Osage Roost
All Hunting => Fall Turkey Hunting => Topic started by: hawglips on November 07, 2014, 07:54:30 AM
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Last week I did some homework on google earth, and then got up early enough to make the out of state drive to where I wanted to be. I didn't encounter any big surprises walking through the woods and cut-overs in the dark, and found myself close enough to where I wanted to be before first light Saturday morning. I had no idea if any turkeys were in the area but a couple years back had found a flock of hens not too far away from that land. So I figured there was a chance there would be some around. It looked pretty good on the computer screen, so what the heck.
As fly-down time came, I started trying to locate something. Apparently, the place I'd ended up wasn't near any roosted birds, so I began to comb the area, slowly working mostly box calls trying to locate birds. I always enjoy exploring new ground and I was satisfied with making this a scouting trip if I never found any bird action. Acorns were everywhere, but no fresh sign was found, so I decided to spend some time near another type of food source, and worked my way to a couple small, overgrown fields. I stayed there calling for about 30 minutes then decided to head towards another area not too far away. By then it was 9:30. As I turned to leave, a group of 4 longbeards who had been silently coming in to my calling busted me. Two took off flying and two more running, so without breaking stride I ran into them to scatter them as best I could. After being satisfied I'd done my best, I cut some oak and maple branches to make me a little blind so I could sit for as long a spell as I could.
After I finished that, I looked at my watch and it was 15 minutes from the scatter. So, I sat down and positioned myself in the general direction they scattered towards, and where I was facing the likely places one might travel into gun range.
So, I immediately started up a call routine. I did gobbler yelps on two different box calls and a mouth call so that I'd sound like multiple birds already getting back together.
Within 10 minutes of starting to call, a bird answered me with a one note yelp about 75 yds away in some pines directly in front of me. It sent my heart into my throat and got it pounding, just like as if it had been a spring gobble. It was thick over there, and so I got my gun up on my knee and answered with the mouth call. He called right back with a 3 note yelp and I figured it was on. I figured the two places he'd most likely come out of the thick stuff was to the right about 40 yds away, or to the left about 30 yds away. It sounded like he was headed to my left so I pointed my gun over there, but shifted slightly around the tree facing more towards my right, to hedge my bet. I had to cut my eyes hard back and forth both ways, because in my limited experience mature fall birds don't seem to stand still in the open very long at all and you better be ready to pull the trigger if a shot presents itself. Then within 5 minutes from his first answer, he popped into view about 40 yds away, in that opening to my right. He was looking hard for me, and quartering away to the right. I knew I had better get my gun swung over there right away. I was glad I'd made the shift, but hated that I'd guessed to the left with my gun barrel. He walked behind a huge red oak tree so I immediately swung my gun around, and he stepped right out where I was pointing. I yelped to get him to almost stop, and pulled the trigger.
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff168/hawglips/VA%20fall%20turkey%2011-1-2014/IMG_1820_zps1452817e.jpg)
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(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff168/hawglips/VA%20fall%20turkey%2011-1-2014/IMG_1821_zps8c947095.jpg)
(http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff168/hawglips/VA%20fall%20turkey%2011-1-2014/IMG_1817_zps6c05f393.jpg)
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Congrats! I enjoyed reading your story...Sounded like you had a blast!
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Congrats on a awesome fall gobbler and a fine story to read! *up*
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congrats on the great hunt
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Great story!! Congrats on a fine hunt and awesome longbeard!!
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Super!! Like the gun!! What is it?
Denny
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Awesome!
Chris
Gobble, Gobble... "BOOM"!
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Super!! Like the gun!! What is it?
Denny
Denny,
The gun is a 28 gauge CZ Woodcock O/U. They discontinued them, but it's been my favorite turkey gun for the last few years. I shoot 1-5/16 oz of TSS 9-1/2s through a Briley's XF on one barrel and IM on the other.
Hal
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Great story of an excellent hunt with a truly rewarding end. Nice pictures as well.
Congratulations.
Thanks,
Clark
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Good story and a fine bird Hal. Congrats.
Jon
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Good story there and a super nice bird too. I use google earth a lot to pre scout areas, learn state forest boundrys , water sources and just to get a general idea of the lay of the land. I would ALMOST say, It is an important of a tool as the gun and calls used in many cases. Good harvest for you !!
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Good story!! Congrats!! I thought for a minute you had found actual gobblers showing up on google earth. :D Looked for em for years but not found any.....yet!
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Good job! Well written story, and nice pics.
*up* *up*
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Cool Story,
Wish we had a fall season in SC!