Jake and Tom birds

[Osceola Guy]

Not a lot of male turkey action on this smaller lease my cousin leased 400 acres in Union county about 6 miles away from my home in Florida, Anyway, I'd been seeing a lot of hens near my setup(Ameristep gunner blind) I got setup in some 10-15 year pines. All the action started last week when I shot a jake following 3 hens. I tried several hen yelps with no success that morning then killed him walking by about 15 yards from me following the hens. This week I hunted the same spot and heard only one gobbler several times but thought he was too far off to call to. I tried yelping in pairs and he gobbled oncemore still in the same location as earlier which sounded like 150 yards away. Then I stopped yelping for an hour or so and was about to call it a morning. Just as I was preparing to get up I tried yelping one more time. He gobbled again but it was so close it shook me, like 15-20 yards beside my blind. On the two sides and back I had the flaps shut cause I wanted better concealment. I waited it seemed like forever and he finally walked out front of me so close it frightened me alittle, so I raised my h&r singleshot 12 up immediately then and shot the tom on the rising of my 18.5 barrel. Both turkeys I shot with 2 3/4 #2 lead shot.

 

[Osceola Guy]

For some reason when I tried uploading my photos, it said that there was a security problem with my picture and I need to contact administrator? I've never had that issue can someone help me out please?

 

[Osceola Guy]

I could only get the picture of the Tom

 

[shootemall]

Congrats! I hope he didn't have gasoline on him when you got home

 

[Osceola Guy]

No, if my gas cans leak I take them to my collection center nearby?

 

[blood on the ground]

Man if every hunter could learn to just put the call down when that gobbler is answering! Took me years to learn that! Used to want to give a yelp everytime he would gobble!

 

[jeremyledford]

Man if every hunter could learn to just put the call down when that gobbler is answering! Took me years to learn that! Used to want to give a yelp everytime he would gobble!

This!! Hunting a gobbling bird is a glorified game of hide and seek. If you are calling, you are NOT hiding and he thinks you are seeking him! Not what you want and you will most likely lose. You hide and let him seek you. When he answered he said "here I am. Come to me". Every time you call you are saying you are coming. I might purr and cluck if I feel like there is no interest. Might scratch some leaves. But I am pretty conservative and try not to get excited and act all desperate until it is known that I have no choice.
The easterns where I hunt are hammered hard. It's not how you see it on tv. It's not calling every 7 seconds until the bird comes in strutting and you kill him at 15 yards after he gobbled 40 times. That is about 5-10% of birds probably. Birds around here if they talk get shot in the face or have 3 people with an owl hooter surrounding them. And probably a coyote. Haha.