ThePennsylvanian
Well-Known Member
Well, where's the pictures! You cant post a kill post w/o them, especially a first bird kill post!
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Spring 2020 Gobbler Season
- Thread starter woodsdog2
- Start date
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2018
- Messages
- 8,048
Working on it! Writing up the story now.
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2018
- Messages
- 8,048
My First Turkey (Long Read)
3:45 - woke up by got a late start
4:30 - left the house (1 hr drive to closest WMA)
5:30 - mother nature calls
5:45 - make it to a gate I found on onX map
I decided to slowly walk this road east since it was on top of a ridge and listen. I heard a lot of owl/owl calls.
6:05 - Faint gobble ~1-2 miles north west of road.
The road I was walking on showed that it had a old logging road that ran a finger north that would possibly put me in the direction of the bird.
6:20 - Y in the road. I heard a gobble SE of me.
I decided to walk to a point and call. Whichever bird answered would be the one I pursued.
6:30 - First call of the morning.. No answer
I decided to take the dog leg north road towards the first bird I heard. When I made it to the top of the ridge I heard a gobble. I returned a call, no answer. The ridge ran about an half a mile. The ridge ran north to south. I heard one or two gobbles while walking, but never when I called.
7:30 - I made it to the end of the ridge where a drainage takes you a creek bottom. Just then a gun goes off in the distance and I hear a gobble directly across the creek bottom in front of me.
7:45 - I called again. No answer. I decided to cross the creek bottom to see if I could close the distance to the bird. At the bottom I called, no answer. I made my way a few yards down the creek to found a shallow place to cross. I jumped a bobcat! I bet he was stalking me after hearing the yelps. The bobcat took off north directly up the right ridge where I was sure the bird was at. At this point I thought the hunt for that bird was over. I went to cross the creek on a log and the log broke. I splashed in the water and got wet. Now I knew the hunt for this bird was over. I sat down and had a bite to eat then decided I was going to take the drainage up and make a big loop back to my car.
8:15 - stopped at a cool rock formation in the drainage. Called, no answer.
8:25 - I made it to the top of the left (west) ridge (opposite of where I thought I heard the bird) and called. No answer. The finger of this ridge ran N to S so I was on the west side of it just below the peak.
8:35 - I checked onX to see where I wanted to head, put my pot call away, when out of no where I heard a gobble! Close this time. He had to be on the opposite of this ridge. I backed off 5 yard and found a tree to post up on.
8:40 - I got set up with my mask, gloves and mouth call and gave a soft, "yelp yelp yelp." No response.
8:45 - I waited 5 minutes without a response. I thought back and tried to gleam some of the advice I got from locals, videos etc. Just because he isnt gobbling, doesn't mean he isn't coming your way. He'll close the distance. I scratch the leaves a bit.
8:50 - I heard scratching. No gobble, I couldn't tell if it was a turkey or squirrel. I decided to turn my head over my right shoulder and do a light call. Yelp, yelp yelp, scratch. No answer.
8:55 - whatever it was had work its was to my left side. I was facing NW at a diagonal over the ridge. I shifted to my left W. I scratched the leaves some more, as I heard it scratch some leaves.
8:57 - RED WHITE AND BLUE Jelly Head just over the ridge. IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING was all I could think. I was trying to tell if he was legal but could only see his head. Just then he strutted just for a few seconds. I didn't see his beard but I noticed his fan was uniform. He turned parallel to me and I let him eat.
I thought I missed because I didn't see him flop. I quickly chambered another shell and ran across the ridge to find the bird flopping.
9:00 - I put my shaking boot on his leg. It's done! I let him leave this earth and then I said a prayer thanking God for all the blessings.
The shot was about 15 yards.
I took some photos, ate a granola bar, packed him up and headed for the vehicle.
Round trip was just shy of an even 4 miles!
When I made it to the creek bottum I jumped another gobbler! There was two jokers all along. One on each side of the drainage.
Big shout out again to @ThePennsylvanian for the choke, @Bigterp for the mouth and pot call, @woodsdog2 and @ImThere for advice and direction. You all played a part at getting me in the woods and after some turkey.
10:00 - back to the car
10:10 - pictures and logged at the game station. Shout of to Mr Freddy Holmes who was just a nice old feller who didn't mind taking a photo of my first bird. He got him set up all nice like on his truck. I wanted to get a photo of the turkey sitting on my honda civic ahah! @Anobody gaiters worked well, thanks for the quick delivery.
Measurements:
WT: 18lb
Beard: 9.25"
Spurs: 1" and 3/4"
Got home and breast and legged him. Got the beard, fan and legs off. Even pulled feathers to make fletchings! It was a very memorable day. It was Collie's fist turkey too! haha
3:45 - woke up by got a late start
4:30 - left the house (1 hr drive to closest WMA)
5:30 - mother nature calls
5:45 - make it to a gate I found on onX map
I decided to slowly walk this road east since it was on top of a ridge and listen. I heard a lot of owl/owl calls.
6:05 - Faint gobble ~1-2 miles north west of road.
The road I was walking on showed that it had a old logging road that ran a finger north that would possibly put me in the direction of the bird.
6:20 - Y in the road. I heard a gobble SE of me.
I decided to walk to a point and call. Whichever bird answered would be the one I pursued.
6:30 - First call of the morning.. No answer
I decided to take the dog leg north road towards the first bird I heard. When I made it to the top of the ridge I heard a gobble. I returned a call, no answer. The ridge ran about an half a mile. The ridge ran north to south. I heard one or two gobbles while walking, but never when I called.
7:30 - I made it to the end of the ridge where a drainage takes you a creek bottom. Just then a gun goes off in the distance and I hear a gobble directly across the creek bottom in front of me.
7:45 - I called again. No answer. I decided to cross the creek bottom to see if I could close the distance to the bird. At the bottom I called, no answer. I made my way a few yards down the creek to found a shallow place to cross. I jumped a bobcat! I bet he was stalking me after hearing the yelps. The bobcat took off north directly up the right ridge where I was sure the bird was at. At this point I thought the hunt for that bird was over. I went to cross the creek on a log and the log broke. I splashed in the water and got wet. Now I knew the hunt for this bird was over. I sat down and had a bite to eat then decided I was going to take the drainage up and make a big loop back to my car.
8:15 - stopped at a cool rock formation in the drainage. Called, no answer.
8:25 - I made it to the top of the left (west) ridge (opposite of where I thought I heard the bird) and called. No answer. The finger of this ridge ran N to S so I was on the west side of it just below the peak.
8:35 - I checked onX to see where I wanted to head, put my pot call away, when out of no where I heard a gobble! Close this time. He had to be on the opposite of this ridge. I backed off 5 yard and found a tree to post up on.
8:40 - I got set up with my mask, gloves and mouth call and gave a soft, "yelp yelp yelp." No response.
8:45 - I waited 5 minutes without a response. I thought back and tried to gleam some of the advice I got from locals, videos etc. Just because he isnt gobbling, doesn't mean he isn't coming your way. He'll close the distance. I scratch the leaves a bit.
8:50 - I heard scratching. No gobble, I couldn't tell if it was a turkey or squirrel. I decided to turn my head over my right shoulder and do a light call. Yelp, yelp yelp, scratch. No answer.
8:55 - whatever it was had work its was to my left side. I was facing NW at a diagonal over the ridge. I shifted to my left W. I scratched the leaves some more, as I heard it scratch some leaves.
8:57 - RED WHITE AND BLUE Jelly Head just over the ridge. IS THIS REALLY HAPPENING was all I could think. I was trying to tell if he was legal but could only see his head. Just then he strutted just for a few seconds. I didn't see his beard but I noticed his fan was uniform. He turned parallel to me and I let him eat.
I thought I missed because I didn't see him flop. I quickly chambered another shell and ran across the ridge to find the bird flopping.
9:00 - I put my shaking boot on his leg. It's done! I let him leave this earth and then I said a prayer thanking God for all the blessings.
The shot was about 15 yards.
I took some photos, ate a granola bar, packed him up and headed for the vehicle.
Round trip was just shy of an even 4 miles!
When I made it to the creek bottum I jumped another gobbler! There was two jokers all along. One on each side of the drainage.
Big shout out again to @ThePennsylvanian for the choke, @Bigterp for the mouth and pot call, @woodsdog2 and @ImThere for advice and direction. You all played a part at getting me in the woods and after some turkey.
10:00 - back to the car
10:10 - pictures and logged at the game station. Shout of to Mr Freddy Holmes who was just a nice old feller who didn't mind taking a photo of my first bird. He got him set up all nice like on his truck. I wanted to get a photo of the turkey sitting on my honda civic ahah! @Anobody gaiters worked well, thanks for the quick delivery.
Measurements:
WT: 18lb
Beard: 9.25"
Spurs: 1" and 3/4"
Got home and breast and legged him. Got the beard, fan and legs off. Even pulled feathers to make fletchings! It was a very memorable day. It was Collie's fist turkey too! haha
Last edited:
MN_Bowhunter4
Well-Known Member
Awesome story! Congrats on the bird. Sounds like quite the adventurous morning!
ThePennsylvanian
Well-Known Member
Congrats on the first tom, and a dandy at that!
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2018
- Messages
- 8,048
Thanks man. That choke and #5 2 3/4 shells did just fine at 15 yards
Congrats on a nice first tom! Thanks for sharing the adventure with us.
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2018
- Messages
- 8,048
Idk what is a lot for the area. The old timer said it was swamped Friday. They’ve had 15 birds killed in 1 week
- Joined
- Nov 1, 2018
- Messages
- 8,048
No doubt, whole different ball game. I think this was one of the rare hunts where the game just falls in your lap hah.
Nice job - congrats!
Great pics, great story, great hunt!
ImThere
Well-Known Member
Awesome! That’s what I love about Turkey hunting. You did it in its purest form. A gun, a call and leg work!
Congratulations!!
See you in a tree, Ricky
Congratulations!!
See you in a tree, Ricky
Tried a different choke tube on my 20ga Stoeger 3020 this morning for fun. Turned out to be $. This is Apex #9 TSS at 50 yards on a 12" target. Federal TSS was good, but not this good. And yes to the turkey snobs, I will shoot to 70 yds all day long. I like longer shots, they are more fun to me.
ImThere
Well-Known Member
Tried a different choke tube on my 20ga Stoeger 3020 this morning for fun. Turned out to be $. This is Apex #9 TSS at 50 yards on a 12" target. Federal TSS was good, but not this good. And yes to the turkey snobs, I will shoot to 70 yds all day long. I like longer shots, they are more fun to me.
That’s a beautiful pattern.
What’s that look like at 15-20 yards? Those tight chokes and patterns out to 50 make me nervous! Lol
See you in a tree, Ricky