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Well, that never happens

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Well, that never happens

Postby mottlet » 04 17, 2016 •  [Post 1]

Missed the Virginia turkey opener to be at a wedding in Louisiana. Got back and had to work all week. By Thursday evening, I'd had enough and told the bossman I was taking a half day on Friday!

Had two birds gobbling on the side of a ridge, less than a hundred yards apart at dawn on Friday. I had to get by the quieter one to get to the mouthy one, so ended up setting up on the less vocal bird. Even getting to that tom was a neat trick, as they were roosted in a place to watch for ding dongs slipping down the opposite ridge blowing their owl hooters. I should have gotten down across the creek before light, but c'est la vie. As stealthily as I could, I broke off of my ridge, hit the creek, crossed, and started up toward this bird, that mostly only gobbled at the other tom's hollering. First setup was no good. Watched him fly down, with a hen, and they marched up a draw to the top of the ridge. Meanwhile, the loudmouth had gotten down into the bottom and seemed to be loosely headed in a direction that lent itself to being cut off. I went back down the ridge, stopped thirty yards from the bottom, dug in at the base of an oak, and clucked twice. He roared back, a hundred or so yards away, The goofy sucker sounded like he was IN the creek. A few minutes later, I see another hen actually standing in the creek, like a dang heron, sixty yards in front of me. WTH is up with these turkeys? And where was her boyfriend? One series of yelps and a gobble answers from ABOVE me, over the lip of the ridge. How in the heck did he get up THERE? Immediately, another gobble answers from the creek. Aha. He's still down there, and another suitor is moving across the bench above me. Same bird I set up on at first light? Could he have already been ditched by his hen?

I had a decision to make: I could stay put and continue trying to work the bird in the bottom, that I knew had at least one hen. Or I could make a move for the lip of the bench above me and try for the higher bird. He sounded closer, but you never know how close they really are when there's a major terrain feature between you and them. I knew he wasn't far and making a move toward the top could easily bust him. Whatever. I ran for the bench, stopping about twenty yards short, and sat down on the up hill side of a poplar. Crap, I'd left my slate at the other tree. Oh well, I yelped with a reed and he answered, still above me and somewhere to my left. Meanwhile, the tom in the bottom gobbled directly behind me, now that I was facing uphill. Sounded like he was on the other side of the creek, so at least I knew I'd made the right play.

No sense drawing it out. A couple more calls, a couple more gobbles, and appeared at the top, peering down looking for the source of the calls, just as planned. He was less than thirty yards and that, as they say, was that. Hooks were an inch, beard was nine inches, and he weighed in around 21 lbs. It wasn't technically opening day, but he's the first I've gotten on my first hunt of the season.

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mottlet
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Re: Well, that never happens

Postby Mike_Parson » 04 22, 2016 •  [Post 2]

congrats!!
14' Bowtech RPM 360. 29", 67#
100Gr. Ramcat Broadhead
BloodSport FPS Hunter arrows

08' Diamond Rock, 29" ,65#
100Gr. RamCat Broadhead
BloodSport FPS Hunter arrows
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Mike_Parson
Rank: Rag Horn
 
Posts: 259
Joined: 05 26, 2015
Location: Hobbs, NM


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