New York Turkey Hunting Thread....

[Whitetail Addict]

Got out for a few hours this morning. Cold and windy, with a light drizzle all morning. Much better morning to have stayed home with a cup of coffee, VS crawling around in wet grass, and bushes.

I watched the big bird I mentioned earlier, walk back and forth across his favorite field again, following his girlfriends. Only two today.

I noticed that the hens kept coming close to the edge of east side of the field, by a small clump of brush when they fed to that side. When they started moving west again, I crawled til I was out of their site, behind a rise, and made a half circle to the back side of the hill the bushes are on. I hurried up the hill as far as I dared, then slowly crawled up behind the bushes. They're leafed out enough now, that I was able to crawl right up to them, and peek through.

I'd hoped that they'd feed back close enough to this bush again, to offer me a shot at tom. I'd have to wait til he was close enough, hope he'd be strutting, and turn his fan toward me, so he wouldn't see me rise up on my knees and draw.

At this point, I hoped when the hens saw me rise up and draw, and started putting, that he'd stand tall to see what was up, and I'd let one fly. I know It's a stretch, but hey, I'm already there, soaked and cold, so I might as well give it a shot, right?

There's a slight rise in the field in front of me now, so I can't see the birds from where I am, til they get within about 75 yards. No birds in sight.

I'd been there hunched over for a while, wondering if I'd spooked them at some point, when I saw a head pop up over the rise. Then another. Here they come! Not long after that, I could see the top of a fan.

Now I'd forgotten about being wet and cold, and the adrenalin started to kick in.

The hens fed directly toward me, and that gobbler got bigger with every step.

When the hens were about thirty yards out, they split off. One went a little to the left and the other to my right, but they kept coming, with tom about 20 yards behind them.

A few minutes later, and I've got two hens in front of me. One at about 15 yards, and the other one so close, I could have poked her with my bow.

That tom stayed right where he was, at about 50 yards. He strutted, and moved to the left and right, but he wouldn't come any closer to the edge.

I hoped with everything I had that the hens would decide to leave the field, walk past me, and bring him in to me, but no such luck.

The hens fed around the edge for a while, then slowly drifted back the way they came, taking the tom, and my hopes with them.

I let them get out of site, waited a couple more minutes, and headed back the way I came. Still soaked, and feeling the cold again, but it was a great hunt just the same.

I can't hunt tomorrow, but I'll be back out after him Friday.


Bob

[Bernie B.]

Well told story of your hunt Bob.  I wish more people would double space when telling stories - much easier reading!  Good luck on Friday, sounds like you had a great hunt today!    

Bernie

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Cool Hunt Bob. Hope you didn't catch a cold so you can be there Friday Morning.

[woodchucker]

Go git'm Bob!!!!! Many don't realize, that sometimes, it's easier to call in an Old Tom later in the season... Most of the Hens are nesting, and girlfriends are few & far between!!!

[Whitetail Addict]

I forgot to mention I heard two other toms gobble on the property I'm hunting this morning, and they'd probably (maybe) be easier to kill, but I have a thing for these old wary birds. I don't kill a lot of them, but I get obsessed with them, and can't leave them alone. That's not to say I may not weaken, if another bird gets close enough and I can make it happen, but I'm going to concentrate on this one in the time I have left to hunt.

Thanks for reading everybody. It's nice to be able to share this stuff with people that are actually interested in it. I appreciate it.

Bob

[huntmaster70]

Hang in there, the season isn't over yet!

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Headed out in the morning. Due to some unforeseen circumstances I will not be able to get to the woods until about 8. I am bummed but going to make the most of it.

[Whitetail Addict]

Sorry to hear that you won't be able to get out first thing in the morning Charlie, and it probably won't make you feel any better, but I know I've killed more birds after 9:00 Am than I have first thing in the morning. Just sayin'.     Best of luck tomorrow.    

Bob

[joe skipp]

Charlie...I usually hit the woods 6:30 to 7am. I'm off Friday so I plan on heading out. I find I do better between 9-12. Next few weeks should be good as the toms who don't have any hens will be very aggressive.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Thanks for cheering me up guys.

I was just venting a tad because it kills me sitting at home drinking coffee and watching the sun come up when I could be watching the woods come alive and maybe listening to thunderous gobbles from the roost.

It beats the alternative though, I could be at work.

It just stinks spending the last 2 years hunting around other peoples schedules. I cant tell you how many times I have had to climb down from my tree just as deer activity is picking up.

I'm sure guys who have kids can relate. I'm not complaining too badly though because I will remember where I am not.

Tomorrow due to the circumstances I will be picking up another trad brother with car troubles and he will show me some of his areas. It will be a great morning to be out and about with a good bud.

[huntmaster70]

Charlie, best time to hunt is when you can. Sometimes the toms are more receptive to a few calls later in the morning after their girlfriends go back to the nest. Good luck!

[Whitetail Addict]

Originally posted by huntmaster70:
Charlie, best time to hunt is when you can. Sometimes the toms are more receptive to a few calls later in the morning after their girlfriends go back to the nest. Good luck!

That's a very good point. I've actually followed a tom with hens on more than one occasion, for several hours, til the hens left him. Some I killed, some I didn't. But again, good point.

I had a really short hunt this morning.

A new day, with a new plan I thought might work. Worth a try, anyway.

The old tom and his hens flew down into the field as usual, but shortly thereafter, they spooked and ran into the woods.

A couple minutes later, two shotgun hunters that weren't supposed to be there, walked into the field about a hundred yards from me.

I walked out where they could see me, and they headed back the way they came. Hopefully for good!

I should have stayed to see what might develope, but I was so disgusted, that I came home.

I hope you guys had a better morning.

Bob

[Izzy]

Got out Wednesday with a buddy just to get some woods time. Zero gobbling but I did manage to call in a hen. She walked out of sight and a few minutes later I saw a flash of black running toward me from where she was. I thought she saw me and spooked but it turned out to be a black coyote. It circled me and got pretty close but once it got downwind it vanished like a puff of smoke. Never seen a live one before, super pretty animal.

[Whitetail Addict]

Glad you got out and had some excitement Izzy. I always get a kick out of calling in a hen, whether she brings a boyfriend with her, or not.

I had one come in by herself not long ago, and slap my decoy around with her wings. she beat on it for a couple minutes, then walked away.

I called in a couple coyotes on opening day myself. Same deal, they came trotting in, scented me, and were gone. I've never seen a black one in person though. Blond, grey, a couple as red/orange as a red fox, but never a black one.

Keep after 'em Izzy, good luck.

Bob

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Seeing a black Coyote is pretty Cool.

Yesterday was a nice day to be out with a good bud aside from not hearing or seeing a turkey and getting turned around for a bit.

It was a nice piece of public land and My friend has some ideas for deer season.

[Whitetail Addict]

I went over to my buddys place after dinner, to see what the birds were up to.

I snuck along the edge of the first field off the road, to a spot where can see a fair amount of the next field through some brush and small trees. I got the glasses out and took a good look, but didn't see anything in the places I could see.

I'd sat there for about 10 minutes, when 3 hens fed into view, headed toward me and to my left.

They eventually fed out of site and into the strip of brush separating the two fields, about a hundred yards from me. I glance back out into the field, and here comes that nice tom I've been fooling with, and he's got two buddies  with him. Cool!

The next thing I know, here come the three hens over the little knoll, and into the field I crossed to get where I am from the road.

They're hoofing right along towards the road now, and it dawns on me that they're going to cross the road and spend the night on the other side. But the toms are going to be lonesome in the morning, 'cause I see an opportunity.

I let the hens get a little further toward the road, and I hurried to where they'd entered the field I'm in, spooking them across the road.

In no time, the toms popped over the knoll, and I went at them as fast as I could with two bad knees. From where I'm at now I could watch them run up over the rise in the far field, back the way they'd come, toward the roost trees.

I've hunted turkeys too long to think I've got a sure thing set up for morning, but I'm really looking forward to being there when those toms fly down tomorrow.

Bob

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Good Luck Bob.

Yesterday After feeding the horses, I watched a Tom strutting like crazy for a  hen that was across the road. Neither wanted to commit to going to the other, both were in the middle of fields.

An impatient wife didn't want to see the outcome of who ended up where.

I hate to say it but I am done turkey hunting for the spring. this season I saw 5 jakes , 2 Toms, 8 Hunters, and one hen. Much better than last year.

[Whitetail Addict]

I got to my spot early this AM, and got set up against a big cherry tree with some nicely leafed out bushes in front of me. There's an old tractor trail between the two fields I mentioned, and It's a natural place for the birds to travel between the two.

I sat there waiting for the birds I saw last night to gobble, but didn't hear a peep out of them.

When it lightened up enough, I gave a fly down cackle, and waited for a gobble. Nope. What the heck? I separated the toms and hens last evening, and expected to hear some quality gobbling this morning.

A few minutes later I heard something to my left. I didn't dare turn my head, but not long after, one of the biggest coyotes I've seen came into view at about 20 yards, heading for my decoy. it winded me, and headed back the way it came.

I knew those birds were there somewhere, so I decided to wait them out.

I sat there for 5 hours, and heard one yelp in the field towards the road in all that time. Nothing showed up in the field I've been seeing the birds in every time I've been there.

I'd hoped that the toms would use the trail to get to the closer field, and the hens that I'd spooked across the road yesterday evening.

My back had enough after about the first two hours, but I'm stubborn, and I want a shot at that big bird in the worst way.

When I'd had enough, I thought I'd sneak up over the knoll and take a peek in the other field before I left, just in case.

It's just a few yards from where I was hiding to where the knoll crests, and I can start to see into the field.

I hadn't taken more than a few cautious steps, and there stands that big bird, at about 30 yards. He was headed right toward the tractor trail, and where I was hiding.  

He took a couple running steps, and flew in a semi circle, into the other field, and out of my sight behind some brush.

If I'd been carrying a shotgun, he'd have been a dead bird. He was plenty close, and there wasn't a twig between us. But I guess that's why we choose to hunt the way we do, for the added challenge, and the added satisfaction when everything comes together.

I instinctively drew on him, but I couldn't bring myself to risk wounding him. I probably wouldn't have connected anyway.

It's my own fault. I knew that bird was there somewhere, and I should have stuck it out a little longer. Just a couple more minutes, and he'd have been right in front of me at about 15 yards. He rarely gobbles, but if I'd heard just one, it would have kept me there, bad back or not.

That's the closest I've been to him so far, and the best look I've had at him other than at a distance with my binoculars, and he's even nicer than I thought he was. I'm pretty sure he's a better bird than the one I killed earlier this season.

I'll be back after him again tomorrow.

Bob

[woodchucker]

Hmm... Sounds to me like you had him all figured out Bob!!! You just forgot 1 impotant detail...

Take a Nap!!!!! It makes waiting them out,that much easier!!!  

[Whitetail Addict]

Originally posted by Cyclic-Rivers:
Good Luck Bob.

Yesterday After feeding the horses, I watched a Tom strutting like crazy for a  hen that was across the road. Neither wanted to commit to going to the other, both were in the middle of fields.

An impatient wife didn't want to see the outcome of who ended up where.

I hate to say it but I am done turkey hunting for the spring. this season I saw 5 jakes , 2 Toms, 8 Hunters, and one hen. Much better than last year.

Thanks Charlie. I must have been so excited to share my wonderful success this morning, that I missed your post.

The way I look at it, if you're able to get out and have some encounters with the birds It's a good season, and I'll add that you show a lot more sense than I do.

It's a disease with me. It's like I've heard said of the mafia. Just when you think you're out, they pull you back in.  :D  

Thanks again charlie.

Bob