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2018 Turkey Season Recap

Posted: January 14th, 2019, 2:58 pm
by ncturkey
My season started in North Carolina on April 14. I hunted with a buddy of mine on his property. We worked a Gobbler off the roost but he gave us the slip. That after I hunted in the same area. Around 4:00 PM a turkey sneak in. He was in the tall grass in front of me. I shot him at about 35 yards. He turned out to be a 18 lbs. Jake.
I hunted more in North Carolina with no luck.
I head out to Raton, New Mexico to hunt with some of my friends to hunt Merriam’s Turkeys. They were going to film the hunts for there show called Chasin Creation. The hunt is on YouTube if anyone want to watch it. The hunts were at the V7 Ranch. The guide was 21 year old son of the owners of the 32,000 acres Ranch. We made to the V7 on May 3. We went and roosted birds for the first morning. We heard Gobblers in two different areas. We went the roost area early on May 4. Four of us were in a small blind 80 yards from the roost. The guy and I called. The Gobblers came in once and spooked at something. An hour later a Gobbler came in. The other hunter Max was first to shoot. He missed. I asked if they want me to shoot it. I shoot him. I had my first Merriam’s.
Later that morning we spotted a flock of turkeys with two Longbeards. We had to sneak down a dry creek for about 400 yards to get to them. We sneak up over the bank to them. The guide used a fan to get the turkey to come to us. Max shot the Gobbler at 25 yards.
The next morning we were set up at a different roost. We were all in a blind again. Camera Man, two hunters and the guide. I was up to bat first. No lie but 10 Longbeards and 8 hens flew down about 80 to our left. One of the Gobbler flew down early but I was called out not to shoot due to the low camera light. We called in one Gobbler and the hens. The hens last behind us. The Gobbler strutted around the jake decoy. Then was walking back to the other Gobblers. I was again asked not to shoot and was told that the other birds would come over. Nope. The guide called when the hens were right by the blind. They spooked and took all the Gobblers away. The guide apologized about me not getting to shoot.
We hunted for more turkey the rest of the day. We tried to fan and few different birds with no luck.
That afternoon we all setup at a different roost. At about 5:25 PM. Two Longbeards came into the jake and hen decoys. Max and I got a double. I said 1,2 the boom. Max and I got our second Merriam’s.
It was a pretty place to hunt. Very different ways of hunting. It was very fun place to hunt. The scenery was just mind blowing. I had the hunt of a lifetime.
Plus we went on May 6 to Pike’s Peak, Colorado.
In all a great trip out west.

Re: 2018 Turkey Season Recap

Posted: January 14th, 2019, 6:14 pm
by Hobbes
Nice photos. Sounds like you had some good hunts. I'll check it out on YouTube.

Re: 2018 Turkey Season Recap

Posted: January 14th, 2019, 6:18 pm
by Hobbes
Link to the YouTube video:

https://youtu.be/SWzl6yRUL0s

Re: 2018 Turkey Season Recap

Posted: January 14th, 2019, 8:26 pm
by Swampstalk
Mike,

Sounded like you guys had a hoot out there! Great story and the pictures are as well.

Re: 2018 Turkey Season Recap

Posted: January 14th, 2019, 9:00 pm
by MAK
Congrats beautiful

Re: 2018 Turkey Season Recap

Posted: January 15th, 2019, 9:16 am
by ncturkey
Thanks for the comments. Hobbes thanks for posting the link. I forgot to mention that I got scope eye on the second Gobbler. You can see the pink bandanna in one the pictures. I bleed more than the turkey.

Re: 2018 Turkey Season Recap

Posted: January 15th, 2019, 9:08 pm
by Hoobilly
great pictures! Glad you had so much fun and hope you get to go again this year