My Turn!! Spring Gobbler 2013

          After calling in a bird for my dad on opening day, I finally connected on my third time out this season.  I set up about 150 yards from this bird in the tree.  After some heavy cutting on a mouth call to a bird that was so hot in the tree that it gobbled at 5:15 am this morning,  I watched as he appeared on the trail in front of me at about 100 yards out.  Once he was visible I just shut up and let the decoy do the work.  He was spiting, drumming, and strutting all the way to the decoy for what seemed like half an hour but was really about 5 minutes.  I had to talk to myself to get my hands and legs to quit shaking during his long approach.  Once he was in range I played the (lets see how close he will get) game until he stretched his neck out real nice and I couldn't help but end it there.  16 paces later I was standing over him.  A great morning and a great hunt!  Taking my brother out on Thursday for a bird that I heard gobbling on my way out of the woods this morning.  Hopefully I will be posting pics of his bird on Thursday night.

Opening Day Spring Gobbler

     Took my dad out on opening morning where I had been hearing a few birds.  After an uneventful set up on a bird that never gobbled or even acted like it was spring, we connected on this bird 15 minutes later.  This Jake came in on a rope with a buddy and they both were in full strut at 10 yards before Dad took the shot.  Congratulations to dad on only his second ever spring bird.

Spring Gobbler 2012

     Last year I was spoiled and took a bird on the first day of the season.  This year I had to work my but off for an entire four days.  That is still a pretty short amount of time.  I have gone many seasons without even coming close to a shot.  I feel very fortunate to have had this quick success these last two years.  With another tag in my pocked, I will continue to hunt out the season trying to take another bird.  But even if I don't, It will still be fun being out there!

Opening Day of Pennsylvania Spring Gobbler

If I have learned anything about hunting big woods turkeys it is that once you think you have them patterned THINK AGAIN!  I really thought that I was going to be set up right in the birds bedroom this morning.  I even got there an extra half an hour early to prevent from spooking one out of the roost.  After sitting in the dark with forty minutes of anticipation behind me, no birds were gobbling.  Then I hear a faint gobble in the distance.  Upon inspection I realized that it was coming from the original spot that I wanted to hunt on opening day this year, but after scouting and not seeing any sign or hearing any birds I decided that I would hunt the far side of the valley that been home to birds all this spring and last.  Now I had a decision to make.  Did I really want to hike all the way back down one hillside, cross a stream with high cold water, and hike straight up the cliff on the far side?  The answer to that question is shown in the pictures above.  After making the long hike and my heart practically beating out of my chest, I caught up to the bird still gobbling.  I set up my decoy, got hidden, and made a few soft yelps.  Shortly after I saw the bird come around  the corner of the point in full strut.  A few seconds later he was joined by two jakes and all three began to run towards me after spotting the decoy.  They stopped at about 40 yards as the long beard went into full strut again.  They then advanced another 15 yards before I could finally get a shot at the Tom that would not result in me putting three birds on the ground.  The jakes finally moved off to either side and i split the uprights with 3 inches of #5 Hevi Shot!  It turned out to be the most intense easy hunt ever!!!  My only regret is that everything is so wet from the 40 days and 40 nights of rain that we have had made the bird not very photogenic.