Tag # 2 Starts Wednesday

[longbowdave1]

I'm going to try and get out this week a few days and get my Tom. Things are greening up, and warming up finally.

Dodged a bullet last week, again. I woke up not feeling well Wednesday, and soon realized I had some kind of flu bug. I was worried it was the covid19. although I was feeling bad, I didn't have the classic symptoms they described. After two days, I began to feel better, not worse. By this weekend back to 100%. Grateful it was just and ordinary bug, and not the nasty stuff. Was not a reassuring feeling when I first came down with the bug.

I'm going to head back to usual spot in my cedar hideout. I think I may go pretty low profile, and just sit and wait them out, with little calling , and no decoy. Just set up in my travel corridor/funnel that they frequent. They have been harassed for 4 weeks here now. Hopefully still get some birds coming through. My son Mike also has a a tag this week, maybe he will join me out there.

My brother Tim has a tag for Northern Wisconsin and he is heading up to his hideaway in the woods this afternoon. He has seen and heard some nice Toms right out his back door up there. I will be hunting up there Memorial day weekend. Turkey hunting the morning, maybe some kayak fishing in the afternoon.

 

[antharper]

Good luck Dave , can’t wait for a hunt update !

 

[Wayne D Davis]

Get um Dave.... good luck

 

[herb mcclure]

I'm going to try and get out this week a few days and get my Tom. Things are greening up, and warming up finally.

Dodged a bullet last week, again. I woke up not feeling well Wednesday, and soon realized I had some kind of flu bug. I was worried it was the covid19. although I was feeling bad, I didn't have the classic symptoms they described. After two days, I began to feel better, not worse. By this weekend back to 100%. Grateful it was just and ordinary bug, and not the nasty stuff. Was not a reassuring feeling when I first came down with the bug.

I'm going to head back to usual spot in my cedar hideout. I think I may go pretty low profile, and just sit and wait them out, with little calling , and no decoy. Just set up in my travel corridor/funnel that they frequent. They have been harassed for 4 weeks here now. Hopefully still get some birds coming through. My son Mike also has a a tag this week, maybe he will join me out there.

My brother Tim has a tag for Northern Wisconsin and he is heading up to his hideaway in the woods this afternoon. He has seen and heard some nice Toms right out his back door up there. I will be hunting up there Memorial day weekend. Turkey hunting the morning, maybe some kayak fishing in the afternoon.

Dave, I have waited many a time until after the sun has come up before making a call and have had good results waiting and then calling. Most hunters rush in to close to a gobbler's roost and begin calling non-stop. The turkeys I have hunted don't act that way, and I haven't hunted that way either. Good hunting on filling your other tag. Herb McClure

 

[longbowdave1]

Dave, I have waited many a time until after the sun has come up before making a call and have had good results waiting and then calling. Most hunters rush in to close to a gobbler's roost and begin calling non-stop. The turkeys I have hunted don't act that way, and I haven't hunted that way either. Good hunting on filling your other tag. Herb McClure

Great advice Mr. Herb! I will do just that. If neighbors have honored the property lines, then there has been no one hunting the little hideout for the past 2 weeks plus. I just want to sneak in there and sit and watch. I just enjoy being out there and hearing the critters. Maybe if I get lucky, I may see a doe with fawn, or a doe ready to drop her fawn. That would be icing on the cake. Looks like the rain will hold off Wednesday, work it's way back in Thursday. The nights have been very cool, if not below freezing lately. I hope that keeps the skeeters in check.

 

[longbowdave1]

Dave, I have waited many a time until after the sun has come up before making a call and have had good results waiting and then calling. Most hunters rush in to close to a gobbler's roost and begin calling non-stop. The turkeys I have hunted don't act that way, and I haven't hunted that way either. Good hunting on filling your other tag. Herb McClure

Mr Herb, I passed your book on to my brother to read a few weeks back. He really enjoyed the book, as did I.

 

[longbowdave1]

At 4:45, I was suited up, and headed to my cedar hideout. It was a cool 38 degrees with light Southheast winds. I didn't hear any birds, nor kick any out on my walk in. I did flush a nice barn owl, and a couple deer along the way. It was very quiet early on, no gobbling, no turkey sounds at all. At 8:50 I had A bird walk in silently and was right at my 1 o'clock just 25 yards a way by the time I saw him. Just noticed some barred feather coloration, coming through the newly opened greenery. I quickly got the hammer cocked but still had the shotgun resting on the tripod. He was standing there starring at me, so I froze in my position in the turkey lounger. I could only see his head but not his beard, I didn't want another Jake mistake, like I pulled off in April. I figured when he moved in closer I could ready the gun to fire if needed. He looked away and began to move, so did I. He caught my movement, and with one hop and two flaps of his wings, his was airborne, did a tight 180, and was gone in a flash, cackling all the way out of sight. thinking he was a wise 'Ol Tom, a jake wouldn't react so swiftly, and precisely. That bird maid fighter pilot like maneuvers, through the tight weave of trees, very cool to watch.

That was my only turkey encounter today. A great day to be out there though It quickly warmer to 60 degrees, and the wind became strong and gusty. I did keep my calling to a bare minimum today. The birds were quiet, so I was too. I did break out the crystal pot call later in the day, tried to cut through the wind with the high pitch call. No luck though. Sometimes you get just one chance, that was the case to day.

All in all a great day in the woods. Way more comfortable to wear a camo head net than a N95 mask!

 

[longbowdave1]

I'm trying to keep my focus on turkeys but brother keeps sending me pictures like these. He's been raiding our newly found crappie hot spot from shore and catching theses... Almost time for the Kayak crappie attack...

 

[Wayne D Davis]

Sounds like a good time even without turkey pot pie !

 

[longbowdave1]

Sounds like a good time even without turkey pot pie !

Yes sir,it was a very relaxing hunt! great weather, minimal bugs, and plenty to watch as the woods come alive again in Spring. Had several turkey vultures circling overhead all morning, II think they thought my hat was their lunch. I have to put my hunting on hold and go repair my roof damage on my travel trailer in the northwoods campground. Oak branch went through the aluminum roof. Supposed to be a great weekend up there, 70ish degrees and sun. Maybe if I get done I'll be able to hunt Tuesday????? Or Crappie fish?????

 

[antharper]

As short as your season is I’d throw a tarp over it

 

[XIronheadX]

Get on out there, Dave. Ain't no turkeys in that camper!

 

[herb mcclure]

At 4:45, I was suited up, and headed to my cedar hideout. It was a cool 38 degrees with light Southheast winds. I didn't hear any birds, nor kick any out on my walk in. I did flush a nice barn owl, and a couple deer along the way. It was very quiet early on, no gobbling, no turkey sounds at all. At 8:50 I had A bird walk in silently and was right at my 1 o'clock just 25 yards a way by the time I saw him. Just noticed some barred feather coloration, coming through the newly opened greenery. I quickly got the hammer cocked but still had the shotgun resting on the tripod. He was standing there starring at me, so I froze in my position in the turkey lounger. I could only see his head but not his beard, I didn't want another Jake mistake, like I pulled off in April. I figured when he moved in closer I could ready the gun to fire if needed. He looked away and began to move, so did I. He caught my movement, and with one hop and two flaps of his wings, his was airborne, did a tight 180, and was gone in a flash, cackling all the way out of sight. thinking he was a wise 'Ol Tom, a jake wouldn't react so swiftly, and precisely. That bird maid fighter pilot like maneuvers, through the tight weave of trees, very cool to watch.

That was my only turkey encounter today. A great day to be out there though It quickly warmer to 60 degrees, and the wind became strong and gusty. I did keep my calling to a bare minimum today. The birds were quiet, so I was too. I did break out the crystal pot call later in the day, tried to cut through the wind with the high pitch call. No luck though. Sometimes you get just one chance, that was the case to day.

All in all a great day in the woods. Way more comfortable to wear a camo head net than a N95 mask!View attachment 1016692View attachment 1016693View attachment 1016694View attachment 1016694View attachment 1016695View attachment 1016696

Dave do you believe that gobbler came to your place from calls you had made, or do you think he was drifting through. I would bet that your calling had something to do with it at that time of the morning. That's why I use a hen decoy because I don't hear hardly anything. If that wind lays some increase your calls but keeps them low. You may want to change your seating place, because that gobbler may remember a bugbear where you were at there.

 

[longbowdave1]

Dave do you believe that gobbler came to your place from calls you had made, or do you think he was drifting through. I would bet that your calling had something to do with it at that time of the morning. That's why I use a hen decoy because I don't hear hardly anything. If that wind lays some increase your calls but keeps them low. You may want to change your seating place, because that gobbler may remember a bugbear where you were at there.

Mr. Herb, I remember that I was wondering if the tom came in to my call or wonder in as well that day. It was at least 10 minutes from the last time I called to when he snuck in like a ninja. Hard to tell because ther were no turkey sounds heard all morning. I was keeping my calls to a minimum, but I did decide to put out "Henrietta", my hen decoy with the homemade wings on it. He certainly seemed to be be on a rope to the decoy when he picked up my movement. Back in April, I built another little "nest" for me to sit in from branches. It is in the same location, just 30 yards from the one I usually sit in, and on the same travel corridor the critters use. No one has sit in it yet. I will take your advice and slide over in to hide #2 tomorrow in the am. It is to my left as sit in location #1. Due to the lay of the land, and many tangles and fallen trees from a tornado that passed through a few years back, The came only come in left or right. It narrows down which way they can pass by.

 

[longbowdave1]

Well I know you guys wanted me to skip my camper repair, and get out hunting, but I had to get it done this week. I will be returning to near full time work hours this week, after be on very reduced work hours since mid March. I had to "git r done", while I had a long weekend. Trust me, my mind was on turkeys after seeing many Toms fanned out, and a ton of turkeys in the fields, on my 3.5 hour ride to camp. I worked my backside off for 3 12 hour days getting the roof completed, and installing a complete new ceiling in the 30 ft rig. Yesterday, the entire state here had crazy rain storms, ALL Day! They are reporting 4-6 inches of rain fell during the day with winds of 45-50 mph. Traveling home today I saw flooding everywhere! Fields, roads, homes, everywhere you looked along the highway.

Tomorrow is the last day for my tag, I'm going out there in the am. Should be very wet, rain continues off and on through the day today. Ending about 6am. winds are expected ENE at 10-20 MPH. I will give it another try in nest #2, it's a bit closer to a very small, narrow, crop field that deer and turkey love to visit on the neighboring property. the set up should put them within twenty yards, when they show up. Wish me luck!

 

[Wayne D Davis]

I hope you pop a goodin Dave!!!

 

[longbowdave1]

Jeep is packed and ready for the hunt tomorrow. Hopefully the rain moves out by morning. I'm still hoping to connect on a Tom tomorrow!

 

[Wayne D Davis]

Best of luck buddy.... I'll be after a pig in the morning unless i get a email for work tomorrow

 

[longbowdave1]

Best of luck buddy.... I'll be after a pig in the morning unless i get a email for work tomorrow

Nice, you are lucky to be be able to hunt the pigs too! Good luck and shoot a big one.

 

[antharper]

Good luck Dave , sounds like some nasty weather . We were very fortunate this spring , seems like the best weather I can remember during turkey season