8 days

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hawglips
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8 days

Post by hawglips »

Only got to tote the gun 8 days this spring, but had an enjoyable season nonetheless.

Day 1

Went down to GA for opening day, and hunted hard all day long. Heard one gobbler off the property on the roost, and I couldn't get close enough to do any good with him. Never saw a track or any sign anywhere. Looks like the population there is down significantly from where it used to be.

Day 2

Got a SC invite and had a lot of fun working a group of birds off the roost - but couldn't do anything with them. Hunted a beautiful property which I hope to hunt again some day.

Day 3

I didn't need an alarm for NC's opening morning, as usual. You'd think the excitement of going hunting would wane as I get older, but if it does, I haven't experienced it yet.

I heard a gobble first thing way off, and hooted a couple times to make sure there wasn't one closer by before I took off after him. When I got most of the way to the gobble, I never heard him again, but heard a different bird 90 degrees in another direction, but not too far off. Well, I THINK it was a different bird altogether, but it could have been that my bearings were that confused.... But anyway, it was getting late by then, and on the way to that bird, I spooked a hen off the ground. So, I stopped there to calm down, catch my breath, and listen for another gobble. He gobbled again, and was on the ground so I eased off that way to start working him.

To make a long story short, he had hens, and they took him almost directly away from me, not wanting my warm company. I trailed them for a bit, with no way to circle around in front due to the terrain. Never got them to let me get closer than 100 yds away, and soon they disappeared from my radar completely when the gobbling ceased. In the meantime, I'd heard another bird gobble way off, so when the first bird quit messing with me altogether, I went off after the other bird.

To make another long story short, that bird had hens also, and those hens also didn't want my company. It's relatively abnormal for me to have hens on opening day (when they are typically more sociable than later on) avoiding my company, so I was a bit miffed. And I'd spent the best hours of the day chasing and fooling with contrary hens and their gobbler escorts. Both birds would gobble only occasionally at me, and the way they walked off and gobbled had the earmarks of accompanying hens. I got close enough to see the 2nd bird and hens, already off the property scratching around, and slowly heading away. While I had them in sight, I called to watch their reaction, and sure enough, their slow feeding changed to a quick walk.

Feeling a tinge of frustration, I decided to go to a couple other areas of the property and do some cold calling. I did, and I got no action. By then I'd walked a long way, and was pooped. So at about 12:30 I decided to go get some lunch, and then head off to my favorite lazy afternoon spot a couple counties away. So I did.

With a belly full of BBQ and fries, at about 2:20, I quietly sneaked into my spot via the strategic undercover route to avoid as much disturbance as possible, calling quietly as I got close to make sure no birds were in there before I was. Finding the coast was clear, I sat down under that familiar holly tree, in the shade. I'd killed several birds from that exact spot over the last 10 years. I had granola bars, pop tarts and water in my vest - prepared to stay right there and call from that spot till dark. Snoozing was on the agenda if nothing showed up promptly. I was feeling the effects of the early wake up and physical exertion, and at my age, a nap is welcome any day; particularly in the shade, on a pleasant, sunny afternoon like this one.

At about 2:40, I made my 4th round of yelps, and was contemplating laying down to catch a needed wink. But that thought was rudely interrupted by a gobble, about 80 yds away. I simultaneously answered him back, whirled around to face him and clicked off the safety - feeling certain that he would materialize within range shortly. I was set up so that I'd be able to see him before he could see me from that direction, and he'd be well within range.

Sure enough, about two minutes and a quiet yelp later, I saw movement through the undergrowth quartering to me, left to right. And then I saw a second black object, in full strut. Then a third.... Turns out there were three gobblers, with no hens. I put the bead on the head of the middle strutter, and waited for him to stop and look around for that hen...

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To make the encounter that much more satisfying, the two surviving gobblers hung around, reluctant to leave their fallen comrade, apparently oblivious to what caused him to lay there so still and unresponsive. (1-1/2 oz of TSS 9-1/2s at 20 yds tend to elicit that muted response.) I sat motionless in that semi-awkward position with no back-rest, and watched them for the next 45 minutes until my left leg started to cramp in two places, and had to move to get some relief one way or another.

Day 4

I decided to try to squeeze in an hour-long before work hunt, and found myself across a river from a group of at least 4 gobblers who were roosted off the property. I paid attention to where they were roosted and where they were headed, and came up with a plan for another hour-long before work hunt the next morning.

Day 5

As planned, I snuck off for a flash hunt, needing to be into work by 8:30. I made it by 8:15 because the group of 4 hard gobbling birds I'd located the previous morning cooperated with my plans.

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Day 6

No more tags for NC, but had one tag left in VA (since I'd used two of them in the fall). Was fortunate to find another bird that wanted to play. I located him while prospecting and he acted just right. Don't get too many of them it seems like.

Killed him with the 28 ga Ithaca M37 - first time for that gun.

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This bird had a spur that had been broken off, and a nice puncture wound in his breast that looked to be a couple weeks old. I guess he's been fighting.

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hawglips
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Re: 8 days

Post by hawglips »

Day 7

Went back to GA and hunted one of the prettiest properties around. Had a lot of fun, but they were tight-lipped and unresponsive to my overtures.


Day 8

My brother, youngest daughter, and I arrived at the place we planned on hunting just as gobbling was getting underway. We could not set up where we had originally intended, because the birds were roosting in a different area. Neither of us had been there since last year, so we really didn't have any idea how it will work out. But they were in the general area. So we swung wide and set up across an 80 yard opening and a ravine from where the birds were roosted on a hillside. We heard what sounded like two gobblers, and then a couple hens began sounding off.

We began calling fairly aggressively to the gobblers while they were still on the roost, because of the competition with the hens.

A couple of the hens flew down and I was able to persuade one of them to start headed our way by mimicking her. Soon I saw one of the gobblers on the ground and slowly heading our way about 100 yds out.

Within just a couple of minutes a gobbler was trotting towards us with two hens right behind him. I pointed my gun at the place I thought he was heading right out in front of a cedar tree in front of me. But then he never showed up where I was aiming and I wondered where he disappeared to. Then all of a sudden I saw him come up out of the ravine and trotted to about 4 yards away from me. I swung my gun on him hoping he would stop but he immediately turned and trotted but hesitated right at an opening about 10 yards away. I squeezed one off and he flopped down to the bottom of the ravine.

Now in the meantime, the second gobbler had made his way across the opening to about 30 yards, and he gobbled repeatedly after I shot his buddy. Since I had three tags all together, I decided to go ahead and try him as well. So I swung over on him and laid him out as well.

My brother looked at his watch, and said it is 6:02 AM. It had taken about 20 minutes to persuade them to come in to us from the time they flew down.

I looked up after the smoke cleared, and saw six hens on the side of the hill and had two more yelping back behind us. As we were basking in the moment, my daughter was anxious and decided she wanted to go get the first gobbler so she went down to the bottom of the ravine and brought him back out to show us.

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We admired him and then went across to pick up the other bird. Both were very wet and their feathers immediately began to freeze in the cold temperatures.

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After taking some pictures, we started the long hike back up to the road. After much resting and eating of snacks on the way up, we got to the road at about 8:30 AM.

Since it was still early in the morning we decided to scout out an area we had never hunted in before, but had always wondered whether the birds used the place or not.

We got on the four wheeler and made our way in that direction. We stopped and called every couple hundred yards or so just to see if anything was around and ready to work.

At about 9 o'clock we stopped at one place and a gobbler answered us. So I got off the four wheeler, walked about 20 yards closer and yelped again. He not only responded right back, but another bird way off to the left also responded. So we decided to go ahead and work them.

Within 10 minutes we had heard at least seven different gobblers answering us, and one of them was getting closer quickly. So I turn towards him and soon he appeared easing through the underbrush in the beautiful mid morning sunlight, strutting, and then stopping and looking our way. When he got into an opening about 30 yards away, I squeezed another one off.

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And just like that, 2017's spring gobbler season was over.
Last edited by hawglips on June 9th, 2017, 11:02 am, edited 1 time in total.
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el diablo
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Re: 8 days

Post by el diablo »

Awesome season Hal! That's a pretty strong 8 days.
strutnva
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Re: 8 days

Post by strutnva »

Very nice, not much time but you worked well with what you had.
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davisd9
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Re: 8 days

Post by davisd9 »

Great season Hal!
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DBLGBL
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Re: 8 days

Post by DBLGBL »

Awesome 8 days right there. And with family too.

2gbl
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Re: 8 days

Post by Fl strutter »

Congrats Hal.
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Re: 8 days

Post by bullethead »

Hal you certainly have the knack for getting on them and sealing the deal. As usual, fantastic job and many congrats.
Tungsten tinkerer from way back.
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Spuriosity
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Re: 8 days

Post by Spuriosity »

Great stories and pix. Congrats on a great season.
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soiltester
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Re: 8 days

Post by soiltester »

Now that's doin' it up right and in style :thumbup: :cheers:

Congrats on a great year!! :thumbup: :thumbup:
ever wonder where the white goes when the snow melts??
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GobbleNut
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Re: 8 days

Post by GobbleNut »

Great pictures and story,...but I am a bit confused. The last pictures appear to be either Rios or Merriams, but I see no reference to any hunts other than in Eastern habitats. I know in the past you have mentioned hunting Utah, was there a change of venue not mentioned? If not, those are the oddest looking Eastern wild turkeys I have ever seen.
swampchicken
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Re: 8 days

Post by swampchicken »

Some fine looking birds for just 8 days afield congrats on the successful hunts.
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Re: 8 days

Post by hookspur »

Short, but oh-so Sweet! Thanks Hal, and congratulations!!
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Re: 8 days

Post by firedup »

Well Done! Congrats!
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Re: 8 days

Post by Waddle Whacker »

Congrats Hal! Looks like you made the most out of what you had.
Feel, don't think. Trust your instincts.
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Re: 8 days

Post by hobbes »

Great hunt! Congrats!

Aspens and oak brush.....I like it.
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redarrow
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Re: 8 days

Post by redarrow »

Congrats Hal. My Michigan season lasted about an hour and I was done til next year.
Put you plans in the nail scarred hands.
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Re: 8 days

Post by poorcountrypreacher »

Congrats on another great season!
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Re: 8 days

Post by appalachianassassin »

congrats :thumbup:
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Re: 8 days

Post by deerhunt1988 »

Congrats on the birds! Enjoyed the read and pics.
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Re: 8 days

Post by 2Shooter »

Awesome 8 days Hal!!! WTG :thumbup:
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hawglips
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Re: 8 days

Post by hawglips »

GobbleNut wrote:Great pictures and story,...but I am a bit confused. The last pictures appear to be either Rios or Merriams, but I see no reference to any hunts other than in Eastern habitats. I know in the past you have mentioned hunting Utah, was there a change of venue not mentioned? If not, those are the oddest looking Eastern wild turkeys I have ever seen.
Yes, forgot to list the state- UT.
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Re: 8 days

Post by Andy S. »

Looks like a fine season with a lot of great memories made. Congrats to you all and thanks for sharing.
Andy S.

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Re: 8 days

Post by MAK »

Great job - are there mixed hybrids in that area - Merriam and Easterns?

Tail on left much lighter than his comrades.
MAK
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Re: 8 days

Post by Reloader »

Congrats!
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