longspurs
Active Member
Here are a few photos from this year's turkey season. It took me quite a few outings before I finally put one down but it was well worth the effort. I hunted the first three seasons with my bow without success. I had several close calls but nothing panned out.
Finally, during fourth season (mostly out of frustration
) I headed out with my shotgun. The morning of May 5 I found myself within 50 yards of a roosted gobbler. When he pitched down he was drumming like no other just out of sight in the thick undergrowth. This went on for some time before two hens flew down as well. At the sound of their wing beats he double gobbled, sending my blood pressure through the roof.
They moved down off of the sidehill I was on into the bottom pasture. As his gobbles got further away I began slipping my way through the woods. I could see him about 80 yards out with the two hens in tow. I knew at the far end of the pasture, where they were, there was a wovenwire fence they wouldn't get through. So, on a hunch I began belly crawling slowly downhill to the pasture edge in hopes they would come back. Sure enough, after about 30 minutes they slowly began their march back towards me. Little did they know I was lying in wait behind a gooseberry bush. I was sure the hens would bust me as they walked past with the tom about 20 yards behind them. They eyed my intensely as they meandered on by but I ended up dropping him at 36 paces.
He wasn't my largest bird, but I'm not complaining
! He weighed in at 25 pounds with a thick eight-inch beard and inch spurs.
This final photo was taken earlier in the season along a muddy creek bank that appeard to have been frequented by a turkey or two, among other critters.
-Longspurs-
Finally, during fourth season (mostly out of frustration
They moved down off of the sidehill I was on into the bottom pasture. As his gobbles got further away I began slipping my way through the woods. I could see him about 80 yards out with the two hens in tow. I knew at the far end of the pasture, where they were, there was a wovenwire fence they wouldn't get through. So, on a hunch I began belly crawling slowly downhill to the pasture edge in hopes they would come back. Sure enough, after about 30 minutes they slowly began their march back towards me. Little did they know I was lying in wait behind a gooseberry bush. I was sure the hens would bust me as they walked past with the tom about 20 yards behind them. They eyed my intensely as they meandered on by but I ended up dropping him at 36 paces.
He wasn't my largest bird, but I'm not complaining
This final photo was taken earlier in the season along a muddy creek bank that appeard to have been frequented by a turkey or two, among other critters.
-Longspurs-
