huntaholic Posted April 20, 2007 Report Share Posted April 20, 2007 All hunting was done on public land. The adult who took me was Gunner Johnson (IA NWTF V.P.) This is only my 2nd year turkey hunting. Last year I was lucky enough to get a jake, but this year is different. It was an eventfull weekend to say the least. Friday morning started off well, setting up within 100yds of a roosted gobbler. Gunner made a few soft yelps and before I knew it the bird jumped roost and landed in a tree not 30yds away. He put on quite the show, spitting and drumming and strutting on the limb, not to mention gobbling his head off. After about 15 minutes he flew down 10yds away and continued the show. I was not able to get a shot off because I couldnt turn to the right. Finally he went into full strutt and faced away from me so I tried to turn, what a great idea that was. Well, he ended up running off and we tried to get on another bird but were unsucessful. One of our friends was hunting at the same place though and his kid scored on a 9 1/2" with 7/8" spurs that weighed 22.5lbs. Later that day at about noon we had a coon walk less than 10yds away from us. We stood up and tried to scare it off but it just stood there. Finally we threw a stick at it and it made this wierd growling noise, bit the stick and fell asleep in the middle of the woods. The next day was much more eventfull. We met in the parking lot with a friend and discussed where we would sit for the morning. Before we split up he pointed across the field at a big oak tree where he saw several hens go in the night before. It was also where he heard the last gobble. We made our way across the field to set up on the edge of the woods near the tree. Well, when we got about 20yds away from the tree we looked up and saw three birds, looks like he pointed to the right one! We backed away and set up about 30yds from the tree. You could hear them spitting and drumming and gobbling a whole lot. Shortly after shooting the two gobbs flew down 60yds out in the field and put on quite a show. They were strutting for about half and hour before the hen flew down and led them the opposite direction. I was pretty dissapointed since on of those birds was pushing 12" and his beard was over 1" wide, now thats what I call a MONSTER. We sat for a while and tried to call them back, and were sucessful. They also brought along two more longbeards. The only problem was once the saw our decoys the went back into the woods on an old road. Oh, and I almost forgot the deer that came within 5yds away that I got a pic of. We had them figured out. They would fly down, strut along the field edge, and go work that old road all afternoo and then come back to roost. By this time it was already noon. We walked a mile back to the truck, grabbed something to eat and were back out by one. We knew we had to be out early because the day before the bird were out there by three. We sat there for a very long time, calling only every half hour or so. Several times we called in a hen but she finally left. We were also entertain by a little squirrel that we always thought was a turkey coming. The last call we made was a gobble call. About 5-10min later Gunner heard something off to his right and thought it was the squirrel, WRONG. Two of the smaller birds had came back and were now only 5yds away from him. They continued to make there way to the field edge, only to get hung up in a fence for about three minutes. They had been there for probably a minuite before I finally looked over, only to see two beet red heads only 10 yds away, but I couldnt turn to the right again. My gun was laying across my lap and there was no way I was going to get it up. Each time they slipped behind a tree I would slowly move my gun. They were now about 20yds into the feild which made it total of 30yds and I knew I had to make my move. I began to move my gun quicker and the one saw me and began putting and walking away as the other one just stood there. I brought the gun up quickly and BANG! I dropped the dumb one at 30yds. He had a 10" beard, one spur was 7/8" and the other was broken and was only 1/4" long, the scale said 18lbs but we figured it was at least 22. Well I have now scored two years in row and still have 4th season left. All I can do is keep my fingers crossed and hope to get lucky enough to fill that tag too. Sorry about the long story, I am a little excited. Here are the pics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stick Posted April 21, 2007 Report Share Posted April 21, 2007 Congrats On A Great Bird! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dartonman Posted April 21, 2007 Report Share Posted April 21, 2007 You are becoming a fine turkey hunter....congrads on a very nice looking bird......great story....fine eating right there....al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bonemass Posted April 21, 2007 Report Share Posted April 21, 2007 Congrads on the Bird .....Good shoot'in !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbeck Posted April 22, 2007 Report Share Posted April 22, 2007 Good job, nice bird. ATTA-BOY Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted April 22, 2007 Report Share Posted April 22, 2007 Nice bird. Congratulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest outdoorgirl Posted April 22, 2007 Report Share Posted April 22, 2007 Congrats on your bird !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Huntergirl Posted April 22, 2007 Report Share Posted April 22, 2007 Congrats on your bird buddy!!!!! Way to go!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted April 22, 2007 Report Share Posted April 22, 2007 nice bird!! Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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