Well, made it out again this morning. Up at 3:30 and in the woods by 5, thats how you start a good day turkey hunting.
We had our second set by 6, and birds on the ground by 6:30.
On our first stand, we chirpped a few times to the birds while they were in thier tree, and we had a few groups replying around the valley. When they flew down, we talked at 'em a bit, but the closest birds walked slowly away from us after flying down from thier roost, to about 200 to 250 yards. We were thinking they were "gone", but a lone hen come in between us and the farther away birds and started chirping at them.
That interested one of the tom's in the group of 12 birds, and he started our way.
Just when we thought we would have some luck, that tom started running towards us as fast as he could, but disapeared under the hill we were sitting on, and appeared so fast, we were caught flat footed.
My hunting partner had a chance to get a shot off, but missed clean and that tom was up up and away flying down the canyon.
The shots made the other turkeys in this group head for safer pastures.....oh well, thats hunting!
We moved around the valley about 700 yards and tried calling to another group of jakes and toms that were talking it up to each other.
Next thing me and my youngest son knew, we saw fanned out tail feathers showing above the low lying brush.
They came directly to are dekes, about 9 birds, all jakes or toms, with the biggest leading the pack.
I had my son on him just as soon as we saw feathers, and when he paused a couple of times the boy was all ready.....EXCEPT he forgot to take his safety off! A bit of buck fever you could say....
and the big tom was getting impatient you could sure tell, and he was hearing me whisper to my boy "SAFETY! SAFETY!"
As he turned to go, I couldn't stand it any more, so before he jumped I let him have it, and my partner John hit the next biggest one. Birds Down.
A great hunt, with two birds down, and two sets with birds coming to call.
A fun time for all of us.
