Spring 2017 - Last Turkey Hunt for the Year (May 12th)

NorthGaHunter

Senior Member
The season has been good but like many with it's ups and downs. I was fortunate to get a couple birds early in the season but that third one has been hard to come by. I was also fortunate to call in birds for both my cousin and his wife. I had some birds that seemed eager to ride home in my truck but lady luck was not having it and allowed them to live another day or season. I must admit that I have had a hard time shooting straight and manage to miss two birds this season. I wished I had a good excuse but it was nothing but poor shooting on my end.

I have been hunting a good bit the past couple weeks and those 3 AM alarms have been taking a toll on me and really making me feel my age. I have been covering a good bit of ground; sometimes hunting in three different counties in one day. I got a call from my cousin Thursday night, May 11th, asking me if minded some company today. Since the gobbling has been virtually non-existent for me the past couple weeks and the fact I was getting really tired of talking to myself, I said sure and we agreed to meet at 5 am.

The morning started high on top of a mountain waiting on daylight. This was a spot where if there was no wind, we could hear for miles. Like most mornings lately, the sunrise greeted me with silence with the exception of some owls I called up while trying to get a turkey to gobble.

After accepting the fact we were not going to hear anything where we were, I started working my way down the ridge stopping every now and then to call. I was really hoping a gobbler somewhere would hear me and believe I was a lonely, love sick hen looking for company......lol. The only thing we saw was some hog sign and a little bear sign.

As I made my way down to this gap, I had a decision to make. I could turn to my left and head down to a logging road and work my way back to my truck and head someplace else. Or I could work my way down the ridge a little further and see if I could find a gobbler that might want to go home with me. I had a small climb to make in order to proceed further down the ridge. Since I was tired and a little lazy, I started to head back to my truck but I knew from past hunts that there were some nice woods on the other side of the mountain that a gobbler may have moved into recently. I was so close to making that left turn and heading back to my truck but decided I to go ahead and work my way down the ridge so I would not look back later and wonder if something was there or not.

Once we made that small climb, I stopped to listen. With a minute I heard one gobble just down the ridge; not too far away. I was not crazy about the area we were in and did not have a lot of confidence in calling him to us. I decided we needed to move further down the ridge to an area I felt would be better to set up and call to the bird. Since the bird was not that far away, we dropped off the back side of the ridge to move further down the ridge to keep from spooking him. Once we were near where I wanted to setup, we ease back up to the ridge top. Luckily, he gobbled on his own so I was able to move a little closer before setting up to call.

Once setup, I made some soft calls to the bird. I called maybe 4 or 5 times which did not produce one gobble. Being late in the season and the fact we were pretty close, I decided to shut up. I figured he may just come in strutting. It was not long before I saw him about 80 yards away strutting and working his way toward us. He went behind some white pines and I lost sight of him for several minutes. I kept looking up and below where I last seen him. Sometimes a gobbler has a way of slipping by and showing up in the least desired spot. Eventually, I saw the top half of his tail fan as he strutted straight in front of me. There was enough of a depression that allowed the gobbler to move closer without me seeing him as he passed thru those white pines.

As he got closer, I started to get nervous since my previous two attempts to shoot my last bird of the season ended rather pathetically on my part. He was now within range but I had a small limb partially blocking his head. This is the same limb that I almost attempted to crawl to in order to move it out of my way. Hind sight can be a pain in the @ss! The bird was now about 25 yards away, with his neck stretched out looking for the hen he had heard minutes earlier.

Unfortunately, both a grape vine and that dang limb was in my way! Hoping the bird would move a few steps to my right, all I could do is wait and hope he did not realize he was about to have a bad day. After a few more steps, I took the shot and he went down and started flopping. I got up and took off toward him and was soon standing over my third bird for the season. Unfortunately, with all his flopping and my attempt to make sure he did not get away, his center tail feathers were pulled out.

After enjoying the moment and taking some pictures, we started the long walk back to the truck. This day started out with little expectations other than getting some exercise and burning a few calories climbing up and down mountains. It ended much differently than I anticipated. Each morning you wake up and start the day, you just never know what lies ahead of you whether it's hunting or any other aspect of your life.
 

Attachments

  • a.jpg
    a.jpg
    483.4 KB · Views: 357
  • b.jpg
    b.jpg
    180.3 KB · Views: 354
  • d.jpg
    d.jpg
    477 KB · Views: 357

wvdawg

Moderator
Staff member
Beautiful bird! Congrats!
 

herb mcclure

Senior Member
Kevin, not my style to congregate one, just because they killed a turkey gobbler.
But, having known you since your boyhood; I would like to say; those woods were you hunt are the type woods that I adore hunting gobblers in.
You and I both, have a lot in common when it comes to our in our hunting places. However, our hunting style's are altogether different; as you know. What if you or most other gobbler chasers, on this forum, could not hear a gobble at all. That's the way it is when I hunt by myself; in the turkey woods. That,s why I had to learn turkey habits and spend my time at what I term "calling places". (A known place where gobblers and hens, like to come together).

Even when a gobble is not heard at a good calling place in the morning time at daylight; this does not mean that a gobbler won't be there before lunch time, or to roost there again; at sundown. I, learn turkey hunting; without going to a gobble!
herb mcclure
 

NorthGaHunter

Senior Member
Kevin, not my style to congregate one, just because they killed a turkey gobbler.
But, having known you since your boyhood; I would like to say; those woods were you hunt are the type woods that I adore hunting gobblers in.
You and I both, have a lot in common when it comes to our in our hunting places. However, our hunting style's are altogether different; as you know. What if you or most other gobbler chasers, on this forum, could not hear a gobble at all. That's the way it is when I hunt by myself; in the turkey woods. That,s why I had to learn turkey habits and spend my time at what I term "calling places". (A known place where gobblers and hens, like to come together).

Even when a gobble is not heard at a good calling place in the morning time at daylight; this does not mean that a gobbler won't be there before lunch time, or to roost there again; at sundown. I, learn turkey hunting; without going to a gobble!
herb mcclure



I have not posted much on here the past couple years and have not been logging on that much either. First I would like to say that this post was not intended to get a bunch of congratulations; though they are appreciated.

Over the past 15 years or 20 years, I have written stories on occasion about my hunts. As Herb knows, most of those stories were shared with him and a few others thru Christmas cards, letters or emails. When writing the stories, I try to convey my thoughts, feelings and events that went into the hunt. My hope is that anyone reading them can relate to some of the same feelings and thoughts I was having. I also hope that while reading, the person can feel as if they are walking along side me. I hoped that some would enjoy this story; especially those who choose to do a majority of their hunting on public land in the North Georgia mountains. Maybe some of those same hunters may have been looking for a gobbler late this season and finding many silent mornings. Maybe some of them were pleasantly surprised to find a bird slung across there back while making that walk back to their truck. Maybe they had similar thoughts as I had in not expecting to be successful that particular day.

Yes Herb, we have a lot in common in the woods we have chosen to turkey hunt. As a kid growing up, I would go to Big G along with everyone else in North Georgia to see and talk to you. All those turkey beards and deer heads you had displayed was a sight to see to a kid growing up; wondering if he would ever figure out how to kill one. Our hunting styles are different and I adopted mine after a few great hunters we both know. I have learned so much over the years from both them and you and from fellow hunters making posts on this forum. Many times I have been hunting and the conversations we had on your front porch, had a direct impact on decisions I made during the hunt.

I will have to say, if I could not hear I probably would have never became a turkey hunter. And if I ever lose my hearing, I would likely hang it up since I would not be able to hunt turkeys that way I would like to hunt them. I have killed birds that did not gobble or in conditions that severely impacted the ability to hear them but it can be hard to expect much on those days. It's those conditions where those conversations with you helped in my persistence to hunt that day. In the mid 90's, sitting on your front porch one evening, we were talking about some of the crazy, extreme things hunters sometimes do ....you made the comment "You usually get out of something what you put into it....which goes for most things in life" . It has been that comment that I have recalled many times over the years when things were not going my way. Many times, I would ask myself am I giving it my all. Sometimes I was and sometimes I was NOT.

My hat is off to you and anyone that turkey hunts with much of their hearing gone. I admire your persistence, drive and passion for turkeys with your hearing the way it is. Most of us hunters take our hearing for granted and can't fully comprehend the feeling of hunting without it.
 
Last edited:

brittonl

Senior Member
Enjoyed this post & read sir, thanks for sharing
 

herb mcclure

Senior Member
In all fairness to North Georgia Hunter and other readers of this thread; Kevin and I are best of friends; like he stated way back.

There is no one any better at mountain turkey hunting than he. Not only just gobblers but, mountain bucks and bears too.

Yes, I wish that I could have been able to hear and hunted different. Once in my early days, I crawled over a sharp ridge and observed a gobbler strutting on top of a huge chestnut log, to some hens scratching leaves near him. Just that sight of his fanned tail; has lasted me all my years. Even today, without hearing, the sight of a gobbler's fanned tail; is my reward to be a turkey hunter.
herb mcclure
 

jlt4800

Senior Member
Congratulations on tagging out this season!
It was a tough one for me.I thought it would be a quick one as I took my 1st bird opening morning but as in years past I've been humbled yet again!
I have gotten older fatter and lazier through the years and don't walked and or climb those mountains like I used too. I can honestly say though it is a Beautiful thing to observe a tom in full strut with his hen or hens around him.
Great post.
One other thing as Herb stated about not hunting a gobbling Tom is a lot of people don't have the time to wait past lunch unfortunately for that opportunity to have a silent bird come to that place...I'm already looking forward to next season.
 
Last edited:

NorthGaHunter

Senior Member
In all fairness to North Georgia Hunter and other readers of this thread; Kevin and I are best of friends; like he stated way back.

There is no one any better at mountain turkey hunting than he. Not only just gobblers but, mountain bucks and bears too.

Yes, I wish that I could have been able to hear and hunted different. Once in my early days, I crawled over a sharp ridge and observed a gobbler strutting on top of a huge chestnut log, to some hens scratching leaves near him. Just that sight of his fanned tail; has lasted me all my years. Even today, without hearing, the sight of a gobbler's fanned tail; is my reward to be a turkey hunter.
herb mcclure

Those are very kind words Herb and I wished it was true. I know a few mountain hunters that I am not half as good as them in my dreams; I guess that's the same for most of us. We all know a few hunters that are in a league of the their own. All we can do is to try and learn as much as we can from them and try to apply that knowledge in our own hunts.

There are a few hunters on this forum that I highly respect and always enjoy reading what they have to say. Maybe one day, I can have the pleasure of sharing a spring morning with them while waiting on daylight. We all can learn a thing or two from others and sometimes that can help you make the right decision in your hunts. That constant learning and persistence to never give up is what sometimes allows you to sling that bird over your shoulder OR understand why you didn't.

Again, I hope all that took the time to read my long post got some enjoyment and was able to reflect back on a few of their own hunts. By now, most of you probably have Herb's book Native Turkeys. For those that don't, please consider getting it because once you pick it up you will not be able to put it down. I bought about a dozen of them to give away as gifts to friends. I enjoy woodturning as a hobby and gave one to demonstrator that came to my club meeting a few years ago. That demonstrator was teaching at John C. Campbell the following week. He later told me while teaching that week, he would read it in the evenings and literally could not put it down.
 
Top