sureshot
The Hunt Never Ends....
Thus far, turkey season has been good to us in southern Iowa. Here are some of our successful hunts from so far;
YOUTH SEASON:
My good friend Geoff and I decided to take out a few youth hunters this spring. In the past we have always taken out my cousins, but they are now 16. I talked to one of my friends, Spencer, who showed interest in giving turkey hunting a try, and Geoff talked to one of his little cousins. Both agreed and seemed very excited to try to bag a bird. With tags purchased, we all headed to the woods.
Kill 1; 6:50am
I dropped Geoff and his cousin, Derrick, off in an area where we knew there would be birds. According to Geoff, as the sun begin to rise birds started gobbling all around them. This was the first time Derrick had ever heard gobbling before so he was excited. Like happens many times, the birds flew down and headed the other direction. Geoff and Derrick decided to circle in front of them to cut them off. As they were in the process of doing so, they lost sight of the birds. Geoff let out a few yelps on his Ovation slate call and a bird sounded off no more than 60 yards away. They headed for cover and got set up. The bird continued to gobble and before long was strutting in gobbling within 40 yards. Geoff let out a few more yelps and the bird broke strut and started in. When he reached 20 yards Derrick dropped him in his tracks.
KILL 2; 4:45PM
After Spencer and I dropped off Geoff and Derrick we headed to a lush alfalfa field where I knew plenty of birds would be roosted. We got the blind setup in a corner of the field and placed the decoys at 15yds. As the sun started to rise birds started to sound off all over. We were guessing we had approximatley 10-15 birds within 300yards. The morning progressed and birds finally entered the field, the only problem was that they were on the wrong side. I told Spencer that sooner of later they would head our way, but that didn't happen. We decided to get out of the blind and attempt to locate an interested bird. As we were walking along the edge of the field I noticed movement approximatley 300 yards up. It was a lone tom (or so I thought) in full strut. He was in a perfect location for a stalk. We headed for cover and started moving in on him. When we reached approximatley 100yds another tom came over the hill, then another, and another....until a total of 6 toms were in full strut in front of us. We were laying flat on our bellies in the middle of the field. I pulled out the tail fan that I use for my decoy from my pack and raised it into the air. The first tom noticed this and started coming our way. I let out a few yelps and they were all coming in. They reached 40 yds and hung up. Spencer picked out the lead bird and fired.....it was a clean miss. He was bummed out but I explained to him that it happens to everyone and that we would find another bird.
We grabbed some lunch and headed back out for an afternoon hunt. We got set up and it wasn't long before we were hearing gobbles. Long story short, two toms skirted us at 60yds. Next thing we knew, a jake popped out of a draw and headed in our direction. When he got within 30 yards Spencer gave him a dirt nap. Both of us were pretty pumped up. He was very grateful and thanked me many times for taking him out. I couldn't be happier to give him the opportunity at taking a bird. It's better than if I would've shot one myself.
2nd Season
KILL 3; 3:30PM
Opening morning started off slow. The birds didn't gobble much and the wind was terrible. Needless to say Derrick (DWILK), Tim (BREWCREW), and myself headed for home empty handed. We grabbed some lunch at my house and I decided that I needed a nap. I fell asleep at about 1:00 and was woke up by my phone ringing at 3:00pm by Brewcrew. He said, "Get up here to your barn, there is a bird gobbling over here." At first I didn't believe him because I have never heard a bird remotely close to this area. I grabbed my gun and walked outside. Tim let out a few yelps/cuts and sure enough, a bird gobbled right back no more than 150yds away. I knew exactly where this bird was, and we circled around him and set up. I let out my best series of yelps/cuts and we didnt hear anything. Tim grabbd his mouth call out of his pocket and gave him some yelps/cutts and the bird gobbled right back. I guess he thought brewcrew sounded sexier. No more than a minute later he entered the field and was on his way to our setup. When he reached 30yds I let my new Benelli Supernova eat. What started off as a bad morning turned into a productive afternoon. This was my biggest bodied bird to date. 1 1/8in spurs, 10.5 inch beard, and 25.4lbs.
After taking a few pics of my bird, Brewcrew, Dwilk and myself headed to a farm that I had never before turkey hunted but saw a ton of turkeys on during bow season. For the most part we were trying to roost birds for Saturday morning. When we pulled in the field driveway we saw two big toms strutting out in the field. We decided it was best to just let them go to roost as it was already getting late. We saw right where the birds flew up, and needless to say were very excited about Saturday morning.
My good friend Clark from the academy drove down to meet up with us Friday night. I told Clark I would take him out as he had never before been turkey hunting, but had shot plenty of waterfowl. The plan was for Clark and I to set up on one side of the draw that the birds were in, and brewcrew and dwilk to setup on the other side.
KILL 4; 7:00AM
Lefler168 and Hux headed for a farm not far from us. This hunt was about as text book as they come. Bird flies out of tree. Struts in field. Gobbles. Comes into setup. Dead. Congrats Hux.
KILL 5; 9:00AM
The morning sun began to rise and Clark and I were already set up in my darkhorse. The farm we were hunting was composed mainly of CRP with a few draws, but we were set up on a mowed area where I thought the birds would love to strut. The birds that we had roosted the night before started gobbling at 5:42am. At 6:15am they hit the ground and strutted/gobbled into the field we were in. I thought this was going to be a slam dunk hunt until 3 hens came out into the field. We actually watched one of the toms breed a hen at 80yards which was pretty cool. Shortly later 4 jakes entered the field and ran into our setup, but the toms wouldn't move any closer than 60yds. Clark said he wanted to shoot a tom so he let the jakes beat the crap out of my decoy. After awhile the birds moved off but continued to gobble. I let out some yelps/cuts on my woodhaven mouth call and a different bird sounded off to the east. We looked out the blind window and saw him strutting on a knob at 200yds with a hen. I let out a few more yelps, and couldn't believe it when he left the hen and ran our way. We lost him the draw that was between us and him, but we could still hear him gobbling. About 5 minutes later Clark said, "There he is" and he was coming in fast. When he reached 35yds Clark dropped him in his tracks. Clark and I were both pumped up! Bird #5 down.
Dwilk and Brewcrew heard the shot and headed over to our blind to help take a few pics. As we were taking pics a few birds were sounding off to our east. We got setup on them but it didnt work out. Next, we headed to another farm and tried our luck there...but we didnt have any. We decided to grab some Mexican for lunch then head back out.
KILL 6; 3:00PM
After lunch Dwilk, brewcrew, and myself went to a secluded cornfield where I have had tons of luck in the previous years. We parked the truck and they were getting their guns loaded when Tim heard a gobble in the distance. We headed for a shallow creek and began to work our way down it to close the distance. When we had walked 200yds or so I climbed the bank and called....he gobbled back off in the distance, but sounded like he was going the other direction. We started down the creek again to a small cornfield that butted up to a large alfalfa field where I thought he might be. We crested the bank of the creek and I let out a few yelps. Nothing. Again.....and silence. I walked up about 40yards farther for a better look and couldn't see the tom anywhere. Brewcrew and Dwilk were still standing next to the creek. About 5 minutes went by and still no gobbles or no sign of the tom, so I think we were giving up hope on this particular hunt. I stood up to walk back towards Dwilk and Brewcrew and when I did, I saw him. He was just over a rise in the field and coming in fast. I tried to get Dwilks' and brewcrews attention but they didn't see me. Finally, I whisperd loudly "Derek!!" He looked my way and I said, "Tom coming!" They hit the ground and the hunt was on. When the bird reached the corn field he let out one of the loudest gobbles i've ever heard. The problem was, I had been calling earlier and I was 40yds away from Dwilk and brewcrew. The tom was heading right for me. When he reached 25yds from me, Dwilk let out a few yelps and purrs and the bird immediately went into strut, gobbled, and headed right for them. About 30seconds later Brewcrew laid the smack down a big Iowa gobbler and the hunt was over. Bird number 6 down. He weighed 23.5lbs, had a 10in. beard and 1in spurs.
After taking pictures we headed to another farm down the road about 2 miles.
KILL 7; 6:45PM
Brewcrew and Clark stayed in the truck and Dwilk and I headed for a large cattle pasture that was surrounded by timber and draws. We setup, and within a few minutes had a big tom gobbling and working his way towards us. Dwilk said, "There he is" and thats when I saw him in full strut cresting over the hill. I was thinking to myself, bird number 7 is going down. That was until 2 hens came out of a draw right next to us and walked to him then took him the other direction. We decided to chalk it up as a good day and head for home.
On the way to my house we drove by a piece of public land where I have never before seen a tom. This, however, was our lucky day. Out in the middle of the CRP were three big toms in full strut. I couldn't belive it. Brewcrew and Clark dropped off Derek and I and the hunt was on. We started to move on them, and when we felt we were close I let out some calls. The birds gobbled back but they had moved quite a distance and were approximately 200yds away. We hit a small drainage in the field and moved in on them. Dwilk saw a group of pine trees ahead of us that we decided to try to get to. Once we got to the trees, I called again. They were CLOSE! I laid flat on the ground and Derek hid himself in one of the pines. A minute or so went by and they gobbled yet again, this time at around 50yds, but we still couldn't see them. I let out a few putts/purrs and they again gobbled back. Derek said he could hear spitting and drumming and then I saw two fans begin to crest over the hill. When they reached 20yds Derek let his manly 20gauge roar and bird number 7 was on the ground. It weighed 20lbs, 10in beard and 7/8in spurs.
The three stooges with their second season birds
This past weekend was one of the better weekends I have had in the turkey woods, but to share it with some of my best friends makes it even more unforgettable. We have all went our own ways after college so it felt good to get back together and chase some turkeys around again regardless of the outcome. Hopefully we'll be able to do it again boys :way:
YOUTH SEASON:
My good friend Geoff and I decided to take out a few youth hunters this spring. In the past we have always taken out my cousins, but they are now 16. I talked to one of my friends, Spencer, who showed interest in giving turkey hunting a try, and Geoff talked to one of his little cousins. Both agreed and seemed very excited to try to bag a bird. With tags purchased, we all headed to the woods.
Kill 1; 6:50am
I dropped Geoff and his cousin, Derrick, off in an area where we knew there would be birds. According to Geoff, as the sun begin to rise birds started gobbling all around them. This was the first time Derrick had ever heard gobbling before so he was excited. Like happens many times, the birds flew down and headed the other direction. Geoff and Derrick decided to circle in front of them to cut them off. As they were in the process of doing so, they lost sight of the birds. Geoff let out a few yelps on his Ovation slate call and a bird sounded off no more than 60 yards away. They headed for cover and got set up. The bird continued to gobble and before long was strutting in gobbling within 40 yards. Geoff let out a few more yelps and the bird broke strut and started in. When he reached 20 yards Derrick dropped him in his tracks.
KILL 2; 4:45PM
After Spencer and I dropped off Geoff and Derrick we headed to a lush alfalfa field where I knew plenty of birds would be roosted. We got the blind setup in a corner of the field and placed the decoys at 15yds. As the sun started to rise birds started to sound off all over. We were guessing we had approximatley 10-15 birds within 300yards. The morning progressed and birds finally entered the field, the only problem was that they were on the wrong side. I told Spencer that sooner of later they would head our way, but that didn't happen. We decided to get out of the blind and attempt to locate an interested bird. As we were walking along the edge of the field I noticed movement approximatley 300 yards up. It was a lone tom (or so I thought) in full strut. He was in a perfect location for a stalk. We headed for cover and started moving in on him. When we reached approximatley 100yds another tom came over the hill, then another, and another....until a total of 6 toms were in full strut in front of us. We were laying flat on our bellies in the middle of the field. I pulled out the tail fan that I use for my decoy from my pack and raised it into the air. The first tom noticed this and started coming our way. I let out a few yelps and they were all coming in. They reached 40 yds and hung up. Spencer picked out the lead bird and fired.....it was a clean miss. He was bummed out but I explained to him that it happens to everyone and that we would find another bird.
We grabbed some lunch and headed back out for an afternoon hunt. We got set up and it wasn't long before we were hearing gobbles. Long story short, two toms skirted us at 60yds. Next thing we knew, a jake popped out of a draw and headed in our direction. When he got within 30 yards Spencer gave him a dirt nap. Both of us were pretty pumped up. He was very grateful and thanked me many times for taking him out. I couldn't be happier to give him the opportunity at taking a bird. It's better than if I would've shot one myself.
2nd Season
KILL 3; 3:30PM
Opening morning started off slow. The birds didn't gobble much and the wind was terrible. Needless to say Derrick (DWILK), Tim (BREWCREW), and myself headed for home empty handed. We grabbed some lunch at my house and I decided that I needed a nap. I fell asleep at about 1:00 and was woke up by my phone ringing at 3:00pm by Brewcrew. He said, "Get up here to your barn, there is a bird gobbling over here." At first I didn't believe him because I have never heard a bird remotely close to this area. I grabbed my gun and walked outside. Tim let out a few yelps/cuts and sure enough, a bird gobbled right back no more than 150yds away. I knew exactly where this bird was, and we circled around him and set up. I let out my best series of yelps/cuts and we didnt hear anything. Tim grabbd his mouth call out of his pocket and gave him some yelps/cutts and the bird gobbled right back. I guess he thought brewcrew sounded sexier. No more than a minute later he entered the field and was on his way to our setup. When he reached 30yds I let my new Benelli Supernova eat. What started off as a bad morning turned into a productive afternoon. This was my biggest bodied bird to date. 1 1/8in spurs, 10.5 inch beard, and 25.4lbs.
After taking a few pics of my bird, Brewcrew, Dwilk and myself headed to a farm that I had never before turkey hunted but saw a ton of turkeys on during bow season. For the most part we were trying to roost birds for Saturday morning. When we pulled in the field driveway we saw two big toms strutting out in the field. We decided it was best to just let them go to roost as it was already getting late. We saw right where the birds flew up, and needless to say were very excited about Saturday morning.
My good friend Clark from the academy drove down to meet up with us Friday night. I told Clark I would take him out as he had never before been turkey hunting, but had shot plenty of waterfowl. The plan was for Clark and I to set up on one side of the draw that the birds were in, and brewcrew and dwilk to setup on the other side.
KILL 4; 7:00AM
Lefler168 and Hux headed for a farm not far from us. This hunt was about as text book as they come. Bird flies out of tree. Struts in field. Gobbles. Comes into setup. Dead. Congrats Hux.
KILL 5; 9:00AM
The morning sun began to rise and Clark and I were already set up in my darkhorse. The farm we were hunting was composed mainly of CRP with a few draws, but we were set up on a mowed area where I thought the birds would love to strut. The birds that we had roosted the night before started gobbling at 5:42am. At 6:15am they hit the ground and strutted/gobbled into the field we were in. I thought this was going to be a slam dunk hunt until 3 hens came out into the field. We actually watched one of the toms breed a hen at 80yards which was pretty cool. Shortly later 4 jakes entered the field and ran into our setup, but the toms wouldn't move any closer than 60yds. Clark said he wanted to shoot a tom so he let the jakes beat the crap out of my decoy. After awhile the birds moved off but continued to gobble. I let out some yelps/cuts on my woodhaven mouth call and a different bird sounded off to the east. We looked out the blind window and saw him strutting on a knob at 200yds with a hen. I let out a few more yelps, and couldn't believe it when he left the hen and ran our way. We lost him the draw that was between us and him, but we could still hear him gobbling. About 5 minutes later Clark said, "There he is" and he was coming in fast. When he reached 35yds Clark dropped him in his tracks. Clark and I were both pumped up! Bird #5 down.
Dwilk and Brewcrew heard the shot and headed over to our blind to help take a few pics. As we were taking pics a few birds were sounding off to our east. We got setup on them but it didnt work out. Next, we headed to another farm and tried our luck there...but we didnt have any. We decided to grab some Mexican for lunch then head back out.
KILL 6; 3:00PM
After lunch Dwilk, brewcrew, and myself went to a secluded cornfield where I have had tons of luck in the previous years. We parked the truck and they were getting their guns loaded when Tim heard a gobble in the distance. We headed for a shallow creek and began to work our way down it to close the distance. When we had walked 200yds or so I climbed the bank and called....he gobbled back off in the distance, but sounded like he was going the other direction. We started down the creek again to a small cornfield that butted up to a large alfalfa field where I thought he might be. We crested the bank of the creek and I let out a few yelps. Nothing. Again.....and silence. I walked up about 40yards farther for a better look and couldn't see the tom anywhere. Brewcrew and Dwilk were still standing next to the creek. About 5 minutes went by and still no gobbles or no sign of the tom, so I think we were giving up hope on this particular hunt. I stood up to walk back towards Dwilk and Brewcrew and when I did, I saw him. He was just over a rise in the field and coming in fast. I tried to get Dwilks' and brewcrews attention but they didn't see me. Finally, I whisperd loudly "Derek!!" He looked my way and I said, "Tom coming!" They hit the ground and the hunt was on. When the bird reached the corn field he let out one of the loudest gobbles i've ever heard. The problem was, I had been calling earlier and I was 40yds away from Dwilk and brewcrew. The tom was heading right for me. When he reached 25yds from me, Dwilk let out a few yelps and purrs and the bird immediately went into strut, gobbled, and headed right for them. About 30seconds later Brewcrew laid the smack down a big Iowa gobbler and the hunt was over. Bird number 6 down. He weighed 23.5lbs, had a 10in. beard and 1in spurs.
After taking pictures we headed to another farm down the road about 2 miles.
KILL 7; 6:45PM
Brewcrew and Clark stayed in the truck and Dwilk and I headed for a large cattle pasture that was surrounded by timber and draws. We setup, and within a few minutes had a big tom gobbling and working his way towards us. Dwilk said, "There he is" and thats when I saw him in full strut cresting over the hill. I was thinking to myself, bird number 7 is going down. That was until 2 hens came out of a draw right next to us and walked to him then took him the other direction. We decided to chalk it up as a good day and head for home.
On the way to my house we drove by a piece of public land where I have never before seen a tom. This, however, was our lucky day. Out in the middle of the CRP were three big toms in full strut. I couldn't belive it. Brewcrew and Clark dropped off Derek and I and the hunt was on. We started to move on them, and when we felt we were close I let out some calls. The birds gobbled back but they had moved quite a distance and were approximately 200yds away. We hit a small drainage in the field and moved in on them. Dwilk saw a group of pine trees ahead of us that we decided to try to get to. Once we got to the trees, I called again. They were CLOSE! I laid flat on the ground and Derek hid himself in one of the pines. A minute or so went by and they gobbled yet again, this time at around 50yds, but we still couldn't see them. I let out a few putts/purrs and they again gobbled back. Derek said he could hear spitting and drumming and then I saw two fans begin to crest over the hill. When they reached 20yds Derek let his manly 20gauge roar and bird number 7 was on the ground. It weighed 20lbs, 10in beard and 7/8in spurs.
The three stooges with their second season birds
This past weekend was one of the better weekends I have had in the turkey woods, but to share it with some of my best friends makes it even more unforgettable. We have all went our own ways after college so it felt good to get back together and chase some turkeys around again regardless of the outcome. Hopefully we'll be able to do it again boys :way:
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