The morning started just as many have for me in the turkey woods, but it sure didn�t end up that way.
We got set up and the woods were basically silent in terms of gobbling. I had heard one bird off the property before it even thought about getting light but that was it.
About 7:30 after several series of tree yelps, clucks and purrs with absolutely no reaction my buddy called one time and a bird gobbled.
After about 10 minutes another call brought yet another gobble and it was ALOT closer !
I said quietly, �Keep talking, he likes what you�re saying.�
A few minutes later and one more soft yelp later and we had a bird sounding off at what couldn�t have been any more than 50 yards away, just over the hill from our location.
Then, just when I knew we would see him pop over the hill and see our decoys, we did see a head but it was a HEN. She came in from our left, got just close enough to see our decoys, then headed the gobbler off and they went away just over the crest of the hill and he gobbled all the way. L
Then after about 20 minutes another bird answered in the woods behind us. He was apparently henned up as well because he never showed.
As we were gathering up our stuff and getting our plan together I heard another bird gobble off about 300 yards or so behind us and to the right.
We both knew where he was so we planned our approach and took off.
We went along the woods line up a hill through a pasture, got to the corner, jumped the fence and continued towards our intended destination where we would call and either set up or go on farther towards the bird.
We were now in a pasture field that consists of grass that is no more than �� tall, a pond, 30+ cows and rolling hills. Oh and LOTS of cow patties.
We get almost to the crest of the hill and slow our pace considerably. I would take a step and glass in front of us. Take another step and glass. You get the picture.
Then I took a couple pretty big steps and one of the cows moved to reveal two hens standing straight up at no more than 100 yards. So there we were BUSTED. We just stood there and I whispered �hens�. Then I added sadly, �we are busted.�
Then I heard a whisper from behind me, �There�s a fan!�
�Where?�
�By the cow.�
�Well DUH, which one?�
Before I could get an answer a big ole cow moved and there he was struttin his butt off.
I looked to the right and was just about to say as soon as they drop over the hill we will hustle towards them and bushwhack him.
Then I hear, �Let�s move backwards out of view and head back to the corner.�
Hmmm, ok that will probably be better anyway.
So we wait for as many cows to get between us and the 8 or so hens and the gobbler as possible and then slip backwards out of view.
We run to the corner and I drop my binoculars, slip out of my turkey vest and head up the hill on the far side of the field of where the birds are.
The plan was for my buddy to set up in the edge of the field, against the fence and call while I slipped up the hill to get as close to the point they were headed to as possible for a shot.
I start out running, then slow and stoop over, then when I think I am about to see a head I get on all fours and eventually end up laying as flat on the ground as possible and slowly easing up the hill.
I see 5 or 6 hens easing from right to left out of the field. They are headed out of the field and off the property and they passed in front of me at a distance of about 40 yards. As my buddy softly yelped they stopped, looked my direction then took about a 45-degree turn and headed on. I eased my hand backwards, shook it and held up a fist. Figured right now no calling was better judging from their reaction.
When they were out of sight I start doing my patented �sideways sneaky sneak� getting closer and to the left of my position all the time.
I stop and search for the gobbler but can�t see him. Then I see his fan just over the hill so I put my sneaky sneak into overdrive and gain another maybe 5 yards.
Then I get to see something I have never seen before with wild birds.
He mounted and bred her ! It was amazing to witness. I was laying face down in a cow pasture with absolutely NO cover and watching a long beard breed a hen at 90 yards !
He mounted her three times while I laid there and watched.
She then came RUNNING directly towards me. She stopped and shook real good then took off running again. Stopped, shook again and then just slowly headed in the same direction as the other hens had gone.
Then ole big boy came into full view over the hill. His head was red as red can get and he was struttin for all he was worth.
I could almost hear him saying, �I am DA MAN.�
I admit I snickered just a bit. I was honestly in awe as he was all blowed up struttin around. I know he was spittin and drummin but I never heard it if he was.
I was hoping he would gobble but he never did.
I also knew that all I had to do was lay here and he was gonna be mine.
The hen passed by me at no more than 30 yards.
After she went on by I got to thinking that I was pointing directly at the gobbler but he was still way on out there and when he got to where I could shoot him that would mean I was going to have to move to my left to shoot.
Decided that it would be better for me to go ahead and VERY slowly move to my left so that when he got to 25 yards I could pop him without moving.
At a pace that it would take high-speed photography equipment to see I began my movement of the shotgun and my upper body to the left.
When no more than I had started this stealthy movement I heard the dreaded PUTT, PUTT !! from behind me and to my left.
Out of reflex I looked to my left and the hen hadn�t left the field, she had turned to her left and was between me and the fencerow at a distance of TEN FEET !
I jerked back to the right to look at the gobbler and of course he was standing there on FULL alert.
I lined up the sights on his head and pulled the trigger.
He dropped like I had hit him with a brick !
I shucked another shell in and took off towards him.
When I got to him I just put my foot on his neck and kneeled down beside him. He flapped his wings a few times but that was it, he was done.
In all seriousness I still ain�t sure that I didn�t have a mild heart attack at that point. I was dizzy and according to my buddy, who kept asking if I was ok, looked as if there was absolutely no blood left in my body.
It took me several minutes and about a half of a coke to get my wits about me again. It was a very strange feeling that I have never experienced in my life at any time while hunting.
I like to think it was just all the buildup leading to the shot and then when it was over the adrenaline drop was just so massive it about took me out.
Anyway, after all the high fives, thank you's and pictures I went back, collected my spent shell and then stepped the distance off to the bird.
I will admit it was farther than I thought it was, but was still shy of my longest shot just last weekend by two yards.
62-yard shot, 21 pounds, 8 �� and 2� beards, �� spurs.
I have done a lot of things and killed quite a bit of stuff in my life but this was, by far, bar none, THE most exciting and memorable hunt of my life.
I have seen it said where sneaking up on a bird ain�t the same as calling one in. I have also said it ain�t really turkey hunting.
All I can say to that is I used the terrain, natural surroundings (cows) and woodsmanship to get within range of a mature gobbler in the middle of a 30 acre pasture that you couldn�t hide an Easter Egg in and got lucky enough to make it all work.
THAT my friends is what I�M talking about !
Yes, I was and still am VERY excited.
We got set up and the woods were basically silent in terms of gobbling. I had heard one bird off the property before it even thought about getting light but that was it.
About 7:30 after several series of tree yelps, clucks and purrs with absolutely no reaction my buddy called one time and a bird gobbled.
After about 10 minutes another call brought yet another gobble and it was ALOT closer !
I said quietly, �Keep talking, he likes what you�re saying.�
A few minutes later and one more soft yelp later and we had a bird sounding off at what couldn�t have been any more than 50 yards away, just over the hill from our location.
Then, just when I knew we would see him pop over the hill and see our decoys, we did see a head but it was a HEN. She came in from our left, got just close enough to see our decoys, then headed the gobbler off and they went away just over the crest of the hill and he gobbled all the way. L
Then after about 20 minutes another bird answered in the woods behind us. He was apparently henned up as well because he never showed.
As we were gathering up our stuff and getting our plan together I heard another bird gobble off about 300 yards or so behind us and to the right.
We both knew where he was so we planned our approach and took off.
We went along the woods line up a hill through a pasture, got to the corner, jumped the fence and continued towards our intended destination where we would call and either set up or go on farther towards the bird.
We were now in a pasture field that consists of grass that is no more than �� tall, a pond, 30+ cows and rolling hills. Oh and LOTS of cow patties.
We get almost to the crest of the hill and slow our pace considerably. I would take a step and glass in front of us. Take another step and glass. You get the picture.
Then I took a couple pretty big steps and one of the cows moved to reveal two hens standing straight up at no more than 100 yards. So there we were BUSTED. We just stood there and I whispered �hens�. Then I added sadly, �we are busted.�
Then I heard a whisper from behind me, �There�s a fan!�
�Where?�
�By the cow.�
�Well DUH, which one?�
Before I could get an answer a big ole cow moved and there he was struttin his butt off.
I looked to the right and was just about to say as soon as they drop over the hill we will hustle towards them and bushwhack him.
Then I hear, �Let�s move backwards out of view and head back to the corner.�
Hmmm, ok that will probably be better anyway.
So we wait for as many cows to get between us and the 8 or so hens and the gobbler as possible and then slip backwards out of view.
We run to the corner and I drop my binoculars, slip out of my turkey vest and head up the hill on the far side of the field of where the birds are.
The plan was for my buddy to set up in the edge of the field, against the fence and call while I slipped up the hill to get as close to the point they were headed to as possible for a shot.
I start out running, then slow and stoop over, then when I think I am about to see a head I get on all fours and eventually end up laying as flat on the ground as possible and slowly easing up the hill.
I see 5 or 6 hens easing from right to left out of the field. They are headed out of the field and off the property and they passed in front of me at a distance of about 40 yards. As my buddy softly yelped they stopped, looked my direction then took about a 45-degree turn and headed on. I eased my hand backwards, shook it and held up a fist. Figured right now no calling was better judging from their reaction.
When they were out of sight I start doing my patented �sideways sneaky sneak� getting closer and to the left of my position all the time.
I stop and search for the gobbler but can�t see him. Then I see his fan just over the hill so I put my sneaky sneak into overdrive and gain another maybe 5 yards.
Then I get to see something I have never seen before with wild birds.
He mounted and bred her ! It was amazing to witness. I was laying face down in a cow pasture with absolutely NO cover and watching a long beard breed a hen at 90 yards !
He mounted her three times while I laid there and watched.
She then came RUNNING directly towards me. She stopped and shook real good then took off running again. Stopped, shook again and then just slowly headed in the same direction as the other hens had gone.
Then ole big boy came into full view over the hill. His head was red as red can get and he was struttin for all he was worth.
I could almost hear him saying, �I am DA MAN.�
I admit I snickered just a bit. I was honestly in awe as he was all blowed up struttin around. I know he was spittin and drummin but I never heard it if he was.
I was hoping he would gobble but he never did.
I also knew that all I had to do was lay here and he was gonna be mine.
The hen passed by me at no more than 30 yards.
After she went on by I got to thinking that I was pointing directly at the gobbler but he was still way on out there and when he got to where I could shoot him that would mean I was going to have to move to my left to shoot.
Decided that it would be better for me to go ahead and VERY slowly move to my left so that when he got to 25 yards I could pop him without moving.
At a pace that it would take high-speed photography equipment to see I began my movement of the shotgun and my upper body to the left.
When no more than I had started this stealthy movement I heard the dreaded PUTT, PUTT !! from behind me and to my left.
Out of reflex I looked to my left and the hen hadn�t left the field, she had turned to her left and was between me and the fencerow at a distance of TEN FEET !
I jerked back to the right to look at the gobbler and of course he was standing there on FULL alert.
I lined up the sights on his head and pulled the trigger.
He dropped like I had hit him with a brick !
I shucked another shell in and took off towards him.
When I got to him I just put my foot on his neck and kneeled down beside him. He flapped his wings a few times but that was it, he was done.
In all seriousness I still ain�t sure that I didn�t have a mild heart attack at that point. I was dizzy and according to my buddy, who kept asking if I was ok, looked as if there was absolutely no blood left in my body.
It took me several minutes and about a half of a coke to get my wits about me again. It was a very strange feeling that I have never experienced in my life at any time while hunting.
I like to think it was just all the buildup leading to the shot and then when it was over the adrenaline drop was just so massive it about took me out.
Anyway, after all the high fives, thank you's and pictures I went back, collected my spent shell and then stepped the distance off to the bird.
I will admit it was farther than I thought it was, but was still shy of my longest shot just last weekend by two yards.
62-yard shot, 21 pounds, 8 �� and 2� beards, �� spurs.
I have done a lot of things and killed quite a bit of stuff in my life but this was, by far, bar none, THE most exciting and memorable hunt of my life.
I have seen it said where sneaking up on a bird ain�t the same as calling one in. I have also said it ain�t really turkey hunting.
All I can say to that is I used the terrain, natural surroundings (cows) and woodsmanship to get within range of a mature gobbler in the middle of a 30 acre pasture that you couldn�t hide an Easter Egg in and got lucky enough to make it all work.
THAT my friends is what I�M talking about !
Yes, I was and still am VERY excited.
