Tagged out with GA WMA bird #2 - yes different WMA

[returntoarchery]

Yet another hunt you dream of especially on a WMA! Officially tagged out in Georgia.

Psst - Don't go turkey hunting this late in the season. It's all over and they ain't gobbling. Haven't been all season. Been all over since the delayed opening dates. ??

 

[sportsman94]

I like that you put your corn/feed in the concrete bags! They are harder for Dnr to catch and more biodegradable than the other bags I see left on wmas lol. Just messing around. Congrats on a great bird/hunt/season. Would love to hear how the hunt went down.

 

[returntoarchery]

I like that you put your corn/feed in the concrete bags! They are harder for Dnr to catch and more biodegradable than the other bags I see left on wmas lol. Just messing around. Congrats on a great bird/hunt/season. Would love to hear how the hunt went down.

Ain't that smart? ?

I'll post the nitty gritty later.

 

[antharper]

Great bird , congrats !

 

[buckpasser]

Yet another hunt you dream of especially on a WMA! Officially tagged out in Georgia.

Psst - Don't go turkey hunting this late in the season. It's all over and they ain't gobbling. Haven't been all season. Been all over since the delayed opening dates. ??

View attachment 1151048View attachment 1151049View attachment 1151050

Actually, the reg changes are why you were able to kill them. They are now able to breed and reproduce so good that they are stocking up the woods and it’s happening fast! Thanks turkey doc!!!

In all seriousness, good job Sir!

 

[Tnhunter]

Congratulations!

 

[returntoarchery]

@sportsman94

It started yesterday morning. After calling down, unbeknownst beforehand to me, from the roost a jake into my lap I went on a big, about a mile, trolling loop with no hits. When I got back to my truck I heard a distant gobble over a rise that was about 200 yards from my truck.

Plan A:

Just as I get to the top of the rise I hear a distant gobble again. There were 3 or 4 undulations down to a bottom about a 1000 yards away. I'm thinking he's way down there and I'll go to the first rise and get a better idea where he's at and devise a plan of attack. I didn't get 20 yards and he gobbles again and struts up the slope on the second rise about 400 yards away. I freeze and wait until he goes back down out of sight.

Plan B:

I'm thinking I can crawl to that first rise, peak over, and call him in. Yeah right! My old knees make it not five yards and I can't get my old neck to bend up enough to see from the crawling position to boot! So much for a 20 year old internal voice's idea in a nearly 7 decade old body. Lol.

Plan C:

Crawl to the tree line to the right, haul myself up, and make a big end around until I get even with the rise he's on. He gobbles and I slowly close the gap. Get with in 100 yards and spook a hen that promptly busts out of there on wing. One more step there goes another hen and obviously the tom hauls butt too.

Go look and see his strutting zone - a 200 yard line along the woods edge from the bottom between rises up to the top of a rise. I find a suitable setup spot for Plan D for tomorrow morning(today).

Plan D:

Dark thirty and I mean dark thirty at least an hour before sunrise I'm in the setup spot and all setup waiting for light. 20 minutes before sunrise he gobbles about 300 yards away on the other side of his strutting zone at my 2 o'clock. Second gobble couple minutes later I sit and don't make a sound.

About 10 minutes later he gobbles twice at my 12 o'clock from the ground at about 200 yards. I softly yelp and he hammers. He quiets for a couple minutes. I softly yelp and scratch in the leaves and he hammers. He gobbles a couple more time and I don't answer, scratch in the leaves, and let him think about it.

From my perspective the hens from yesterday that were with him were at my 9 o'clock down 100 yards or so. I alternate between the mouth call and the trumpet with soft yelps and leaf scratching.

He comes unglued and breaks towards me. Gets to the opening across from his strutting zone at my 11 o'clock out of range gobbling his head off and strutting headed to the left end of his strutting zone where the hens were yesterday.

As he goes that way I answer every so often but not too much. When he gets to the end, I play the two hen yelping and leaf scratching game again and he turns and starts coming back gobbling his head off on my side of the clearing in his strutting lane. I wait with no calling but leaf scratching occasionally.

Then there he is headed my way on a mission along the tree line. Stops and struts and gobbles just before the first clear shooting opening. Breaks strut and steps into the opening. Drop the hammer on him with a load of Nitro TSS 7.5&9s.

Done deal.

Ends one of the best if not the best seasons I've ever experienced. Made my share of mistakes and walked out of the woods multiple times with my tail between my legs talking to myself. But the next morning was back for more. Then two mornings it all came together as if the Lord had used His hand to shuffle the chess pieces a bit here and there in my favor. Two dream hunts on private lands much less hard hunted public.

 

[sportsman94]

Great story! Really enjoy the multiple day sagas. Congrats on a great season again

 

[returntoarchery]

Great story! Really enjoy the multiple day sagas. Congrats on a great season again

Thank you Sir. I appreciate it.

 

[Gaswamp]

congrats...nice hunt

 

[Rebel's Dad]

@sportsman94

It started yesterday morning. After calling down, unbeknownst beforehand to me, from the roost a jake into my lap I went on a big, about a mile, trolling loop with no hits. When I got back to my truck I heard a distant gobble over a rise that was about 200 yards from my truck. Just as I get to the rise I hear a distant gobble again. There were 3 or 4 undulations down to a bottom about a 1000 yards away. I'm thinking he's way down there and I'll go to the first rise and get a better idea where he's at and devise a plan of attack. I didn't get 20 yards and he gobbles again and struts up a slope on the second rise about 400 yards away. I freeze and wait until he goes back down out of sight.

I'm thinking I can crawl to that first rise. Plan B: Yeah right! My old knees make it not five yards and I can't get my old neck to bend up enough to see from the crawling position to boot! So much for a 20 year old internal voice idea in a nearly 7 decade old body. Lol.

Plan C: Crawl to the tree line to the right haul myself up and make a big end around until I get even with the rise he's on. He gobbles and I slowly close the gap. Get with in 100 yards and spook a hen that promptly busts out of there on wing. One more step there goes another hen and obviously the tom hauls butt too.

Go look and see his strutting zone - a 200 yard line along the woods edge from the bottom between rises up to the top of a rise. I find a suitable setup spot for Plan D for tomorrow morning(today).

Plan D:

Dark thirty and I mean dark thirty at least an hour before sunrise. I'm in the setup spot and all setup waiting for light. 20 minutes before sunrise he gobbles about 300 yards away on the other side of his strutting zone at my 2 o'clock. Second gobble couple minutes later. I sit and don't make a sound.

About 10 minutes later he gobbles twice at my 12 o'clock from the ground at about 200 yards. I softly yelp and he hammers. He quiets for a couple minutes. I softly yelp and scratch in the leaves and he hammers. He gobbles a couple more time and I don't answer, scratch in the leaves, and let him think about.

From my perspective the hens from yesterday that were with him were at my 9 o'clock down 100 yards or so. I alternate between the mouth call and the trumpet with soft yelps and leaf scratching.

He comes unglued and breaks towards me. Gets to the opening across from his strutting zone at my 11 o'clock out of range gobbling his head off and strutting headed to the left end of his strutting zone where the hens were yesterday.

As he goes that way I answer every so often but not too much. When he gets to the end, I play the two hen yelping and leaf scratching game again and he turns and starts coming back gobbling his head off on my side of the clearing in his strutting range. I wait with no calling but leaf scratching occasionally.

Then there he is headed my way on a mission along the tree line. Stops and struts and gobbles just before the first clear shooting opening. Breaks strut and steps into the opening. Drop the hammer on him with a load of Nitro TSS 7.5&9s.

Done deal. Ends one of the best if not the best seasons I've ever experienced. Made my share of mistakes and walked out of the woods with my tail between my legs talking to myself several times. But the next morning was back for more. Then two mornings it all came together as if the Lord had used His hand to shuffle the chess pieces a bit here and there in my favor. Two dream hunts on private lands much less hard hunted public.

Wow, that's how to kill a turkey!

Fine woodsmanship and a well told tale, too.

 

[BASS1FUN]

Congrats

 

[bfriendly]

Woohoo! Congratulations brother! Great read and I was getting a rush just reading and following along.

 

[returntoarchery]

Thanks fellas.

 

[sea trout]

Great lookin gobbler man!!!!!!!