Jake’s First Bird – North Central MN Turkey

Few people I know are willing to put in the time, energy, and thought into becoming a hunter. Most are led into the sport by a friend or family member at a younger age, instilled with the tradition during the earlier parts of the game where it seems easier to learn. My friend Jake however, is a fairly accomplished hunter without having prior tutelage. Getting into hunting only a few short years back, the wild turkey is one species that’s eluded him. You may remember last year’s report from Ottertail County when we were oh-so-close to getting a bird. This experience was fresh on his mind all pre-season, and Jake took the numerous and necessary steps to learn what he could from that hunt and apply the findings to this season’s.

Turkeys rarely make it “easy”, and Jake’s “B” season hunt had been a challenging one. With few birds working the property he had permission on, yet with several stubborn bird encounters he had, we were ready to give it a go together. I soon learned what he was working against on the first property. Nothing. Nada. Zilch. Gobbling seemed like a foreign concept to the birds that were surely there (as confirmed by sightings later). That was fine, what’s another 4AM wakeup call for no reason.

About 9AM we headed to spot #2, a promising mix of mature pines, fields, and mixed wetlands. This type of terrain is fun to hunt, as the wetlands limit the bird’s mobility if they’re large enough, and set out a number of pinch-points and bird-traps as you hunt your way through it. As it were, the birds were along one of these “breaks” the way a walleye hangs tight along a dropoff. A faint gobble in the distance heard only by Jake, sent us along the spine of a small “bridge” of high-ground the separated two lowland areas.

A couple of calls later, a nearby gobble, and a bird that snuck in before our answering bird, offered up too great an opportunity at exactly 32 paces. Jake absolutely smoked this bird, putting him down for the count minus two-kicks. I was happy and proud for him, seeing him come full-circle in a matter of two-years of turkey hunting. We had patterned our guns, talked strategy, and spent the better part of a few days getting excited for the coming season. To see that bird on the ground was more than just a great story, it was a great time. Thanks Jake for letting me tag along!

Joel