A good fall

[captpete]

I have had a short but very good fall hunting season. I only bow hunted 4 times this year. The first morning I passed up a couple of little bucks (a fork and a small basket 8pt) and had 3 longbeards fly & land within 20yrds of the stand(that never happens to me during spring turkey season ). That evening I passed a doe with fawns & nice 8pt that will be real nice in a couple years. Plus I had about turkeys go passed at about 50yds. The next morning I passed again on the same doe & fawns and saw the turkeys again. The next weekend I saw a little buck right at first light and then nothing. About 8 A.M. I decide to rattle...hadn't seen anything since the lttle buck at first light about 1hr. earlier. I finished rattling, put the rattle bag in my pack, look up and about 80yds away is a nice buck looking my direction. He started heading my direction so I picked up the bow off the hanger. He stopped at 40yds and surveyed the area looking for the "fighters". Not seeing them he walked right to & under my stand stopping at 13yds broadside looking away from me. I drew, released and watched him run about 50 yds. and wobble another 30 before tipping over.
I have scored him 3 times and have gotten a different number each time. According to my measurements he grosses between 140 & 145 and nets between 130 & 135.


Since I'm done bowhunting until late muzzleloader starts(you can use archery equipment instead of a ML during the late ML season), I decide to get a fall turkey tag. The first morning I sat, I didn't hear or see a turkey. The 2nd morning I heard 1 turkey calling from up in the tree. I did some light tree yelps and it answered me, then never made another sound. About 30 minutes later I hear a bird let loose calling about 60 yds behind me. I called right back and got an immediate answer. The next thing hear is something running through the timber. Here come 2 Jakes charging to my DSD hen decoy. They were making so much noise, until I saw them, I actually thought is was a buck chasing a doe. I was able take one of the Jakes...my second turkey with the 20ga. He wasn't huge...he had a 6" beard.

[tomstopper]

That is a great fall. Congrats......

[trkehunr93]

Congrats on a couple of fine hunts!

[Spring Creek Calls]

Those are the big two in my book. I only have half, the gobbler. Congratulations!

[VA_Birdhunter]

Awesome!! Congrats! 

[mgm1955]

Congrats on a great fall!!!!

[stone road turkey calls]

Congrats 

[TrackeySauresRex]

Congrats 

[JK Spurs]

Doesn't get any better than that...congrats!

[strutnrut]

Looks like you had a great time

[beagler]

Congrats!

[captpete]

Thanks for the kinds words everybody. A special thanks to Gary at Stone Roads Turkey Calls for making such a sweet call. I bought it this spring & it has been the demise of three birds!  It is fast becoming my favorite call.