turkey hunting

[charlie cleveland]

tomorrow is the last day of the turkey season for us in Mississippi...I will try to go to see if mr tom is going to cooperate one more time...will go back to my job of clearing a 5 acre field I let grow up and now trying to reclaim it... charlie

[mobirdhunter]

One of the great things about hunting is that I get to see and experience new things each and every season. This turkey season was no exception. I finally managed to get set-up correctly on some gobblers I've been hunting this season. Although I think Harold and Mills are spot-on regarding the improving chances one has by waiting until later in the day to call a Tom, I chose the opposite strategy and went in extra early. The problem was that the birds were roosting in some isolated timber in a drainage that was surrounded by large open fields. There was also a deep and treacherously muddy creek that precluded a more direct approach. So, to avoid trespassing on the adjacent landowner, I had to take a circuitous route that made my trek in over three miles. I also had to go in under the cover of darkness, thus the extra early walk in. I set up as close as I could to what I hoped was their roost with about an hour and a half before shooting light. As dawn approached, and just from where I'd hoped he would be, a bird gobbled at a barred owl's call...and then continued to gobble until fly-down.

Here's the "new experience" part of this hunt. There were two Toms roosted together, and they continued to gobble at each other for about 30 minutes, just over a slope in the field that kept them out of sight. Finally, one of the birds shifted over the crest of the slope and started to move my way. I had given only a purr and cluck to them just after fly-down to let them know there was a hen in my direction. Too much calling here would not work as my set-up spot had only sparse cover and I was sure a bird would see me before he got close enough to shoot if he was looking in my direction for a hen. I just wanted to coax them my way.

The Tom strutted and drummed closer, and then at about 50-60 yards the periscope went up and I could tell he was scanning my cover. He stepped a little closer and I chanced a shot. He went down quickly. The other Tom gobbled at the shot and did not fly away, although I still could not see him. I decided to wait to see what the other bird would do. In 45 years of hunting turkeys I've had three instances of other Toms jumping on a bird I'd shot. They are so programmed to fight off rivals, they don't care about the noise of a shot. This time when my bird flopped in his death throes, the other Tom jumped him and started pecking away. He finally left, but came back again and again as my bird would shudder every now and then. I watched this for about 10-15 minutes. I'm sure the Tom would have continued to attack my bird, but I finally decided my back and legs just needed to be stretched, so I got up. The Tom ran off and I went to retrieve my bird. Since the downed bird was just at the slope of the field, I could only see his wings thrash from my vantage point, not being able to clearly see all of him. I was surprised to find that the other Tom had plucked most of the feathers from my bird's neck. I now wonder if I'd not stood up and spooked off the other bird, if he would have completely plucked my bird for me.

Every day's a new day in the field...

[Harold Pickens]

Great hunt and story Garry, congratulations, you really earned that bird! I looked at the picture first, and wondered what the heck happened to its neck, figured you must have carried it out of the woods by the neck. Your strategy of getting in super early is a good one--I just hate getting up that early in order to do that--of course, you need to know where the turkeys are roosting. My best friend uses your strategy, he is always settled in long before daylight.
What were you shooting? Well, at least you can sleep in tomorrow. When does the season end for you?

[Dean Romig]

In VT we can shoot 2 bearded birds in the spring and one of either sex in the fall. In the spring we can shoot both birds on the same day. Twice I have killed my second bird while he was thrashing my downed bird.





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[Randy Roberts]

Way to go Garry. I do not recall ever having a bird thrashed that I had taken with a gun although it may have. Archery killed birds are another story as I have had that happen numerous times. They will hang in there for the most part and abuse the downed bird about as long as you can endure the show.

On another note I like to take the breast and cut it into chunks not to thick, say about 1/2" max. Cube it with a hand held cuber, marinate over night in Zesty Italian dressing, right out of the marinade into your favorite flour or breading and then cook over medium heat. Tender and yummy.

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Randy G Roberts

Way to go Garry. I do not recall ever having a bird thrashed that I had taken with a gun although it may have. Archery killed birds are another story as I have had that happen numerous times. They will hang in there for the most part and abuse the downed bird about as long as you can endure the show.

On another note I like to take the breast and cut it into chunks not to thick, say about 1/2" max. Cube it with a hand held cuber, marinate over night in Zesty Italian dressing, right out of the marinade into your favorite flour or breading and then cook over medium heat. Tender and yummy.

Randy, you have my mouth watering(!) I'll give it a try.

Dean, now that the statute of limitations has passed, I can admit that many years ago I mistakenly shot a second bird while he was "giving what for" to my already shot bird. I was lying in a logging road and after my first shot I thought the bird had only been wounded and was getting ready to run off...so I shot again and when I stood up, there were two dead birds. The first one shot was a Jake, the second one weighed 27 pounds and had 5 beards. I'm still chagrined that probably my best turkey was not taken more "appropriately."

Harold, I was wide awake at 2:30 am this morning. Once I get into the early morning pattern, my internal alarm clock goes off on its own. I could not get back to sleep. It also frustrates Elaine because the sleep pattern also means I go to bed at 8:30 pm.

Charlie, good luck with getting your chores done. Hey, our squirrel season opens at the end of May, so if you lived in Missouri, you'd have another excuse to not do chores.

[mobirdhunter]

P.S. I cannot in good conscience reveal what I was shooting, but I did not want to cross that creek in the pitch black dark lugging my 9 pound EH 10 gauge. I'm sure I'd be banned from the Association if I told what I was shooting. Let's just say it was my "creek crossing" gun.

[charlie cleveland]

my creek crossing gun will be a 8 ga davenport single barrel today...I don't get up to early anymore I hunt the evening shift now...good luck and don't fall in the creek...charlie

[charlie cleveland]

well I made it back across the creek...not a bird did I see or here...a turkey had been there I saw his fresh track I guess you could say turkey season ended without a bang....charlie

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by charlie cleveland

well I made it back across the creek...not a bird did I see or here...a turkey had been there I saw his fresh track I guess you could say turkey season ended without a bang....charlie

From your posts I'd say your season was a good one. It's a wonderful time of year to be out with a gun.