CO. Opening day & lot of luck
CO. Opening day & lot of luck
Had this not happened to me I would not have believed it. Its proof that the gods of hunting have a sense of humor (and a lot of pity)
Arriving at my hunting area at about 5am, I got out of the truck and proceeded to finish putting on my camo and other gear. I did a quick check to make sure I had every thing I needed. That’s when I discovered I had left my turkey call in the garage. After berating myself for being such an idiot I loaded my shotgun and waited for the dawn.
My only hope was to locate a bird (I did not have time to scout before hand) and try to set up an ambush. As the sun peeked above the horizon the first gobble came from a distant ridge. Knowing that there were several hunters (vehicles were parked along the tank trails) between me and the bird I continued to wait. In total 5 gobblers let the world know that it was mating season and where were the hens.
I forgot to mention that I was hunting on a military base and had an assigned area that I could not hunt out side of. None of the birds were in my assigned area. Still muttering to myself I walked up the ridge hoping to stumble upon a silent gobbler. During the next 2 hours I saw 15 deer, 7 ravens, 2 geese and 0 turkey, although I did find some huge turkey tracks.
Then it started to snow. I did have wet weather gear in the truck so I hiked back. I put on my wet weather suit, poured a cup of coffee from my thermos and lit a cigarette. As I stood there smoking and feeling more than a bit like an idiot a jeep pulled up with another hunter and his young son. No sooner than the driver rolled down than the boy started exclaiming “We got a turkey, a big turkey!” Man his face was lit up like the sun.
I thought to myself that this was not such a bad day after all. The driver got out and showed me his bird. Turned out he was from the same state I was and this was his first Merriam turkey. While we talked I bemoaned my current state of callesness. He reached into his jeep pulled out a slate call and handed it to me. As I stood there thanking him but stammering my objections he said it would cost me. I told him I did not have any money. He said he just wanted a smoke as he had left his at home. “burn” I said “Here is the whole pack. We both chuckled a bit at that. I never did get his name. (If you are reading this man, I owe you. Thank you)
After he left I grabbed my gun and started back into the woods. After I had taken a couple of steps a truck pulled up. The driver asked if I could tell him how to get to another hunting area. I showed him on his map which way to go. Wanting to pass on the favor that the previous hunter had granted me I showed him where a strut zone was located in the area he was going to hunt. Smiling his thanks he drove off.
I walked about 50 more feet and decided to try the slate call. I gave it a few strokes to get the feel of it and stuck it back into my pocket.
I walked another 100 ft rounded a patch of scrub oak and was face to tail with a gobbler in full strut. At about 30 yds. I thought I was hallucinating. In one of those flashes of insight I realized that I did not have my full choke in, I had the modified. (When I jack something up, I really jack it up).
While his tail was still pointed in my direction I made the snap decision to try to close it to 20 yds. After 5 yds a hen I had not seen started sounding off in the scrub oak. Down came the tail and the gobbler turned in her direction. I froze. This was getting nerve racking.
The hen showed herself at the edge of the scrub oak. The gobbler went back into full strut again with the tail fanned towards me. I took a few more steps. The hen started moving away. Down went the fan. Its now or never. I shot. The bird flopped once got up and ran in the same direction as the hen.
$H!& !!! Clicking the safety on I ran to where they had gone into the brush. There he stood at about 15 yds, on a trail!!! Not wanting to further tempt fait I took very careful aim and squeezed the trigger.
My third career turkey! The hunting gods must be still laughing.
Will post a pic if I can figure out how to do it.
Arriving at my hunting area at about 5am, I got out of the truck and proceeded to finish putting on my camo and other gear. I did a quick check to make sure I had every thing I needed. That’s when I discovered I had left my turkey call in the garage. After berating myself for being such an idiot I loaded my shotgun and waited for the dawn.
My only hope was to locate a bird (I did not have time to scout before hand) and try to set up an ambush. As the sun peeked above the horizon the first gobble came from a distant ridge. Knowing that there were several hunters (vehicles were parked along the tank trails) between me and the bird I continued to wait. In total 5 gobblers let the world know that it was mating season and where were the hens.
I forgot to mention that I was hunting on a military base and had an assigned area that I could not hunt out side of. None of the birds were in my assigned area. Still muttering to myself I walked up the ridge hoping to stumble upon a silent gobbler. During the next 2 hours I saw 15 deer, 7 ravens, 2 geese and 0 turkey, although I did find some huge turkey tracks.
Then it started to snow. I did have wet weather gear in the truck so I hiked back. I put on my wet weather suit, poured a cup of coffee from my thermos and lit a cigarette. As I stood there smoking and feeling more than a bit like an idiot a jeep pulled up with another hunter and his young son. No sooner than the driver rolled down than the boy started exclaiming “We got a turkey, a big turkey!” Man his face was lit up like the sun.
I thought to myself that this was not such a bad day after all. The driver got out and showed me his bird. Turned out he was from the same state I was and this was his first Merriam turkey. While we talked I bemoaned my current state of callesness. He reached into his jeep pulled out a slate call and handed it to me. As I stood there thanking him but stammering my objections he said it would cost me. I told him I did not have any money. He said he just wanted a smoke as he had left his at home. “burn” I said “Here is the whole pack. We both chuckled a bit at that. I never did get his name. (If you are reading this man, I owe you. Thank you)
After he left I grabbed my gun and started back into the woods. After I had taken a couple of steps a truck pulled up. The driver asked if I could tell him how to get to another hunting area. I showed him on his map which way to go. Wanting to pass on the favor that the previous hunter had granted me I showed him where a strut zone was located in the area he was going to hunt. Smiling his thanks he drove off.
I walked about 50 more feet and decided to try the slate call. I gave it a few strokes to get the feel of it and stuck it back into my pocket.
I walked another 100 ft rounded a patch of scrub oak and was face to tail with a gobbler in full strut. At about 30 yds. I thought I was hallucinating. In one of those flashes of insight I realized that I did not have my full choke in, I had the modified. (When I jack something up, I really jack it up).
While his tail was still pointed in my direction I made the snap decision to try to close it to 20 yds. After 5 yds a hen I had not seen started sounding off in the scrub oak. Down came the tail and the gobbler turned in her direction. I froze. This was getting nerve racking.
The hen showed herself at the edge of the scrub oak. The gobbler went back into full strut again with the tail fanned towards me. I took a few more steps. The hen started moving away. Down went the fan. Its now or never. I shot. The bird flopped once got up and ran in the same direction as the hen.
$H!& !!! Clicking the safety on I ran to where they had gone into the brush. There he stood at about 15 yds, on a trail!!! Not wanting to further tempt fait I took very careful aim and squeezed the trigger.
My third career turkey! The hunting gods must be still laughing.
Will post a pic if I can figure out how to do it.
A 'Veteran' whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserve is someone who, at one point in his/her life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'United States of America,' for an amount of 'up to, and including his life.'
Re: CO. Opening day & lot of luck
Here is a pic. Will have others when the film gets developed.
- Jimmie and the Turkey.JPG (115.16 KiB) Viewed 4392 times
A 'Veteran' whether active duty, discharged, retired, or reserve is someone who, at one point in his/her life, wrote a blank check made payable to 'United States of America,' for an amount of 'up to, and including his life.'
Re: CO. Opening day & lot of luck
CONGRATS JL! Great story too!
I love to hear when others out and about stop to help a fellow hunter out. It sure is refreshing to hear. Thanks.
I love to hear when others out and about stop to help a fellow hunter out. It sure is refreshing to hear. Thanks.
Re: CO. Opening day & lot of luck
Congrats and great looking bird!