Turkey Hunting 5/16

[tlbradford]

This is a continuation of my post from yesterday.
http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,27184.msg313419.html#new

I got set up early, put out a couple of dekes and let out a tree yelp.  Then I just sat and waited.  Here are a couple of deer that joined me.

[tlbradford]

About 30 minutes later I hear the hens in the roost starting up so I give out a fly down cackle and a gobble.  I am set up about 200 yards away from the roost.  Another 30 minutes later I am getting a gobbler fired up with a few clucks and purrs.  He is heading towards me so I shut up and stay quiet.  Then a hen yelps from about 50 yards away.  I mimic her.  She starts to cut a little and works her way down to my set.  She proceeds to walk back and forth cutting up a storm trying to impress my dekes I suppose.  All this time she is calling the gobbler into my set-up for me.  I decide to take her picture.

[tlbradford]

She spooks at the shutter and jets out of there, but only gives a single putt.  I cover it up with some clucks and then start to cut exactly like she was.  It works and the tom is now 50 yards away and coming in.  I have my gun up and the adrenaline going.  He spots my dekes and starts displaying from 40 yards out.  He finally clears all the brush after 5 minutes of showing off.  Now he spots my decoys and really starts to strut.  He gobbles about 10 times and I am hoping he comes in another 10 feet because there is a small twig between me and him. 

As he starts to step clear, he sees something on me that isn't right...The white from my camera, my shape against the tree...I don't know for sure, but I wasn't concealed at all at this point, just camoed and motionless with my back to the tree.  I am hoping he will calm down and continue but he sticks his head in the air as high as it will go and locks on to me.  He starts to turn and I know I am busted.  I aim for his head and squeeze the trigger.  Whiff.     He drops his head as I shoot and I feel like a *censored* for aiming at this head and not his wattles.  He was a nice bird, and I am pretty sure he was the same one I took pictures of yesterday.

[tlbradford]

I caught a nice running deer sequence but had my camera setting to "manual" instead of "Av".  It must have got bumped in the truck.  They really need a locking mechanism on that thing. Thank goodness for RAW.  I was able to salvage it.  Grainy, but at least it shows a picture.  I owe this one to Popes tutorial.

[tlbradford]

Anyway, it was a lot of fun again and the weather is great.  They are starting to get pretty active around Spokane.  Hope you enjoy the pictures.

[robb92]

Good pics!!! Thanks for posting them!

[Amsdad]

Great ongoing story on this hunt. Keep it up and let us know how it comes out..Thanks for the pics.

[tlbradford]

I'm thinking I should just leave the gun at home and post pictures for you guys.  Especially if I am going to keep blowing my chances this year.  This must be karma for passing up the smaller one earlier this season that everyone thought I should have shot.