Scotsman
Senior Member
This past Friday, I met up with two good friends, Wes, and my long time turkey hunting partner, Robin, and we chased some birds. We finally found some back in the bermuda field where Wes killed his bird last weekend. Those birds had hens with them and we couldn't get them to leave. We then went to some public and found quite a bit of good sign but it was so windy we could not hear anything.
I could not go on Saturday, but asked Wes and Robin if they wanted to go this morning. Wes had plans, so Robin and I met this morning and set up at a place we call the kill spot and I owled without getting a response. We looked at the weather and we figured the rain was supposed to come in around 11:00, so we hoped we could find some birds by then. We heard a gobble way out in front of us, across the field and on the other side of the creek. Then a few more gobbles that definitely came from two or three birds. I gave a few clucks on a slate call that Wes had given me a few days ago and then set the call down. The turkeys did not gobble for about 30 minutes and then they started back at it. A few more short, light calls on the slate, really not much at all and they got fired up. The gobbles were getting louder and we could tell they were coming in. It took about 40 minutes, but they made it to us. There is a little rise they had to come up and over and I saw their heads pop up and come on to us. They were about 30 yards away. I thought they were jakes when I first saw them, but the lead bird turned as he continued to come in and I saw his beard. Robin was to my left about 10 feet and I whispered, "Can you shoot?" He said that he could not see them.
I think the lead turkey heard me and started getting nervous, doing the head bob and then he putted, so I shot him with the back trigger - the full choke! Lowered him right there. After I pulled the trigger, I saw one turkey fly off, but I couldn't see the bird I shot. I asked Robin if I missed and he said, "No. You killed him dead!" I sure do wish we could have both been able to get a bird, but as we got up and made it to the flopping gobbler, the rain started up, much earlier than what we thought. The turkey was getting soaked and we were getting drenched, but we were done by 8:30! The bird was a two-year old, with a 10 inch beard, spurs were not much, and he weighed only 17 pounds. It was a great hunt. I love to hear them gobble and gobble they did.
I could not go on Saturday, but asked Wes and Robin if they wanted to go this morning. Wes had plans, so Robin and I met this morning and set up at a place we call the kill spot and I owled without getting a response. We looked at the weather and we figured the rain was supposed to come in around 11:00, so we hoped we could find some birds by then. We heard a gobble way out in front of us, across the field and on the other side of the creek. Then a few more gobbles that definitely came from two or three birds. I gave a few clucks on a slate call that Wes had given me a few days ago and then set the call down. The turkeys did not gobble for about 30 minutes and then they started back at it. A few more short, light calls on the slate, really not much at all and they got fired up. The gobbles were getting louder and we could tell they were coming in. It took about 40 minutes, but they made it to us. There is a little rise they had to come up and over and I saw their heads pop up and come on to us. They were about 30 yards away. I thought they were jakes when I first saw them, but the lead bird turned as he continued to come in and I saw his beard. Robin was to my left about 10 feet and I whispered, "Can you shoot?" He said that he could not see them.
I think the lead turkey heard me and started getting nervous, doing the head bob and then he putted, so I shot him with the back trigger - the full choke! Lowered him right there. After I pulled the trigger, I saw one turkey fly off, but I couldn't see the bird I shot. I asked Robin if I missed and he said, "No. You killed him dead!" I sure do wish we could have both been able to get a bird, but as we got up and made it to the flopping gobbler, the rain started up, much earlier than what we thought. The turkey was getting soaked and we were getting drenched, but we were done by 8:30! The bird was a two-year old, with a 10 inch beard, spurs were not much, and he weighed only 17 pounds. It was a great hunt. I love to hear them gobble and gobble they did.
