bamaranger
New member
I found a tremendous strut zone Weds and hunted it for 2 hours. Had to work Thurs AM. Fri AM I was back in place along that gravel road by 6:30AM.
Brushed in a portable blind, and was hunting before 7:00. I wasn't worried about the birds seeing me, but didn't want a passing truck to spot me and the blind. I felt pretty silly next to a road. And I didn't want some road warrior to get the idea that this might be a hot spot. At about 7:45 a big hen came into view, bugging along. When a gobbler sounded off barely audible, some distance away, she hid in the tall grass!!, then came back into view and worked out of sight the way she came.
At 9:15 a young hen appeared, again, coming down from the east and worked right past the blind at about 30 feet.
I was calling about every 15-20 min, opening with hard clucks, then softer series of yelps, all on my gift slate. At 10:30 I glanced west and saw a gobbler briskly walking down the middle of the road toward my hide. He closed in quickly and stopped in front of the blind, appx 20 ft away and clucked once. No shooting window just there, and a screen of brush to boot. Then he began to drift further left, creating a little distance, and easing into view of one of the windows. As he came into view I realized he was a jake. I didn't hesitate long.
I like to shoot close turkeys low on the neck, below the wattles. I lined up and shot, a shower of feathers showed a solid hit and a crumpled turkey. It was 13 paces to the very dead bird.
He was "just" a jake, but I was pleased w/ a slick set up and a morning of seeing turkeys up close. I beat it home and cut him up fast, and just made it to work at 1:30 PM.
Sorry no pics, I was in a big hurry, alone, and I'm not sure on the posting pic bit anyhow.
Oh yeah, this juvenile bird's wing tips were not broomed. I doubt he was doing any strutting on this spot, or much anywhere else. And the gobble in the distance did not sound like a jake either. So I'm betting there's still an old bird there. I've hunted the spot twice since, Monday in pretty bad weather, and today briefly before lunch, saw a hen again on todays hunt.
No more strut marks or gobbler tracks. No gobbles either, but I was a little late on both days.
If I can get up in the AM, I will hunt out on the powerline ROW to the south,where I heard the gobbles that AM, and where I can stake out a jake/hen decoy set. Tomorrow will be my last chance to hunt in the AM as I go to day shift for the last two days of the season.
Brushed in a portable blind, and was hunting before 7:00. I wasn't worried about the birds seeing me, but didn't want a passing truck to spot me and the blind. I felt pretty silly next to a road. And I didn't want some road warrior to get the idea that this might be a hot spot. At about 7:45 a big hen came into view, bugging along. When a gobbler sounded off barely audible, some distance away, she hid in the tall grass!!, then came back into view and worked out of sight the way she came.
At 9:15 a young hen appeared, again, coming down from the east and worked right past the blind at about 30 feet.
I was calling about every 15-20 min, opening with hard clucks, then softer series of yelps, all on my gift slate. At 10:30 I glanced west and saw a gobbler briskly walking down the middle of the road toward my hide. He closed in quickly and stopped in front of the blind, appx 20 ft away and clucked once. No shooting window just there, and a screen of brush to boot. Then he began to drift further left, creating a little distance, and easing into view of one of the windows. As he came into view I realized he was a jake. I didn't hesitate long.
I like to shoot close turkeys low on the neck, below the wattles. I lined up and shot, a shower of feathers showed a solid hit and a crumpled turkey. It was 13 paces to the very dead bird.
He was "just" a jake, but I was pleased w/ a slick set up and a morning of seeing turkeys up close. I beat it home and cut him up fast, and just made it to work at 1:30 PM.
Sorry no pics, I was in a big hurry, alone, and I'm not sure on the posting pic bit anyhow.
Oh yeah, this juvenile bird's wing tips were not broomed. I doubt he was doing any strutting on this spot, or much anywhere else. And the gobble in the distance did not sound like a jake either. So I'm betting there's still an old bird there. I've hunted the spot twice since, Monday in pretty bad weather, and today briefly before lunch, saw a hen again on todays hunt.
No more strut marks or gobbler tracks. No gobbles either, but I was a little late on both days.
If I can get up in the AM, I will hunt out on the powerline ROW to the south,where I heard the gobbles that AM, and where I can stake out a jake/hen decoy set. Tomorrow will be my last chance to hunt in the AM as I go to day shift for the last two days of the season.