# Something New Every Time Out!



## k9wernet (Oct 15, 2007)

***Long Winded! Scroll down for photos!  ***

I've been turkey hunting for four seasons now. Each successful hunt has been unique, and today was no exception.

Earlier this week I looked at the forecast and decided today looked like a great day to sneak in late to work.

I had my decoys set at 5:30 and cozied up to a thermos of coffee as the sun slowly illuminated a flawless blue sky. Some deer browsed their way though my set up. A group of three. A single. Another. The last lone doe stuck around in bow range for a good 30 minutes. A couple of rabbits chased each other in circles for most of the morning.

Every so often I'd cut loose with some yelps. No response. I've seen turkey sign in this spot -- scratchings, droppings, footprints here and there -- but I've never seen more than an occasional hen. I didn't have high hopes. In fact, I had plans to hunt with my brother at his in-laws farm this Saturday and viewed this as more of a scouting trip than anything else.

Around 7am, fully light now, I finished up a series of calls. My gun was propped against the pallet I'd set up as a blind, when a hen literally dropped out of the sky into my set. She paused only briefly as I gave a few soft clucks and then made a bee line away from me.

I was surprised. I was set up to the north of a swampy woods I'd expected the birds to come from. Behind me was a fallow field overgrown with tall grass and autumn olive, and beyond that a cut corn field. A fairly busy road separates the fields. I really wasn't sure where she could have flown down from.

About an hour later it happened again. I finished some calls and a hen dropped into my set. Then another. And another! All three had flown in from the no-mans land to the north, barely paused, and headed south.

I started to think (never a good idea!). Could they hear a gobbler off to the south? Maybe the road noise muffled his calls to my rock-concert-ears, but maybe the hens knew where to find him. I became convinced they were off to rendezvous with Tom-zilla, and decided to exit my blind and follow in that direction.

I approached my decoys planning to pluck one up and head off after the hens. Proceeding cautiously, I glanced back to the cut corn. There were two forms maybe 200 yards away across the busy road. I squinted, not entirely sure they were turkeys... and then a fan spread.

I got back in the blind, convinced I'd been spotted. I took a few deep breaths to compose myself, and turned in my blind to face the direction now I expected them to come from. The next 10 minutes lasted a full hour.

Finally, I saw movement through the autumn olive, right where I expected it. A hen. A freaking hen! Had the hen spread a fan in the field? She approached my decoys, then began to scratch and feed among them.

Then a bird dropped in from the sky. And another. And another! All hens! All settled in and fed among the decoys.

Then came the first gobble of the day!

It was close!

I yelped. No response.

A few minutes later, another gobble. Definitely closer now! Then, on the same path the hen had strolled in on... here comes Tom-zilla in full strut!

This was NOT the direction I expected birds from when I set up at 5:30, and now I found myself looking back through some thick brush. The Tom was well within range, but I wouldn't risk a shot through the foliage.

He hissed and spit at my Jake decoy, but hung up in that autumn olive. He had three cronies in tow -- all with 3-4 inch nub beards -- who kept stretching their necks, but he was the only one in strut. With four hens and three Jakes accompanying my prize, I was just waiting for one to notice me, sound the alarm and end my morning right there.

I was not going to shoot through the brush, so I prayed. I said, "God, if it's your will for me to take this bird, have him step out into the open." I took a breath, and tried to summon patience.

He'd offer a shot, and there'd be a hen immediately behind him. He'd retreat a couple steps into the brush. He'd come out with a couple Jakes. Great opportunity, but I don't want to kill three birds! A Jake would tempt me with a gimme shot... but how can you shoot a Jake with that beautiful Tom right there?!? I know time slows down in these situations, but I don't think I've ever sat for so long with an animal in range, and just couldn't find the chance to pull the trigger.

Finally, everything was right. The Tom came out, the Jakes stayed back, and the hens were clear. He had his back to me and put the bead on him. He began to pivot, and when I had his head silhouetted against the sky, I let him have it!

He was immediately on the ground. He thrashed for a second or two, but was down for the count! I said a prayer of thanks, and lifted my head to find his cronies were still there! I stood, they scattered, and I collected my prize.

It was 8:50. I drove in to work to show him off, then went home to show the kids and clean the bird.

If you trust my bathroom scale, it was a 24# bird. 1" spurs. 10" beard. Definitely the biggest of the three birds I've shot.

I'm still scratching my head as to where the birds kept coming from, but I guess it goes to show, you never know what you'll get when you take to the woods!


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## Progress (Feb 6, 2009)

k9wernet said:


> ***Long Winded! Scroll down for photos!  ***
> 
> I've been turkey hunting for four seasons now. Each successful hunt has been unique, and today was no exception.
> 
> ...


Great job! Great story!

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## deerjohn (Feb 14, 2009)

Liked the long winded, and you had me in the blind with you!!! Did you notice me?? Really enjoyed the blow by blow.


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## huntinlady (Nov 10, 2007)

Enjoyed your story and pics. Congrats on a beautiful bird!


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## Playin' Hooky (Aug 29, 2002)

Nice job k9!

it would be interesting to know where those birds were "dropping" in from after such a long time. Maybe they picked you out on the ground and stayed roosted?

BTW: Will you be in need of other wing primaries this year?


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## WMU05 (Oct 16, 2004)

Great job k9! Thanks for taking us along.


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

Outstanding!

That's why we hunt. The uncertainty makes it exciting!


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## Mr. Botek (Mar 15, 2011)

Good story K9! 

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## PITBULL (May 23, 2003)

Nice job, Congrats


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## michgundog (Feb 22, 2008)

Good job!!! Hopefully, I will have the same results when the sun comes up.

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## Waz_51 (Jan 10, 2010)

thats a carbon copy of my bird...nice job!


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## k9wernet (Oct 15, 2007)

Playin' Hooky said:


> it would be interesting to know where those birds were "dropping" in from after such a long time. Maybe they picked you out on the ground and stayed roosted?


It's possible the hens were roosted where I had expected... but you're right, it seems like they would have flown down much earlier. I don't think they would have seen me. I was tucked in pretty good to a big honeysuckle bush.

My theory is they were actually roosted across the road in the woods on the other side of the corn field. The Tom for sure started off over there. 

I'm thinking the hens flew down, crossed the field, and flew again when they got to the road.



Playin' Hooky said:


> BTW: Will you be in need of other wing primaries this year?


Yeah, that would be great! We're doing another summer program where teens will be building their own arrows. I should start another thread to collect feathers for fletchings...

KW


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## Playin' Hooky (Aug 29, 2002)

Will catch with you on the fletch feathers when you need them.


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## k9wernet (Oct 15, 2007)

All's well that ends well!

Fresh (never frozen) Mothers Day Turkey dinner:


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## michhutr (Jan 16, 2009)

Congrats on # 4


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## EdB (Feb 28, 2002)

Congrats, dinner looks great!


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## QDMAMAN (Dec 8, 2004)

Congrats, cool recount!


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## SPITFIRE (Feb 10, 2005)

Nice bird and better story!


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## 88luneke (Jan 13, 2009)

Great story K9! That bird looked delicious too


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