blueKYstream
5 year old buck +
I missed opening morning, because my wife had to work and I watched the kids. I checked on some grafts, cut grass and did a few things before heading out about 3:30 PM. I heard a couple gobbles near the house, but I think that bird will be easier to hunt. My dad hasn't killed one yet, so I wanted to leave that one for him. I went to the other side of the property. I snuck down a narrow trail in the woods to set up.
When I got there, I saw a turkey head scatter into the woods. I figured it was a hen, but didn't get much of a look. I sat down, called once and waited about a half hour when I called a second time. This time, I heard two gobbles. I answered every gobble with a couple short cuts and then yelps. After about 45 minutes of back and forth, the gobblers came within about 100 yards but they sounded like they wanted to stay up on the ridgetop. I went silent.
They gobbled 3 times and then one more gobble before they went silent. After 20 minutes, I made a few soft purrs and clucks. They gobbled again. I stayed silent. They stayed up on top the open ridgetop and got a bit closer. After another 20 minutes, I soft called again. This time they seemed to walk past me. I was fairly certain they weren't going to come in behind me, because I didn't think they would cross a small, dry and deep creek. I had a feeling if they did end up cresting the hill, they'd stay there until what they thought was a hen walked to them. For that reason, I left the decoy on the trail halfway down the hill and slowly made my way up the trail. I tried to sound like a turkey scratching the leaves as I made my way up.
I sat down 25 yards from the top of the hill and made a cluck. I didn't hear a response for a few seconds, which had me worried I scared them off. When they did gobble seconds later, they were right on top of the hill just out of sight. I waited only a minute or so before the first head appeared. Shortly thereafter, 2 others showed up. I waited to see which looked the biggest. I saw the first and third looked similar before the 2nd went into the woods. At that point, I thought "who cares" which is biggest. If I waited too much longer, they'd be on top of me and I won't be able to shoot any of them. I took the first at 15 yards. The second ran from the woods and beat the heck out of the flopping bird. I saw the second gobbler had a thicker beard, but I was happy to get one regardless. I sat there and watched for a few minutes. I didn't want to bump them, so my dad or I could potentially hunt them undisturbed later on. They continued gobbling before eventually walking off none the wiser.
When I got there, I saw a turkey head scatter into the woods. I figured it was a hen, but didn't get much of a look. I sat down, called once and waited about a half hour when I called a second time. This time, I heard two gobbles. I answered every gobble with a couple short cuts and then yelps. After about 45 minutes of back and forth, the gobblers came within about 100 yards but they sounded like they wanted to stay up on the ridgetop. I went silent.
They gobbled 3 times and then one more gobble before they went silent. After 20 minutes, I made a few soft purrs and clucks. They gobbled again. I stayed silent. They stayed up on top the open ridgetop and got a bit closer. After another 20 minutes, I soft called again. This time they seemed to walk past me. I was fairly certain they weren't going to come in behind me, because I didn't think they would cross a small, dry and deep creek. I had a feeling if they did end up cresting the hill, they'd stay there until what they thought was a hen walked to them. For that reason, I left the decoy on the trail halfway down the hill and slowly made my way up the trail. I tried to sound like a turkey scratching the leaves as I made my way up.
I sat down 25 yards from the top of the hill and made a cluck. I didn't hear a response for a few seconds, which had me worried I scared them off. When they did gobble seconds later, they were right on top of the hill just out of sight. I waited only a minute or so before the first head appeared. Shortly thereafter, 2 others showed up. I waited to see which looked the biggest. I saw the first and third looked similar before the 2nd went into the woods. At that point, I thought "who cares" which is biggest. If I waited too much longer, they'd be on top of me and I won't be able to shoot any of them. I took the first at 15 yards. The second ran from the woods and beat the heck out of the flopping bird. I saw the second gobbler had a thicker beard, but I was happy to get one regardless. I sat there and watched for a few minutes. I didn't want to bump them, so my dad or I could potentially hunt them undisturbed later on. They continued gobbling before eventually walking off none the wiser.
