Well our season started out with high hopes. Mike and I and my daughter Danielle put a group of birds to bed last Tuesday night. Set up our blind went back to camp and got ready for the morning hunt. Met Brad at 4:30 and headed to the blinds in anticipation for a great morning. We had a two blind set up in a field with me in one blind, and Mike, Danielle and Brad in another. The game plan was that if multiple birds came to our set up, I would shoot one with my bow, while Danielle would follow up with her 12 gauge. If a single bird came in, Danielle would fill her tag. Brad was behind the camera hoping to get the action on film.
Needless to say the birds were not cooperative that morning.
They came out but stayed at the opposite end of the field we were in all day long. A decision was made to reposition our set up by mid afternoon hoping to catch the birds coming back to their roost in the evening. Got set up at our second location without being detected and waited for the birds. They were not interested in our calls at all that day. After waiting all afternoon, the birds were finally on the move again…but in the wrong direction! Brad took Danielle and headed down the field in hopes that they could catch them coming back to the field. Unfortunately they never appeared again that day.
We decided that we would have one blind down where we saw the birds strutting in the morning and one blind up where the birds went to roost. And would try it again on Thursday morning. Once again we settled in to our blinds, but the wind was blowing and gusting pretty good and we were having trouble hearing anything that morning. Finally we hear a gobble and look down the field and he’s right above Mike and Brad. Danielle is in the blind with me and I told her to get ready to enjoy the show as this bird was headed for their set up. He got about 100 yards out and decided he didn’t like what he was seeing. Turned and started coming around to us. I thought great, one way or the other this bird will be going back to camp with someone. Never happened. A hen came out and he followed her for a while before deciding he’s had enough of our calls and decoys and left. Mike and Brad could hear him gobbling behind them, but we could not with the wind blowing. By about 9:30 or so we decide that Danielle and I would try and get on him so Danielle could get a crack at him. Put the sneak on but by the time we got down and around to where he was at, he was gone. Went over to Mike and Brad and they decided to head to a different farm to hunt. Danielle and I decided to do a little running and gunning on the farm we were already on. Headed to the woods and a valley where we could get out of the wind and hopefully hear some gobbling.
By about 10:30 or so we found a spot to grab a bite to eat and take a quick nap. After about 45 minutes or so decided to change locations again and walked down the bluff towards a field at the bottom. Got to a spot where the wind wasn’t blowing that hard and we could finally hear. Set up one more time and waited. Five minutes later I could hear something coming up the trail to us, told Danielle not to move as I could see a coyote working his way right to us. He spots us when he’s only 5 yards from us and starts trotting away. He didn’t make it too far as I hit him with the 3 1/2 inch Winchester Supreme turkey load.
After taking some photos we worked our way thru the woods setting up and calling all afternoon, but could not get anything to respond. Went back to the blind for the evening and had a tom show up but would not come in. I believe he was the same bird we saw earlier that morning and could tell he was not a very dominate bird. When we were finished for the day we reset one more time hoping that the third time is the charm for the next morning. As it turned out it was…and Danielle will be posting her story and pictures soon.
The next day after she filled her tag, I brought her back to camp for her much needed sleep so I could go back out and do some running and gunning on my own. I love this type of hunting, trying to locate the birds and call them in. Decided to hunt a farm that joins the farm we were on in the morning. Stopped along side the road, hit the box call and one responds right below the truck. Grabbed my gear and was off. Hit the call one more time to make sure he was there and off I went. I needed to make my way down and around him so I wouldn’t spook him. Made it almost to the field edge and hit the call and he sounds off about two hundred yards up the field. Amazed he made it that far I took off after him. He hits my call every time I call but I can not make any ground on him. He has a nice field he is walking in and I am trying to catch him running up and down the hills, thru brush and briars. Finally after chasing him almost 600 yards down the field I made it in front of him. I can hear him drumming and the gobbling and he sounds like he’s only 25 yards or so in front of me, but it’s so thick I can not see him. I just wait him out. I soon realize why he was going so fast down the field, he was with a hen and she did not want anything to do with the hen that was calling to her boyfriend. She finally took him straight up the ridge away from me and there was no way I was going to go after him. He whooped me. Start heading back to the truck and what do I see right below my truck. The tom that first answered me when I started this little trek across country. My butt was dragging, but what do you do…you have to try and get on this bird. I head back in to the woods and put the sneak on. Got within 75 yards and start calling…Boom! He answers me (why couldn’t he do that the first time before I started chasing the other one?!?!). Game on! Played with him for a half hour before it started to drizzle and rain. He then decides to turn and go across the road from me, past my truck and up the other side of the ridge. Game over! Need to get to the truck as I am exhausted, wet and thirsty. Get to the truck collect my thoughts and drive up to the farm we hunted this morning where Danielle shot her bird. As I am pulling up I see a bird crossing the field next to the drive way. Quick park, grab my stuff and run up to where I think it might cross. Gave a soft yelp and the bird gobbles!! He’s up further than what I thought so I have to run another 50 yards and settle in. Gave one more call he answers me and is in full strut when he gets to the driveway. Took aim and hammered him in the middle of the driveway. I was kind of dumbfounded. Chasing two different turkeys earlier, butt just a dragging, and then see a bird, jump out of the truck and have it happen in less than five minutes was just crazy. Thank you Lord for another crazy, exhausting but enjoyable season…both with my brother and daughter.
Also like to thank Brad for tagging along with us for part of the week. Danielle appreciated you taking time to try and get a kill on film for her. It’s not always about the kill, but the friends and family who share that time together and doing what we love to do.
Congrats on your bird and yote too! 
