Post by oldhoyt on May 24, 2022 11:50:22 GMT -5
I shot a bird in Michigan this AM.
I've been hunting this bird for 2 weeks. The typical scenario would be that I'd get in the woods in the dark and listen for him to start gobbling. Once he did, I'd try to get in a place that should be easy for him to come to me, then call just a little before fly-down to let him know I was there. Twice I got too close to him on the limb and he'd fly down and head away from me gobbling until he was out of earshot. Other times, he'd just fly down and head to a field that I can't hunt.
Sunday morning the same routine was playing out. He gobbled from his normal roosting spot and then flew down. Once I knew he wasn't coming toward me I decided to make a loop a safe distance away from him and try to cut him off before he got to the field. I didn't quite make it, but did see him at about 75 yards as he entered the field. I called a while and he answered, but wouldn't leave the field.
This morning I got to my listening spot and he gobbled from the usual spot. This time I circled around and got to the field while he was still in the tree. I just sat and waited while he gobbled from the tree, around 20 minutes. The he went quiet and I assumed he had flown down. I debated whether to call or not, but decided against it, hoping he was on the same path he took Sunday AM. A booming gobble about 40 yards in front of me told me he was on course. I got my gun ready and just waited. In a minute or two I saw his white head at about 20 yards and the Nitro #5s did the job. A 20 lb. bird, one inch spurs and just shy of 10 inch beard. No complaints from me.
I've said before I won't pay top dollar for fancy turkey shells, but I'd hate to learn how much money I spent on gas trying to get a turkey this year. Not that it really matters, I had a good season and enjoyed the time in the woods.
I've been hunting this bird for 2 weeks. The typical scenario would be that I'd get in the woods in the dark and listen for him to start gobbling. Once he did, I'd try to get in a place that should be easy for him to come to me, then call just a little before fly-down to let him know I was there. Twice I got too close to him on the limb and he'd fly down and head away from me gobbling until he was out of earshot. Other times, he'd just fly down and head to a field that I can't hunt.
Sunday morning the same routine was playing out. He gobbled from his normal roosting spot and then flew down. Once I knew he wasn't coming toward me I decided to make a loop a safe distance away from him and try to cut him off before he got to the field. I didn't quite make it, but did see him at about 75 yards as he entered the field. I called a while and he answered, but wouldn't leave the field.
This morning I got to my listening spot and he gobbled from the usual spot. This time I circled around and got to the field while he was still in the tree. I just sat and waited while he gobbled from the tree, around 20 minutes. The he went quiet and I assumed he had flown down. I debated whether to call or not, but decided against it, hoping he was on the same path he took Sunday AM. A booming gobble about 40 yards in front of me told me he was on course. I got my gun ready and just waited. In a minute or two I saw his white head at about 20 yards and the Nitro #5s did the job. A 20 lb. bird, one inch spurs and just shy of 10 inch beard. No complaints from me.
I've said before I won't pay top dollar for fancy turkey shells, but I'd hate to learn how much money I spent on gas trying to get a turkey this year. Not that it really matters, I had a good season and enjoyed the time in the woods.
