Thank goodness for two year old turkey's!!

I had to play the waiting game but patience and a little trickery closed the deal. The morning started off without hearing a single gobble. I was so cold I thought it was archery deer season.

It was 8am. before I heard the first gobble of the day. After a few soft yelps I got an immediate response. I decided to play hard to get so I stopped calling. After 20 minutes I saw a group of 4 hens accompanied by two jakes and one strutting long beard moving across the ridge about 60 yds away. I called again and the long beard and the jakes answered but kept walking across the ridgetop with their girlfriends leading the way. They gobbled a few more times as they walked out of sight. I then decided to move to the flat that I first saw them on, set out my decoy's and settled in for what I thought would be a long day. I made some soft purrs and yelps and immediately heard a gobble. I yelped again and this time he cut off my calling with a loud gobble and then I knew the game was about to get serious. He came across from the ridge top where he previuosly had gone with his hens and I watched him go into full strut. He was alone this time so I'm not sure if it was the bird I saw with the hens and jakes or a different one. I clucked a couple of times along with some yelps but he all he would do was strut back and forth just out of gun range. I decided to make him think he had some competition so I made a few gobbler yelps. He then immediately broke strut and came straight toward the decoys.

At 9:15am, I introduced him to a load of 3 1/2" Magnum, Federal Premium # 5 shot.

He wasn't the biggest gobbler in the woods but he sure made this old man feel young again.

"Ol' Three Toes" weighed a little over 18lbs. and carried a 9" beard. Left spur measured 1", the right spur 1 1/8".

Somewhere, John Lewis is smiling on you C'ville. Ear to Ear! Congratulations!:thumb:

Thank goodness for two year old turkey's!!

I had to play the waiting game but patience and a little trickery closed the deal. The morning started off without hearing a single gobble. I was so cold I thought it was archery deer season.

It was 8am. before I heard the first gobble of the day. After a few soft yelps I got an immediate response. I decided to play hard to get so I stopped calling. After 20 minutes I saw a group of 4 hens accompanied by two jakes and one strutting long beard moving across the ridge about 60 yds away. I called again and the long beard and the jakes answered but kept walking across the ridgetop with their girlfriends leading the way. They gobbled a few more times as they walked out of sight. I then decided to move to the flat that I first saw them on, set out my decoy's and settled in for what I thought would be a long day. I made some soft purrs and yelps and immediately heard a gobble. I yelped again and this time he cut off my calling with a loud gobble and then I knew the game was about to get serious. He came across from the ridge top where he previuosly had gone with his hens and I watched him go into full strut. He was alone this time so I'm not sure if it was the bird I saw with the hens and jakes or a different one. I clucked a couple of times along with some yelps but he all he would do was strut back and forth just out of gun range. I decided to make him think he had some competition so I made a few gobbler yelps. He then immediately broke strut and came straight toward the decoys.

At 9:15am, I introduced him to a load of 3 1/2" Magnum, Federal Premium # 5 shot.

He wasn't the biggest gobbler in the woods but he sure made this old man feel young again.

"Ol' Three Toes" weighed a little over 18lbs. and carried a 9" beard. Left spur measured 1", the right spur 1 1/8".

 

Great job cville, the seasoned veteran wins over ol' three toes again! :thumb:

Great story and what a great hunt, thanks as well for calling and sharing it with me this morining when you got back.:thumb:

Somewhere, John Lewis is smiling on you C'ville. Ear to Ear! Congratulations!:thumb:

 

Amen Doc....Ol' John is absolutely looking down and smiling today :thumb:.

On a side note, if cville had missed John would be looking down and laughing at him....:lol:

cvillecat congrads. Thanks for sharing your great morning hunt with us. I am heading out again in the morning looking for number two. Those 3 1/2" do the job. I'll take one of those two year olds any time. Good luck in the remainder of the season.

 

:thumb:Thanks. I'll be going for # two over the week-end. Tomorrow I will be tryng to help a buddy of mine get his first turkey ever.

You are correct about the 3 1/2, they do a great job but as I get older I dislike the kick they bring with them.

Good luck on your trek for # two. keep us posted.

Somewhere, John Lewis is smiling on you C'ville. Ear to Ear! Congratulations!:thumb:

:thumb: I agree Doc!!!! I feel like I always have John with me on every hunt. I have a poem I put together about him that I carry with me every Spring. I'll share it later.

 

Amen Doc....Ol' John is absolutely looking down and smiling today :thumb:.

On a side note, if cville had missed John would be looking down and laughing at him....:lol:

You are rght Oldrambler,he would have never let me live it down. As he used to say; "His turkey's are his and your turkeys are his too".:lol:

I sure would like to hear him say that just one more time.:cry:

I have a poem I put together about him that I carry with me every Spring. I'll share it later.

 

 

You are rght Oldrambler,he would have never let me live it down. As he used to say; "His turkey's are his and your turkeys are his too".:lol:

I sure would like to hear him say that just one more time.:cry:

 

:thumb: I agree cville, I miss him as well . As far as the poem, you wrote a beautiful poem about him and gets to me everytime :cry:. I am sure that others would love to see it.

Going for the 1st time this weekend....taking my son.

Father-in-law says they are everywhere on his farm.

 

So... do you have any pointers for a 1st timer???

 

We are hunting in Bradfordsville, Ky.....it is beautiful down there!

Going for the 1st time this weekend....taking my son.

Father-in-law says they are everywhere on his farm.

 

So... do you have any pointers for a 1st timer???

 

We are hunting in Bradfordsville, Ky.....it is beautiful down there!

 

First of all, kudos to you for getting out and taking your son. I am sure that both of you will enjoy it.

As far as avice, I can't help you a lot with turkey hunting. I would suggest that you get a hold of cvillecat (I have hunted with him since we were young boys and he is one of the finest woodsman that I know), he is always willing to help someone out. Spindoc is also an avid turkey hunter and would be another one that could give you some very good advice.

 

Good Luck. :thumb:

Going for the 1st time this weekend....taking my son.

Father-in-law says they are everywhere on his farm.

 

So... do you have any pointers for a 1st timer???

 

We are hunting in Bradfordsville, Ky.....it is beautiful down there!

Get as close as you dare, call sparingly (less is more) and the fact that your a newbie is all the luck you'll need. Hope you both whack one!!:thumb:

Went this morning, I swear that I must be a bad luck charm. Took a friend, called one across a field, turkey got to within 45 yds and saw something he didn't like, my friend says "I can take him", I said it's now or never.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was never.

 

 

 

Airmailed him. Turkey was headed to Ohio, may be in Pennsylvania by now.

 

Going solo tomorrow, and I don't care if it hairlips the Pope.

Going for the 1st time this weekend....taking my son.

Father-in-law says they are everywhere on his farm.

 

So... do you have any pointers for a 1st timer???

 

We are hunting in Bradfordsville, Ky.....it is beautiful down there!

 

The best advice I could give you is to have fun, hunt safely and obey all game laws. I can assure you that you are in for the thrill of a lifetime and I will warn you that turkey hunting is addictive.:lol:

Doc gave you great advice. Two things I highly recommend are....

1. Don't move. Turkeys have excellent eyesight and will pick up any movement.

2.Patience.patience and more patience.

Best of luck to you and your son.

Went this morning, I swear that I must be a bad luck charm. Took a friend, called one across a field, turkey got to within 45 yds and saw something he didn't like, my friend says I can take him, I said it's now or never.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was never.

 

 

 

Airmailed him. Turkey was headed to Ohio, may be in Pennsylvania by now.

 

Going solo tomorrow, and I don't care if it hairlips the Pope.

:laugh::lol:

Went this morning, I swear that I must be a bad luck charm. Took a friend, called one across a field, turkey got to within 45 yds and saw something he didn't like, my friend says "I can take him", I said it's now or never.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was never.

 

 

 

Airmailed him. Turkey was headed to Ohio, may be in Pennsylvania by now.

 

Going solo tomorrow, and I don't care if it hairlips the Pope.

 

If your a bad luck charm Doc I'm glad you didn't go with me this morning. I connected on a 2yr old 20lbs. with a 9in. beard and 1in. spurs. He wasn't the biggest bird in the world but he sure helped relieve that ich in my finger and now I can go after a big one.

I'm hoping to bag one this weekend.

The best advice I could give you is to have fun, hunt safely and obey all game laws. I can assure you that you are in for the thrill of a lifetime and I will warn you that turkey hunting is addictive.:lol:

Doc gave you great advice. Two things I highly recommend are....

1. Don't move. Turkeys have excellent eyesight and will pick up any movement.

2.Patience.patience and more patience.

Best of luck to you and your son.

 

Thanks All!! Going to enjoy it!