Today was a day I was waiting for since the last day of spring season... Fall season opening day.
I started seeing flocks and patterning birds only since the last two weeks.
Yesterday afternoon I was scooting for a flock and around 4pm I saw a flock of about 10 turkeys in a field, feeding, and they were automatically targeted as my target for today. I spotted them until they went to roost and there you go, I knew where to go today.
I knew where to go... But I had no clue on how to break the ice with my calls this morning. So my plan was just to go sit there, almost under their roost, and listen to how they start talking to themselves in the morning, and maybe... join in their call if I had the opportunity.
So I did that.
And surely, i started hearing clucks... And i just kept listening... And then I started hearing tree cackle from a turkey that was pretty close to me... So I decided to answer to him with my box call, with very shy cackle, the same way he called... The box call matched perfectly with his call and we answered maybe 2 or 3 times maximum and he immediatly flew down from his roost, went right in the field, at gun range!
At first, there was branches between the turkey and i and it was a good thing because my shotgun was resting on my laps, pointing in the forest, since I thought turkeys would come from the wood. So I slowly switched my shotgun from the forest to the field, hoping he would not see me and I shouldered my gun with the left shoulder, instead of my more regular right one... I shoot from both shoulders often.
As I shouldered my gun, another turkey arrived in the field, and this one saw me and got a little bit nervous! But not enough for spooking the first one or leaving...
I also had my mouthcall in my collar, so i slipped it in my mouth during this time.
So the first turkey was still in the field, hidden by the branches.
I made a few cackle with the mouthcall and the turkey slowly moved, now more in a position free from branches... And me too I moved a little to see him more clearly... And I was not so sure if he was in range, if branches would block the shot or not... But there i went, I took the shot.
Booom, 3 inch No 4 lead shot did the rest.
The turkey stayed there, flopping in the field... It was 7:20.
I was very happy to accomplish this goal of mine, to take a fall turkey.
For some of you it would not be an accomplishment, since it was a bird from this spring... But here it's legal to take them and I was as happy to have the chance to take him as if he was a mature tom.
Congratulations
Good job on your fall turkey, congratulations
Congrats, pictures are required, not really but are appreciated!!
Way to go Congrats.
Congratulations to you, I still have to get my first Fall turkey. If you need help posting pictures (Assuming you want to) shoot me a message and I will be happy to help.
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Congrats. I like taking big toms in the fall, however, where appropriate, I have no problems with taking jakes, poults and hens. Hopefully it is the first of many successful fall hunts.
Thanks for those of you who took the time to write a small comment! I hope you enjoyed the small story, even if there was no picture.
I do agree that seeing a post with a picture is much more fun! ...
Great story, nice job! Thanks for sharing....
Congrats, Now need to feel any different about a fall bird. Especially a fall gobbler, they are tough hunts. I give an edge to spring hunting but a very small one, I love my fall hunts.
In the flock I was spotting the night before my hunt
There was two mature tom, 1-2 female and 8-9 poults... and From where the poult came down, I thought it was one of the tom because he came right from where I had seen one tom go to roost. And to come down so fast on me, i also thought he was an aggressive tom... And he seemed big... I was surprise to see a small turkey when I went to get him after the shot. :toothy12:
I think he came down so fast because he was very eager to come eat breakfast after a rainy and windy night in the tree ;D
yeah, mature fall gobblers usually aren't fast to do anything. Now super jakes (last spring's jakes) will run to you many times. they're establishing a pecking order and just like teenage boys, the more at the party the better.
Thanks, interesting
if you want to learn more about fall turkey, Denny Gulvas has an excellent fall turkey dvd, Tom Kelly has a good section in his book 10th legion, also available as an audio book on cd. and Ray Eye has a fall turkey dvd
I wish i could do more outings to keep trying, learning and be in the woods... One week long season only and one tag only...
Congrats on the fall bird. I struck out in the first shotgun season here but gained some good info I'll apply in the second shotgun season in a few weeks. Just because your fall season is over doesn't mean you can't get in the woods. For me bow hunting is what keeps me in the woods. I could give a rip about killing deer anymore but it's a great excuse to get out and scout turkeys through the fall and winter.