Gobblapalooza 2013

[Whip]

Hopefully Julian and Jeff will be able to catch up with us soon.  Much has been told already here, but remember, we've really only covered the first morning of the first day so far.  We haven't even gotten rolling yet!

Still catching up on things on the home front - will be back in the morning.

[jonsimoneau]

WOW! 2 years of these threads has really gotten me to wanna go. I talked to Nick the winter before last. I was close, but just couldn't make it happen. I may try for next spring. Sounds amazing!

[wapiti792]

Take your time Julian! Can't wait to hear the blow by blow from you and Jeff    

[Whip]

When Julian picked me up after the first mornings sit we drove down the road to see where all the turkeys I had seen had been headed.  Nick had told me that they often would travel along the bottom pasture and then head up into the hills near an old two track road.  

We walked out to take a look and found a great little set up where I could tuck into a small cedar tree for background cover.  Another cedar blocked the front from approaching birds and would give me a chance to bring my bow into position as they got close.  Another plus was that it would put the rising morning sun at my back and keep me in the shadows.  A little trimming and reconstruction made a perfect hideout.  I liked it.

[Whip]

The next morning I headed to my new digs.  I was a little further away from the roost area, but still plenty close to be able to enjoy the morning concert of turkeys waking up.  Gobbles echoed up and down the valley accompanied by the raucous chatter of the hens.

After fly down and a morning drink birds started filtering into the pasture a few hundred yards away from me.  Multiple toms danced continously in vain attempts to catch the eye of one of the girls.

 

Some headed west up into little finger draws, but a good bunch of them meandered in my direction.  

 

[Whip]

One tom broke into a run headed right at me.  An hen chased him down and caught up to him about 50 yards below me.  Like a seductive tease, she ran cirles around him pecking tauntingly and then lay at his feet.  The rest of the group came over to watch the turkey show.

I have turkey hunted for a lot of years, and I know this is not an uncommon occurence to see a breeding take place, but it was a first for me.
Not the greatest pic - guess I'm not much of a turkey pornographer.

 

[Whip]

As the dominant tom did his deed a few hens filtered up the hill behind me.  The majority of the flock eased toward the two track road I guarded.  They took their sweet time, but eventually started filing past me.  Three mature toms, including the porn star, followed them up the hill in full strut at seven yards.

Hens had me completely surrounded, with some right over my back shoulder.  They were talking in my ear and as the toms strutted and drummed their way past me I was afraid to even move.  My breathing was coming in gasps and I shook with uncontrolable tremors from head to foot.  I panicked and froze up like a statue of stone, and before I knew it they were past me and out of range.  I was left wondering if I am cut out for this blindless stuff.  My nerves were a jumbled mess!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Too cool Joe. Keep it coming!

[Steve Jr]

Good shooting ! I can't ever get them close enough. It sure is fun trying though.

[Duckbutt]

Originally posted by wapiti792:
 I got some great footage and hope I can extract it from my camera in time for this thread...let's just say money shot    

That's mandatory Big Mike.  That footage is the best trophy you could ask for.    

[Duckbutt]

Originally posted by joebuck:
So what i am gathering is ......
1.Whip can run the camera and hammer a longbeard at same time?!!  multi tasking
 
Whip can't run a camera worth a crap. He CAN hammer a longbeard!

2. Whip aint scared to shoot?  
  True. He might even push you out of the way if a he thinks a jake is gonna offer one and you ain't gonna shoot.

3. Whip has perfected the Yankee Breakfast Skillet Jambalaya.    Very True!


what was total team shot count?  dont lie, i'll call Nick  
    You need to call Nick anyway  

[Duckbutt]

Well, guess I better catch up so the rest of these guys can keep it rolling....

I bought plane tix for me and Jeff Springer to fly together out of SC.  Now, Jeff has a small piece of my heart because of our St. Judes shenanigans over the years but I was really looking forward to getting to know him well.  We plowed some ground I tell you, from loved ones lost to Alzheimers to planning our next flyfishing adventure together.  He's a true gem in my book and I can't wait for some of our future adventures to unfold.

Our buddy Buffalo Joe picks us up in Omaha and it's off to the ranch we go.  I've been planning my attack on the Klintworth flocks since I left last year.  I'd had my butt handed to me to the point of feeling 9 feet tall and bullet proof upon my return...kind of like a boy that goes to Paris Island as a slobbish kid and comes out a steele hardened man. I'n my head, I'd have two birds on the meat pole by the end of the first day.  Knew where and how I was going to do it.

We get to the ranch and meet Mike and Dave.  I'm in a bit of a hurry to get gear ready as I think I'm going hunting that afternoon but big Nick said "Naaaaaaawwwwwww", we'll go in the mornin.  Mike, Dave and Jeff are drooling all over everything due to all the birds coming close to the cattle yard to roost and Joe and I laugh as we recall the Joebuck sitting on the tailgate laughing when our GPS said "arriving at destination" last year.

[Duckbutt]

So I do a little fence leanin with Nick that evening and he tells me no birds are roosting South of camp.
"Uh Oh" I tell myself.  Half the knowledge I'd built up for blindless set ups was based on the roost a few miles South.  OK, I've got my hide right out in front of camp.  Then, I figure out that my best spot last year close the house now has one of the most productive blinds less about 50 yards from it.  Joe was going to hunt Joebuck's roost to the North of camp, so Don's draw was the last card I had to play.  Lesson learned....things change.

[Duckbutt]

I'd hunted Don's draw last year a few times.  Don Batten killed a bird in there two years ago, hence the name.  I also heard a tale about some famous TV Bowhunter that belly crawl skewered a jake there, but Don's draw is how I'd prefer to think of it.  There's a cattle tank where a few coulees feed into a big draw and birds seem to swing through there every now and then.  There isn't a major roost close by so I knew I wouldn't get the show the others hunters would but I'd seen enough last year to know birds will make an appearance there at some point in the day.  So, my strategy was a good set up and plenty of patience.

[Duckbutt]

I stayed on my pre dawn set up till about 9 oclock the first morning but could only hear turkeys talking in the distance.  I decided to climb the highest nearby peak and do some glassing to see if I could piece together a pattern on some distant flocks.  After about 30 minutes of glassing, I came back down and took a peak at the tank...two strutters and several hens.  Tomorrow morning, 9:30, Duckbutt, Tank, it's a date.

When I went to check on Joe, he waved me to stop and let him jump in the truck.  We shared our reports and then he asked if I'd go with him to check a another spot.  He'd picked a spot and an approach for the next day that proved to be brilliant.  He shared a bit about that with you already. Watching Joe work on his blindless approach and seeing his progress and tweaks as he kept piecing the puzzle together has been a joy for me to witness over the last couple of years.  While watching this latest strategy unfold, I knew he was getting close to fulfilling his quest.

[wapiti792]

[Duckbutt]

Meanwhile back at the hotel...

Dave "Dirtnap" has assumed his favorite position.

 

I've decided to call him Dirtnap because he doesn't take a shower for days, he kills anything that comes within bow range, and once he tagged out, we often found him in this position.    

While Dave slept, Jeff decided to attack his share of the poundcake loot Delaney sent when she heard he'd be on the hunt.  

 

[Duckbutt]

Did a bit of tire kickin with Nick to come up with my evening hunt plan.  I didn't want to mess with the birds in Don's Draw hoping they would show up for our appt late the next morning.  Nick mentioned a small draw that many birds will travel through to come back to the cattle yard roost.  Found a great place to set up.  No birds used the draw that evening.  Day one done...not gonna be easy reality sets in.

[wapiti792]

"dirt nap"....I like it. Took him to a big buck spot last year and he whacked a fawn. He can't help himself. Stuff just dies...I ain't takin him elk hunting. If you didn't know Dave to be one of the nicest, most ethical hunters ever known you might want to slip him some pocket change or point him to the nearest shelter       Kidding Dirtnap...you can be my road dog any day. 2014!!!

[tippit]

Wow, I just found this thread.  First off I am a total Rookie when it comes to turkey hunting.  One time, I hunted some Vermont turkeys with a shot gun 20 years ago.  But I never saw one or heard one and that was when I Could hear.  I went completely deaf about 15 years ago.  Then after a year on steroids got 50% hearing back in my left ear.  So I thought I'd never be able to hunt turkeys and just gave up on that idea.  That is until Whip convinced me that the Klintworth farm was uniquely different. Man was that an understatement.  

My trip started about 3 am with my journey to Columbia airport to meet up with Julian.  We met last year after Joe & Julian had been to Nebraska.  I had Joe down to the farm to hog hunt & invited Julian.  They both said even I would get into birds so the trip was booked.  Back to the plane ride to Nebraska.  Julian & I talked the entire way.  I hadn't realised what a fanatic fly fisherman Julian was until then.  I felt like I had found a long lost younger brother...maybe more like a son     Anyway the time flew by as I was trying to learn everything I could about Southern Saltwater and Redfish.

Meeting up with Joe in Omaha was like putting on a pair of well worn slippers...we'd had numerous airport meetings before.  Off to turkey time.  I was certainly enjoy the trip but still very dubious of really being able to arrow a bird let alone even see one.  

As we got closer I started seeing a few turkeys, then more and more.  Upon arrival, we met up with Mike & Dave.  Instantly I knew this was going to be fun.  Then Nick arrived and everyone was talking about previous turkey adventures...I sheepishly said I had not hunted turkeys before and had NO idea what to do.  Expecting an OMG look from Nick...Instead I got a "I have the Blind for you!"  More on that tomorrow...tippit