Turkey Time
If you followed along last year, you'll remember that it was the first year I had much interest in turkeys. A fun hunt combined with some excellent tablefare really made me realize that I'd been missing out on a fun opportunity. There was no way I was missing turkey time this year.
I grabbed an over the counter leftover license and had a few options of locations to hunt. This was going to be a good opportunity to take Mabel to the woods so we headed to the east side so grandpa could be involved too.
I had planned on an early morning hunt but an opportunity to talk about science and fishing on the Serious Angler Podcast the night before meant we would get a late start. If you want to check out the episode you can find it HERE. It was a lot of fun to be a part of!
I also had a lot of confidence we would find a turkey mid morning and it might be more exciting than sitting in the hut. Lots of fresh turkey sign around but there were no turkeys to be found or called in. However it was a lot of fun and Mabel even got some time in with the box call. A late night up and Grandma and Grandpa's meant a 4:30 am wake up call wasn't happening the next day.
My dad and I decided to set up and wait in an area my brother had been seeing some activity. Other than a few deer it was dead. I decided it was time to make a move and my standards were any legal turkey. I moved down to the area we spent some time in before and the spot I gave the most confidence in. I was able to sneak through a fencerow and glass some turkeys right where I should have been set up. I don't get to scout since I don't live over there but I'm pretty sure after this year I've got it figured out.
The turkeys sort of spooked to the area I got my bird last year and I settled in. I really didn't have an opportunity to get a decoy out but I hoped I could convince a hen to come my way and bring a tom with her. I also knew if they stayed up there exactly how I could sneak up and get a bird. Within a couple minutes they were on the move and I was pinned down. There was a strutting Tom, a hen, and a Jake all loosely associated with each other coming my way.
I knew they’d either come right to me or cut through the fence row further down. I'd have one chance to move as they were going through the fence row but that was it. They of course didn't come right to me and I had to seize my opportunity and do some belly crawling. I still would need something to happen for them to get close enough. I didn't get much movement in and I could already see the hen and Jake. I was on the right side of the fencerow at least.
My standards had somewhat changed at this point as I was hoping for the Tom. He pushed the Jake right to me while following a little bit behind. I was holding off waiting for him to get close enough but he decided not to stray to far from the hen who was on a mission the other direction. My opportunity at the Jake began to fade and it was now or never. Unfortunately for him I decided it was NOW!