Turkey Hunt-a-long..finally got out again 4/15/07

[Budog56]

Ok Guys..Never done this before so you will have to bear with me. This is gonna be my first time hunting turkeys with a bow and figured since I was making it one first I would try my first hunt post as well..Hopefully it will entertain you all and help get me some good advice on what I did wrong, what I can do different etc..Advice is not only welcomed it is encouraged..Mainly it is gonna be on this weekend but might drag it out the entire season if it works ok. Pics are gonna be a little behind as all I have are a couple disposables at the time being so I wont get them up till they are full. Sorry in advance for that part..Hope you enjoy---Seth

P.S. Since this is my first major story or anything like that I wouldnt mind advice on my writing as well as the turkey hunting.

[Budog56]

RAIN!!!..Well this morning all we acomplished was get soaked and spook them across the road. Made one set to call in two lone gobblers but WAY to windy to call from where we set up and all the closer we could get was 200 yards without getting in the open. We then tried to get ahead of a flock and ambush before they got in the trees all the closer they got was 35 yards before leaving and going across the road.Got a few things to do the today but will get back at it later hopefully putting them to bed..Did find where they roost tall cottonwoods surrounded by cedars with TONS of crap on the ground..Well thats all I got so far gonna eat and get back to it.

[Osagetree]

Okay, did you get back out this eve.? Keep it coming this will be interesting.

[Budog56]

Went out late this afternoon Still raining as it was all day and just stopping now. Got within 30 yards of a flock with three struttin toms but just couldnt get them to commit. Did some calling and got some answers back but nothing would come in. Couple of them were in full strut pretty awesome sight to watch from our make shift blind ( squating with a cedar tree between us and the turkeys) Even set out the decoy but just couldnt get anything to come to it..NOt sure if we werent calling right or what. Got the to gobble back and there was another hen yelping that sounded just like us so I dont know...Put them to bed so we know were they are now though so hopefully we can get set up right first thing in the morning..Just had some great grilled nebraska steaks and a few beers so ready to play a game of cards and get to dreamin about tommorrow!

[Osagetree]

It will all come together for ya,, I bet! I'll be root'n for you. Don't get carried away on the 12oz curls tonight!

[Tim Kosteczko]

if the toms have hens around them gettin to come to you is easier said than done, if they are answering you at all you are doin just fine with the calling

[whitebuffalo]

Man their tuff with a bunch of girls keepin them busy.. The reason they were answerin ya is cause they wanted you to join. Hens usually go to the boys not boys go to the girls but we luck out when he's all lonely. Good huntin to ya bud.

[southernarcher]

If you get the hens calling back at you you are still in the game if they are holding the Toms out long.When the boss hen starts calling,mimic her calls to the best of your ability.Try to match them in tone and cadence.She will usually come over to fight,or make friends bringing the Tom along.The only problem is there will be that many more eyes looking around in close quarters.Good Luck!

[Osagetree]

Budog56... I bet you're out there now just cutt'n and a yelp'n for that Tom.

Even if hens have him held up, you never know when he may do the unusual and turn toward your calling. This does happen on ocassion as they are unpredictable to a point! BIRD BRAINED! You never know about those birds, just stay out while your season is in. You can't kill one from the couch, unless of course you're living at Mickeys house.

[Budog56]

Well the story starts to get embarrassing and boring now but I guess here we go..Unfortunately I learned a valuable lesson that when my phone has bad service the alarm does notwork    We were only about 30 minutes late but turns it may have been vital..The patch they were in is only about 100-200 yards thick.SO either they went out the other side or they got up and got GONE..We covered the whole ranch twice today and saw NO TURKEYS..Can hunt until about 9 in the morning before I have to leave in time for work so we will have to see what happens..Hope I can make the story a little better!!!

[the Ferret]

Be sure and change calls and change up your rythms, if the toms get used to your calls and rythms they'll ignore them.

[kiiwosewinini]

With bow... awesome!! This is something that I have not yet tried.  Good luck to all the turkey hunters out there.  My season is in a couple of weeks yet and I will be out in 17th century clothing and using a matchlock musket (sinful and not a bow... maybe next year.)

Isaac

[Budog56]

Well they officially disappeared. Didnt even see or here one this morning. Didnt think we did anything to run them off but they sure are gone..I guess unless something crazy happens at work I wont go at them again for a while but ya never know hopefully I can make the story worth it by time season is over..

[whitebuffalo]

Maybe they moved to a new food source.

[Budog56]

Only got to go one morning this weekend had to much stuff going on to get out more..There was four of us one with a shotgun, one with a compound, and two with our bears..My friend had kinda scouted a bit and we figured it as a pretty major travel route to and from roosts..We got out of the vehicle bright and early and we were surrounded..by gobbles It was pretty crazy.. We got setup around a winter wheat field that was covered in frost..  I was the only one with decoys a jake and a hen had the jake about 20 yards or under facing my right with the hen right at 11 or 12 facing me. About an hour in of the other three just kinda yelping on and off everyonce in a while. When a nice lone gobbler appears about 50 yards from the shotgunner..I set and watch as I think it will be the end of our morning hunt...but he saw my decoys and decided to sneak out around. I couldnt see him the whole way around just off and on. I didnt know if he was coming to them or leaving cause he busted the shotgunner..ABout 15 minutes later he appeared around 30 yards from me coming my way..slowly eating and walking.. Then at 20 yards as if he knew there were just to many weeds between us for me to even risk a shot he started to puff up but stopped and stretched out his neck towards the decoys and went back into the trees he came out of..Not sure what happend..Thinking he was gone I start to look around to see what else is going on when he comes back out again..Doing the same thing eating and kinda working his way towards the decoys gets to just under 20 yards and starts strutting but never turns straight away so I can kneel up above the weeds and take a shot.. Not knowing what to do to convine him to come in closer.. I just sit and wait hoping he decides to get into a shooting lane and get closer..Then out of the corner of my Eye i notice something it is the shotgunner raising his gun as I see another gobbler coming out 30 yards from him..BOOM!!.. ..I just wish I wouldve know he wasnt going to take off from the shotgun shot( he actually didnt take off until they were both running across the field to look at their trophy) cause he was def not paying attention to me for long enough I could've kneeled up and had a clear shot at his spine as he turned away to look. The shotgunner felt bad about shooting knowing I was close to a shot but it didnt bother me as much I mean I was 15 yards from a nice tom strutting his stuff that had not clue I was there doesnt get much better.. I may become addicted to this turkey thing yet..besides he didnt want the wings and was gonna throw them away so I latched onto them pretty quickly..SO even if I dont get one I will be able to make a couple calls and see about some fletchings