SEIowaDeerslayer
Well-Known Member
I wrapped my 2nd turkey bow tag around some turkey feet this morning.
Went to the same spot where I shot my 2nd bird last season, an open area of timber situated in between two roosting ridges (on public land, borders private land that I have permission on). Made the hike in really early this morning because of the full moon and didn't want to bust anything off the roost. I was able to make it to my spot real clean, got the Double Bull and dekes set out...back of the blind to the east as always for morning hunts.
I'm not going to lie, I was a little disappointed when it started getting light out. There weren't any gobbles close, the closet one was probably 500 yards away. But, I knew I was in a good spot and the odds were that the birds would eventually make their way towards me at some point.
After the flydown, the birds went silent for the most part, but I was occassionally hearing some birds gobble a LONG ways away. I was calling about every 15 minutes with no response. At about 7:15 I just figured that they couldn't hear me so I got my aluminum slate out, which carries the sound further, and let it rip. I got an immediate response from the birds that were a long ways off. Cool, we may be in business now.
I waited 10 more minutes and let out a couple more yelps on the aluminum slate, and 2 hammered back from the valley just below me. I put in my mouth call and gave a couple of purrs and clucks to coax the toms and got 2 more loud gobbles back. I took out my call and just waited for them to show themselves.
I finally saw the two gobblers marching their way towards me. They got up to the logging road I was setup on, saw the dekes, and made the charge in as I came to full draw. Within seconds my jake decoy was on the ground getting his hiney kicked and I was struggling to find an opportunity to get a shot off since the birds were moving so much. Finally, one presented a facing away shot, and I buried the Grim Reaper into his back. He ran about 10 yards and did the death flop, thus ending another superb turkey season for me. Bird was down at 7:30.
This guy isn't a "booner" tom like the one I shot last weekend, but this one is a very nice tom and I'm just as happy with him. Truth be told, I'm happy with any legal bird so the fact that I was able to tag two great birds this year makes this another season I'll never forget.
How awesome is turkey hunting?
24 lbs 2 oz
1 1/8" right spur, 1/2" left spur (broken off)
10" beard
Went to the same spot where I shot my 2nd bird last season, an open area of timber situated in between two roosting ridges (on public land, borders private land that I have permission on). Made the hike in really early this morning because of the full moon and didn't want to bust anything off the roost. I was able to make it to my spot real clean, got the Double Bull and dekes set out...back of the blind to the east as always for morning hunts.
I'm not going to lie, I was a little disappointed when it started getting light out. There weren't any gobbles close, the closet one was probably 500 yards away. But, I knew I was in a good spot and the odds were that the birds would eventually make their way towards me at some point.
After the flydown, the birds went silent for the most part, but I was occassionally hearing some birds gobble a LONG ways away. I was calling about every 15 minutes with no response. At about 7:15 I just figured that they couldn't hear me so I got my aluminum slate out, which carries the sound further, and let it rip. I got an immediate response from the birds that were a long ways off. Cool, we may be in business now.
I waited 10 more minutes and let out a couple more yelps on the aluminum slate, and 2 hammered back from the valley just below me. I put in my mouth call and gave a couple of purrs and clucks to coax the toms and got 2 more loud gobbles back. I took out my call and just waited for them to show themselves.
I finally saw the two gobblers marching their way towards me. They got up to the logging road I was setup on, saw the dekes, and made the charge in as I came to full draw. Within seconds my jake decoy was on the ground getting his hiney kicked and I was struggling to find an opportunity to get a shot off since the birds were moving so much. Finally, one presented a facing away shot, and I buried the Grim Reaper into his back. He ran about 10 yards and did the death flop, thus ending another superb turkey season for me. Bird was down at 7:30.
This guy isn't a "booner" tom like the one I shot last weekend, but this one is a very nice tom and I'm just as happy with him. Truth be told, I'm happy with any legal bird so the fact that I was able to tag two great birds this year makes this another season I'll never forget.
How awesome is turkey hunting?
24 lbs 2 oz
1 1/8" right spur, 1/2" left spur (broken off)
10" beard
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