Booner
Well-Known Member
Loaded up and headed south for the weekend with high hopes of shooting a couple birds with the great weather that was finally upon us. Arrived to the farm around 5 and make the trek back into a spot that had produced earlier in the year. It's always fun hunting tracts of land that are unfamiliar however, on Saturday it wasn't as enjoyable as the birds seemed to have moved a good distance onto a neighboring farm that doesn't allow hunting. This time of the year can be some of the most enjoyable hunting but it can also be down right brutal. This morning was fixing to be tough. 8 o'clock rolled around and lack of bird siting and hardly any gobbles even on roost, we decided to pack up and head to another farm. While we drove the section making a quick scout to assure that birds weren't in a field we were quickly surprised to see a couple puffballs out showing off for the ladies. This year has proven that having mobile tactics in your arsenal of tricks seems to be paying off for many, myself included. A buddy and myself grabbed the reapin decoy and made the stalk across a CRP field with high hopes as the terrian was perfect and the reap looked to be a piece of cake. However, as many know turkeys can be downright stupid but more cases than not there randomness can get the better of a guy. As we closed to within 80 yds my soft clucks and purrs grabbed they attention of one of the old gals the boys had been showing off for. She came tromping through the grass and got within 5 yds. The toms stayed out past 80 and showed no interest in the fact I had stolen their gal. The hen quickly lost interest and busted out of the grass. The two boys worked up into the timber and the first attempt at a couple birds had failed. Lucky for myself and another buddy we had plenty of access to ground and on to the next farm. As we headed down the road I spotted an easy victim a mere 200 yds off the road by himself. I quickly made the jump from the truck and began my sneak across a rolling grassy pasture. There was a pond dike and around 100 yds of green grass between myself and him. I popped up over the dike and I thought he had busted me as he walked back into a small patch of cedars. I laid behind the decoy in disgust as I simply had moved to quick. I threw some yelps and cuts just to be safe before getting up and making the walk of shame back to the guys. I was quickly cut off by two other toms just over the crest of the pasture. A quick look back and my buddy was back this time, full strut and heading my way. A couple soft purrs and he was on a line headed right at me. What felt like an hour and 100 yds later I was able to let the meat stick bark and 915 first bird was on the ground. A couple quick pictures and we were back on the road in search of a couple more birds. My buddy Kasey was now up to bat. Couple failed reap attempts and we finally found the right bird on the right farm. I dropped him off and drove up the road another 200 yds to watch the show that was about to unfold. I pulled into the field drive and began watching through the bino's as Kasey began his creep up the hill were two toms were standing. The moment the fan crested the hill it was over. The bird came on a line and met his maker at 25 yds were Kasey made a great shot and just as fast as it had started it was over. First time that Kasey and I had shot 2 birds in the same day, as we had been trying for the past couple years with no success. It was a day I won't forget and glad I got to spend it with a great buddy. Good luck to everyone who still has a tag in their pocket should be a great week of hunting ahead. I'm not quiet ready to be done so next week myself and Kasey will be headed to Nebraska hoping to free lance a couple more Tom's before calling it quits.
