of season, just not on public. I will be on my property to see if a Tom is around. This deer season I had my first turkeys on my place that was 7 jakes. Will know more in the morning. Overall Hunter killed one, I wasn’t ready for a sneaker and lost one, and Dj didn’t shoot but had some great action all 4 days he hunted. This shit is like crack, love/hate game, but damn it’s exciting.
If your an outdoorsman and never Turkey hunted, you don’t know what your missing. So get your ass out there!
Last edited:
