I had a couple hunting buddies leave last Thursday and hunt in KS then on to West NE. I was planning to meet them Tue in NW NE, but they found rugged terrain and no turkeys on the public land. We ended up meeting in South Central NE where we normally hunt and also hunt North Central KS. I drove most of the night to get to a spot in KS I have hunted in the past. Slept in my Suburban for an hour and a half. It took me about four hours and three WIHA's to find gobblers. There were several strutters and a few jakes in a cut cornfield. After evaluating their direction, i decided I could get to a bottle neck in the field and call them up. I made a mad dash around them and carefully approached the field edge. I saw a red head at less than thirty yards. I was able to get in a position to see the ehole group and pick out two good long beards. They made it easy and lined their heads up and with one shot I was tagged out in KS. One with beard rot had a 6" beard, 25 lbs, and 1" spurs. The other was 10" beard, 23 lbs, and 1-3/8" spurs. Never made a call.
I struggled to find gobblers that would respond to a call in NE. They were grouped back up for the most part. I was able to fill my three tags and help my partner kill his three. The only birds we called up were right off the roost. It was Hot, Hot! Muggy and 85 - 90 degrees every day. We were in a tent and i think I smelled so bad after a couple days the tutkeys wouldn't get close. I usually hunt this area in late May, but went early this year and everything progressed more than when I usually go in late May. I have never worked harder to kill turkeys and I don't enjoy hunying them when they won't respond to a call or in hot weather. I filled my tags and enjoyed time with my buddies but the hunting was hot, full of gnats, mosquitos, ticks, chiggers, few gobbles, and stalking. I am glad it's over.
My best NE gobbler.
I was fortunate enough to take 6 long beards this Spring but I would say the hunting was not good and the money i spent on calls and the hundreds of hours of practice was of no use. I am not disappointed it is over.
