A turkey season full of emotions!!!Video and some pics

[Dirtybird]

Well my start of season began as a guide for my brother from California that has only hunted turkeys once before in 2011.  No luck that year for him.  This year I vowed as his guide to do my best to get him a shot at the ol'blackbird.  I have a great place near home which I can drive by daily and keep tabs on game and I have a really nice farm to hunt south of me that I even drive down to just to check on birds.  So scouting was very important, but left me with a difficult decision.  Which farm do we hunt?  And where exactly do we set up?  Well that was left to me and I always try to put myself where the birds want to be.  Strut areas, dusting, or just some good travel routes of birds in the spring.  I decided on the farm near my home since the farmer saw birds in his field right at dusk the night before.
     Weather is always fun to deal with in spring.  Unpredictable comes to mind with spring turkey hunters nationwide.  Monday for the Ohio opener was high winds and a chance of rain.  My brother only had three days to hunt so we were going no matter what.  I decided on a high spot that was on the field edge but just had a little dip in it to keep the strong winds over top of us.  It was chilly and my bro wanted to bring my little buddy heater.(not used to Ohio spring)  I like to get in early to the turkey woods when I hunt, so we were set up by 5:15a.m..  There's nothing quite like the sound of a spring gobbler at pink light.  In fact I lost track how many different birds we heard gobbling for the next hour and a half.  Our little hide away overlooked a power line to the west, with open  fields to our north and northeast.  After two hours of gobbling the birds have hit the ground.

[magnus]

This is going to be a good one!!!

[Dirtybird]

There was only a brief time when we didn't hear any birds.  My brother Scottie to a peek out to the west and said there is a couple of birds.  HENS.  I told him if we could get the hens up here we have a chance to bring in the boys.  Passing some texts back and forth with my good friend Mike Gerardi we thought it would be best to mimic the hens.  It worked some hens were working there way towards us.  By now Scottie looked again and there was four strutters and about six or seven jakes.  I was like WOW, if they come up here that would be amazing.  Well in exactly thirty minutes they were on top of us!!!!!
 

[Cyclic-Rivers]

[Dirtybird]

I know everyone is going to ask, did you get that bird?  Sad, but the answer is no.  We looked all day and even called a friend with a tracking dog.  No luck!  My brother was bummed and sick to his stomach.  We watched the video a thousand times over and over in slow motion, frame by frame, and pausing at the moment of impact.  The shot was back, Scottie is a rookie turkey hunter, and he just flat out waited to long.  I told him the best we can do is learn from our mistakes and be more prepared next time.  
     Scottie was shaking like a leaf the moment those birds came in to the set up.  TURKEY FEVER has bitten another one.  I get the same way and I've been hunting turkeys for years.  In the end we were glad to have such a chance to witness such and event in nature like that.  Something we will both remember for a long time.
     The next day we found ourselves back at that farm.  We changed our set up this time and moved down the power line about three hundred yards.  As if on cue the birds were gobbling all over again.  But the day quickly came to and end with just a hen walking through the decoys around 9:30.
     Day three and Scotties last hoorah we decided to go south and give it a try.  All three days have been bitter cold in the morning and this day was no exception.  Thirty one degrees when we stepped out of the truck.  Chilly but we held our hopes high knowing that there are many good birds on this farm and knowing the lay of the land well I believe we had a good chance.  We set up were there was a patch of coal where the birds like to frequent and strut and dust themselves.  Once again we were greeted with a chorus of gobbles but only from one bird that wasn't far off. He showed himself very early.  Seventy yards out strutting with a hen.  Unfortunately she pulled him away and he went silent as well.  That was 6:45a.m. and we didn't hear another peep until we heard a soft cluck about 9:35a.m..  A solo hen which I assume was the one earlier was walking right to us.  I scanned and scanned the landscape around to not see a another bird with in sight.  She feed and walked away shortly and we lost sight of her.  Another unfortunate turn of events is that we had to go because of work obligations.  So 11:00 was the cut off time.  I think we all know how this turns out.  I tell my brother to scan a three sixty around us to make sure the coast is clear.  I gather my calls to one quick peek myself and stepped one foot out of the blind to hear what you don't want to hear.  PUTT PUTT!!!  There he was five yards away on the other side of a briar bush getting ready to step out towards our decoys.  

[Dirtybird]

On a great side note, we were making our way back to the truck when I looked at my phone and seen five texts and one with an image.  Right then a glow came across me as I knew my buddy Mike made good on his opportunity on one fine gobbler.  It was a very nice bird.
Scottie 0 and turkeys 3!  I told him its not easy and especially on such a short trip.  Maybe next year for my brother.  It was my turn to hunt next but I would have to work two days and put in thirty hours before I got to go.
Sunday finally came.  I worked Saturday and didn't get home until midnight.  I showered and slept a whole hour and a half and hit the road for the farm down south.  I had a feeling.
This year would be slightly different.  I was carrying with me a special bow.  I had a wonderful brother who passed a littler over six years ago and traditional bowhunting was his passion.  I figured he wouldn't want his bows just collecting dust so I thought I might try my luck with it.
Once again I found myself set up well before light to the wonderful sound of birds gobbling all around but nothing really close.  I had some luck in this area last year so my expectations were high.  Birds seemed to be gobbling for awhile with nothing close when all the sudden the blind about got bowled over.  Not forty yards away were two gobblers, that apparently woke up late.  I gave them a few very soft tree yelps and a few wing flaps just to let them know the love of there life was waiting for them.  These two toms stayed on roost until 7:20a.m. gobblin there heads off moving around on the limbs.  They finally came off the limbs but they didn't really pitch off they just dropped straight down.  They headed away from me for about an half an hour gobbling and trying to get me to come to them.  But I knew better, plus I had the day off with nothing but time on my hands.  Every few minutes I would rake the leaves and grass with my hands and make some purrs and very very soft clucks.  It most of been to much because the next time they sounded even closer.  Then again they gobbled and even closer.  I couldn't help myself and a peeked out the back of the blind and there they were.  Two toms staring at the situation I presented them.  My Best Turkey Decoy(a jake) hovering over a breeding hen.  The two birds circled around and gobbled a couple more times and the one strutted his way into the decoys while the other tom helped peck on my decoys as well.  To be honest I didn't want this to end but I also wanted to put my brothers bow to good use.  I remember thinking stay calm pick a spot and come to anchor.  But to be honest it was a total blur as the arrow screamed completely through the strutter.  He only went a couple of yards and I watched his comrade attack him for the next ten minutes.  I let the other bird drift away before retrieving my prize.  When I reached the big gobbler a flood of emotion overcame me that probably has been bottled up for some time.  At sat there for a good half hour thinking about all the good times we had and how badly I miss him.  This bird is his!  His bow worked
flawlessly.  THANKS JAY!!!  I owe alot of what I know to him.  RIP
 

[Dirtybird]

[Dirtybird]

Fellows I'm not the best photographer and all these pics are with my Iphone because in my sleepy state I forgot my point and shoot camera.  But one memory that won't forget this hunt is my mind, which I hope I can keep as long as possible.

David Sisamis

[pdk25]

Great tribute to your brother, Dave.  Congrats on a fine bird.

Excellent. I bet your brother has a big 'ol grin on his face tonight!

Congrats on the bird.

Bisch

[wooddamon1]

Awesome story and pics, and with your brothers bow!          

[Coonbait]

Great Bird!! Congratulations
Glenn

[Green]

Congrats on a great hunt, and thanks for the well written stories.

[Hopewell Tom]

Good one!
Nice story telling and the pics are fine.

[magnus]

Wow! What a way to honor Jay!!! Congratulations Dave. What a hunt and what a memory. Now take me hunting.                

[Mike Gerardi]

I know how much this hunt means to ya Dave. I have to admitt that last text you sent me made me a little misty. Proud as hell for ya.          

[Dirtybird]

Thanks Mike, those of you that are interested the bird weighed 24#, 10" beard, and spurs just shy of an inch.  Shot with my brothers Robertson Stykbow 60"57#@28 cedar arrow footed with purple heart(given to me by Mike Gerardi), Simmons broadhead(given to me by Pat Kelly).  My hunting set up is the same every year.  A jake over a hen(jealousy) and a feeder hen.  Thanks for all the fine comments guys this one means alot.

David

[turkey522]

[Mike Gerardi]

I hope Scottie wasnt mad that you didnt bring the heater the following day. Just blame me.        

That was the BTD jake in that video. Looks like Brooks has another success in the works after Double Bull.

[elkken]

         

Congrats ... fine story and pics