It was opening morning of Iowa's 1st season. It was partly cloudy, about 40* and the wind was blow 20-30 mph....not perfect conditions, but much better than being at work. I had several gobbling about 300-400 yds. away on some other property. I know the birds couldn't hear my calls as the wind was blowing from them to me. I sat there for 4 hours in hopes that one or more would move my way as they have a tendency to do...to day wasn't that day.
I moved on to another spot and shortly after getting set up I called in a Jake and he preceded to have his way with my DSD hen decoy. It went on for about 30 minutes. I sat there for 3 hours without hear anything or anything else showing up. Sorry can't figure out how get the short video loaded. I added a link or you can click the picture and it will take you the video.
(https://live.staticflickr.com/31337/51114141960_3a44cbd8bc.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2kSMkBE)20210412_123144 (https://flic.kr/p/2kSMkBE) by CaptPete17 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152428466@N06/), on Flickr
https://flic.kr/p/2kSMkBE
I left, grabbed something to eat and hit a 3rd spot. I got set up and gave a series of yelps, cuts & purrs. About 10 minutes later I had a bird gobble about 100yards away. I gave him a few yelps and he gobbled a couple of more times from farther away. Fast forward about 30 minutes and he shows himself at about 150 yards from the north instead of the east from where he gobbled from. I gave him a couple of yelps and some purrs....10 minutes later he was strutting at 20 yards for my decoy. I couldn't get him to come out of strut. I yelped, whistled, yelled and even waved my arm. I ended up shooting him while he strutting. He had a 7 1/2" beard, 1" and 7/8" spurs respectively and weighed 24.6lbs...my heaviest bird.
Like the title says...A GREAT DAY!
(https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51113272443_88052697fd_c.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/2kSGT8Z)20210412_154431 (https://flic.kr/p/2kSGT8Z) by CaptPete17 (https://www.flickr.com/photos/152428466@N06/), on Flickr
Congratulations and like you said, it beats working
A great and exciting day. Congratulations on your success.
Nice job and great story!
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Sounds like a great hunt! I'm impatiently awaiting Friday's opener!
Love those 3rd/4th spot birds, lol. Saved many a season with them. Congrats bro. Al
Congrats
Congrats. I was out for the Iowa opener as well. Like you said windy it was. ridiculous actually. Glad it worked out.
Congratulations
What a little lunch will do for ya! No giving up! Congrats.
"I couldn't get him to come out of strut. I yelped, whistled, yelled and even waved my arm. I ended up shooting him while he strutting."
Why I don't use decoys. It takes the wild out of the bird.
Congratulations.
Came for the video-stayed for the Morel pics!
Awesome hunt, congrats..
Congrats!! Sounds like you had an awesome day!
Congrats on a really nice gobbler
Congrats man!!! :icon_thumright:
Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.
Thanks for all the nice comments!
Quote from: silvestris on April 13, 2021, 06:07:10 PM
"I couldn't get him to come out of strut. I yelped, whistled, yelled and even waved my arm. I ended up shooting him while he strutting."
Why I don't use decoys. It takes the wild out of the bird.
That is your choice...to each their own. I on the other hand choose to use decoys. I'm sure in your Purest/ Elitist eyes that makes me a lesser hunter. Without a decoy, I would not have been able to watch that Jake do his thing for about 30 minutes and I wouldn't have been able to watch that Tom strut, spit, drum for about 10 minutes before I shot him. 2 GREAT shows that probably wouldn't have been seen.
Good luck this season.
I am through judging, but I am judgmental. Good luck to you.
Congradulations on your Gobbler.
Congrats!
Quote from: silvestris on April 14, 2021, 11:18:07 AM
I am through judging, but I am judgmental. Good luck to you.
Why? Why do you care about how others hunt? As long as they are using lawful techniques, we should all support their efforts.
(https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20210414/1426e4bd31aa319c99ae85334ef0c0c1.jpg)
Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.
Well done, nice tom.
Quote from: silvestris on April 13, 2021, 06:07:10 PM
"I couldn't get him to come out of strut. I yelped, whistled, yelled and even waved my arm. I ended up shooting him while he strutting."
Why I don't use decoys. It takes the wild out of the bird.
I've heard a lot of stupid comments in my life and that is one of the stupidest. If you don't want to congratulate someone keep your thought to yourself instead of trying to sound superior.
Congrats on your turkey and on a great hunt. I also filled my first season Iowa tag on Monday as well . A great day indeed!
Quote from: CAPTJJ on April 14, 2021, 03:33:24 PM
I've heard a lot of stupid comments in my life and that is one of the stupidest. If you don't want to congratulate someone keep your thought to yourself instead of trying to sound superior.
:icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Sent from deep in the woods where the critters roam.
Congrats sounds like you had a great day. I would say w/o the bird you still had a great day, but the bird you got topped the day off just right! :OGturkeyhead:
Congrats on a great hunt and experience.
Good times!
Congrats
Very nice. Congratulations
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Quote from: ElkTurkMan on April 14, 2021, 03:37:39 PM
Congrats on your turkey and on a great hunt. I also filled my first season Iowa tag on Monday as well . A great day indeed!
Thanks for the comment and congrats on your bird as well. Not sure where you were hunting, but the wind was pretty nasty most of the day around here....20-30mph with higher gusts.
Quote from: greencop01 on April 14, 2021, 04:14:10 PM
Congrats sounds like you had a great day. I would say w/o the bird you still had a great day, but the bird you got topped the day off just right! :OGturkeyhead:
You are exactly right....it was a great day! :icon_thumright: Being able to take that Tom was just icing on the cake!! :z-guntootsmiley:
Quote from: captpete on April 15, 2021, 04:23:50 PM
Quote from: ElkTurkMan on April 14, 2021, 03:37:39 PM
Congrats on your turkey and on a great hunt. I also filled my first season Iowa tag on Monday as well . A great day indeed!
Thanks for the comment and congrats on your bird as well. Not sure where you were hunting, but the wind was pretty nasty most of the day around here....20-30mph with higher gusts.
Quote from: greencop01 on April 14, 2021, 04:14:10 PM
Congrats sounds like you had a great day. I would say w/o the bird you still had a great day, but the bird you got topped the day off just right! :OGturkeyhead:
You are exactly right....it was a great day! :icon_thumright: Being able to take that Tom was just icing on the cake!! :z-guntootsmiley:
I was hunting northeast Iowa. I shot my bird at 8:30 and it was pretty calm then. The wind did however pick up later in the day. Tuesday I went out with my buddy to call and film for him and the wind was terrible
Congratulations!
:z-guntootsmiley: :z-guntootsmiley: :z-guntootsmiley:
Quote from: ElkTurkMan on April 16, 2021, 09:28:03 AM
Quote from: captpete on April 15, 2021, 04:23:50 PM
Quote from: ElkTurkMan on April 14, 2021, 03:37:39 PM
Congrats on your turkey and on a great hunt. I also filled my first season Iowa tag on Monday as well . A great day indeed!
Thanks for the comment and congrats on your bird as well. Not sure where you were hunting, but the wind was pretty nasty most of the day around here....20-30mph with higher gusts.
Quote from: greencop01 on April 14, 2021, 04:14:10 PM
Congrats sounds like you had a great day. I would say w/o the bird you still had a great day, but the bird you got topped the day off just right! :OGturkeyhead:
You are exactly right....it was a great day! :icon_thumright: Being able to take that Tom was just icing on the cake!! :z-guntootsmiley:
I was hunting northeast Iowa. I shot my bird at 8:30 and it was pretty calm then. The wind did however pick up later in the day. Tuesday I went out with my buddy to call and film for him and the wind was terrible
I hunt Northeast Iowa also. I shot the Jake video in Backbone Park. I killed my Tom about 5 mile from there about 3PM. The wind on Tuesday was a lot worse than on Monday...actually glad I didn't have to deal with it. ;)