I am not a turkey hunter

[The Night Stalker]

I am more of a turkey caller. When I lived in Delaware my hunting partner, (Dave Cernos) taught me how to use a mouth call. Dave loved turkey hunting and I went just for something to do. I moved to North Carolina 20 yrs ago and Dave came down. I remember that first morning, we called in 5 gobblers. Well, after my grandfather died and not having Dave around, I lost interest. My grandfathers farm was the turkey spot.
A few years ago, I was watching the Management Advantage show and the tip was, if you want turkeys, you have to control the raccoons and opossums.  I began a relocation program. I trapped and moved them 30 miles away. Rumor has it, if the coons are released to close, they can follow the smell of the water back to their home range. I did not want to take no chances. I thought about putting a small cattle tag in their ear to see if any would return. Over the next 2-3 years, our scant turkey population grew to hen flocks of 25 to 30 this winter. I decided to take a Mature Tom if I could.
Opening day, load blind , decoys ,bow onto the Polaris and drive to the top of the property. I get set up and get ready to call when I hear snorting. It is my stepson's 40 lb beagle. It likes to follow me to the woods. He walks around the decoys then around the blind few times. I am thinking, if I am quiet, he will walk home. Things settle and I began calling. Fifteen minutes later, I have a Tom at 10 yards. I position for the shot that does not happen. What happened, he just had to walk into my view. He vanished. Maybe he did not like the two hen set up. Maybe he is in the back of the blind. I peaked out the back of the hidden hunter blind to see our beagle walking down the trail.
The next weekend, I didn't hunt. I went to NCTAR. Charles Suttles donated several nice prizes for our raffle. One was a new Bear bow fishing set up. That's several hundred dollars alone. He also donated an avian jake decoy. I wanted one but did not want to spend a hundred dollars. I bought 20 dollars worth of raffle tickets and placed all of them on the decoy. Luck would have it and  they called out one of my tickets.
This morning I went back up the mountain to the top of our property and used the same set up plus the jake decoy. I heard faint gobbling several hundred yards away and over the next half hour, I called the Tom even with me. He walked up through the woods, strutting and drumming all the way. I had the jake facing off to the right of the blind at a angle. When the Tom,  strutted around to the front, I buried the STOS broad head. I was using my Welch Dakota Pro
hunter, 46@29, Axis 400's with 175gr Stos
We are allowed two turkeys but I am done for the year. I heard other Gobbles from the south on the ridge in front of our farm. I am content and happy watching the hens daily nesting habits and patterns. Hopefully, they will spread to adjoining mountains. Thank you, Dave for teaching me to call and Charles for the chance at the decoy.    Tim in NC
I will try to post some pics

[The Night Stalker]

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[wooddamon1]

Congrats!

[Spurs]

Awesome!!! Great hunt and nice bird.

[Dirtybird]

Nice bird and congrats.

[dlnwohio]

Great story and awesome bird!!

[Mudd]

You may not be a turkey hunter but your photo proves that you're a turkey killer.

Congratulations!

God bless,Mudd

Nice bird!

Congrats,

Bisch

[wigeon]

Nicely done Tim ,congratulations

[T-Bowhunter]

Nice turkey, congrats!    

[Shinken]

     

Enjoy the feast!

Shoot straight, Shinken

 

[fnshtr]

Nice story and great bird Tim!

I've been chasing them here in WV, and so far I've missed a jake (broadhead hit the bottom of my blinds window and deflected high)and had two big toms in to about 25 yards with no shot.

Be back out next week.

Congrats again on a nice bird.

[fnshtr]

P.S. Looks to me like you ARE a turkey hunter!

[huskyarcher]

Very cool!!!! I have succomed to the itch and filled my first tag with other weapons, but youve inspired me to giver another try! Congrats on an awesome accomplishment!

PS, im in Ashe as well, if your ever looking for somebody to hunt with shoot me a PM!

Dalton

[Don Batten]

Nice bird Tim. Good shooting.

[Guru]

Excellent!!

[The Night Stalker]

Dalton, I met a boy from Boone at NCTAR that knew you. His dad was selling jerky and cheese.
Wayne, concentrating on elk now and waiting to see if we get picked. Maybe I can call in another Bull.

[fnshtr]

Tim... I have no problem calling one in for you.

How about I call one in for you and then you can call one in for me!

Later,
Wayne

[UrbanDeerSlayer]

Awesome! Had some Hens within 20 yards this morning, but Big Tom decided to stay just out of range and strut his stuff from a distance.

[maineac]

Congrats!!!