Southern Sportsman
Well-Known Member
I struck out a couple places early yesterday. Storms were rolling through, but I drove to another spot and made a plan for the afrernoon. I checked the radar, set my alarm for 1 hour, and took a nap in my truck. Woke up and the rain had passed and it looked like I had a couple hours before the next line hit. I headed out hunting slow making sure not to bump anything as I checked fields. I made it to the far side of the farm without finding a turkey. It was starting to get dark again off to the west and I had just enough time to hunt my way back to the truck before the rain hit again. I dont mind hunting in rain, but the next line on the radar looked pretty serious. I was on a high spot about to turn back when it thundered in the distance. A turkey gobbled 200-300 hundred yards near the edge of a big field below me.
I moved in 100 yards or so and set up on a pinch point where his field passed into a smaller field. (I'll call this point A). It was getting windy so I called pretty loud on a box. He answered and I waited. I called again 15 minutes later but no answer. Soon the storm got closer and he gobbled again at thunder. He was in the same spot roughly 200 yards away. There is a small finger of woods leading towards his edge of the field, but it is a miserable mix of privit and greenbrier perfectly suited for rabbits and not much else. He gobbled a couple more times from the same spot so I decided to suck it up and make a move. The wind and rain helped cover the noise and - now bleeding from the numerous briar scratches - I made it to a point near the field edge (Point B). I thought I was within 100 yards of him. I clucked and yelped on a wingbone but got no answer. 15 minutes passed and another clap of thunder drew another gobble - this time 300 yards on the other side of the field. Figuring that he had moved away from me I eased up to where I could see part of the field. I saw a turkey strutting well out in the field moving right to left towards a block of woods east of Point A. I moved north back through the thicket. I was planning to move through another field north of all the action to circle around in front of him. When I came to this field (100 yards north and accross the thicket from Point B) there were 4 jakes at 40 yards. They were spooked but I yelped just to stop them long enough to confirm that they were jakes. I then pressed on moving back towards Point A. By now the storm was fully upon me. Lightning was serious and I was thinking how stupid it was to be playing outside in that kind of storm. I made a conscious effort not to get close to the tallest trees. I got to a spot near a short tree and waited. More thunder and the bird gobbled in the woods east of Point A. That's where the strutter looked to be heading when I saw him. As I was planning my move another clap of thunder rumbled and the turkey gobbled back near Point B, from where I had just come. He was closer than the other so I backtracked again. It sounded like he had moved out of the field, but no way would he come through the briar thicket. I figured he would move NW where he could stay in more open timber. I moved back to the spot where I had seen the jakes. I wanted to wait for him to gobble again so I could course him before setting up. I found a forked tree, leaned my gun against one fork and I leaned against the other. I was looking through the fork at a tangle of briars waiting for thunder when a bright red head materialized through the vines and pouring rain, looking intensely in every direction. He was 40 yards away. My gun was 1 yard away. Fortunately it was thick. He went behing a clump of briars and I slowly reached for my gun. He stepped out, now 35 yards. I now had my gun in my hands but was definitely not in position to shoot. He stepped behind another clump. I raised my gun and trained it on the last opening I would have, aiming between the fork of my tree. I love my fastfire since switching a few years ago, but they are not ideal for driving rain. It was blurry at best, but I could just make out his red head when it came into view. I settled my red dot over that red dot and ended one of my more memorable hunts.
I picked him up and brought him back to my forked tree. I laid him down to admire him and saw a morel right next to his head. Searched around and found a dozen or so. I also found two antler sheds on the way out. It's worth noting that I found a 4 leaf clover about 30 minutes before this turkey gobbled. Never had one work quite so well. I thought about buying a scratch off ticket on my way home, but I figure a 4 bearded thuderstorm gobbler, a dozen morels, and two shed antlers is all the luck anyone can expect from one 4 leaf clover.
I moved in 100 yards or so and set up on a pinch point where his field passed into a smaller field. (I'll call this point A). It was getting windy so I called pretty loud on a box. He answered and I waited. I called again 15 minutes later but no answer. Soon the storm got closer and he gobbled again at thunder. He was in the same spot roughly 200 yards away. There is a small finger of woods leading towards his edge of the field, but it is a miserable mix of privit and greenbrier perfectly suited for rabbits and not much else. He gobbled a couple more times from the same spot so I decided to suck it up and make a move. The wind and rain helped cover the noise and - now bleeding from the numerous briar scratches - I made it to a point near the field edge (Point B). I thought I was within 100 yards of him. I clucked and yelped on a wingbone but got no answer. 15 minutes passed and another clap of thunder drew another gobble - this time 300 yards on the other side of the field. Figuring that he had moved away from me I eased up to where I could see part of the field. I saw a turkey strutting well out in the field moving right to left towards a block of woods east of Point A. I moved north back through the thicket. I was planning to move through another field north of all the action to circle around in front of him. When I came to this field (100 yards north and accross the thicket from Point B) there were 4 jakes at 40 yards. They were spooked but I yelped just to stop them long enough to confirm that they were jakes. I then pressed on moving back towards Point A. By now the storm was fully upon me. Lightning was serious and I was thinking how stupid it was to be playing outside in that kind of storm. I made a conscious effort not to get close to the tallest trees. I got to a spot near a short tree and waited. More thunder and the bird gobbled in the woods east of Point A. That's where the strutter looked to be heading when I saw him. As I was planning my move another clap of thunder rumbled and the turkey gobbled back near Point B, from where I had just come. He was closer than the other so I backtracked again. It sounded like he had moved out of the field, but no way would he come through the briar thicket. I figured he would move NW where he could stay in more open timber. I moved back to the spot where I had seen the jakes. I wanted to wait for him to gobble again so I could course him before setting up. I found a forked tree, leaned my gun against one fork and I leaned against the other. I was looking through the fork at a tangle of briars waiting for thunder when a bright red head materialized through the vines and pouring rain, looking intensely in every direction. He was 40 yards away. My gun was 1 yard away. Fortunately it was thick. He went behing a clump of briars and I slowly reached for my gun. He stepped out, now 35 yards. I now had my gun in my hands but was definitely not in position to shoot. He stepped behind another clump. I raised my gun and trained it on the last opening I would have, aiming between the fork of my tree. I love my fastfire since switching a few years ago, but they are not ideal for driving rain. It was blurry at best, but I could just make out his red head when it came into view. I settled my red dot over that red dot and ended one of my more memorable hunts.
I picked him up and brought him back to my forked tree. I laid him down to admire him and saw a morel right next to his head. Searched around and found a dozen or so. I also found two antler sheds on the way out. It's worth noting that I found a 4 leaf clover about 30 minutes before this turkey gobbled. Never had one work quite so well. I thought about buying a scratch off ticket on my way home, but I figure a 4 bearded thuderstorm gobbler, a dozen morels, and two shed antlers is all the luck anyone can expect from one 4 leaf clover.
