Happy's Hunt Log

[Happy]

Due to to overwhelming demand, the following will be my hunt log. it will be full of the tips and tactics I have learned and developed over the last 25 years..... Actually it will be bs and a lot of nonsense cause all you potlickers can go figure it out yourselves. As of now the score is 4-0 in favor of the gobblers. 2 days of rain and sleet, followed by a day of 25+ mile per hour winds for youth season. Today was actually decent and I will say that the tally for youth season was 3 jakes and a longbeard brought into gun range. the jakes were passed on and a warning shot was fired at the longbeard at a distance of 27 steps. Tomorrow yours truly will enter the ring for the first time, So cue my theme song. Not sure what will happen other than that I know that I will be extremely good looking. That in and of itself is a win. That and I am proud of my boy. He passed jakes and held everything together extremely well. He just missed a critical detail when taking the shot.

[JeffC]

Congrats Happy on another mountain bird, was this same Tom your son missed?

[Happy]

No, sir. At least a mile away. I dont hunt "his" birds. I like him having confidence when going into the woods, and I can kill birds in other areas that are more effort to get to. He missed one lastvyear a couple hundred yards from where he missed yesterday. He has a score to settle now.

[GobbleNut]

As a charter member of the "Potlicker's Society", congrats are in order to you, Nick. (Not sure exactly what a potlicker is...but the society let me in so it must be a really good thing)   

[Happy]

I have a few minutes so here are a few of the general details of yesterdays hunt. I have done zero scouting, minimal calling or preparation for this season. I did check the zero on my guns and buy licenses but that's about it. I wasn't to worried cause winging it is nothing new to me. I know enough about my areas to usually be able to put ears on a gobbler and that's good enough for me. The gobblers are on the hens pretty tight but that's par for the course this time of year. I had a spot in mind to hunt and I was wear I wanted to be about 10 minutes before gobbling time. I heard a few tom's but it was very subdued. only one was sounding off regularly and he was right where I was hoping he would be. Every other turkey I heard only gobbled two or three times and then hit the ground. My target bird eventually hit the ground and then I heard a second one gobble with him at a crow. I sat and didn't make a peep. waiting to see what they would do. They gobbled a few times and things went silent. I knew something was up and about 15 minutes later a coyote came slinking through from their direction. I gave things some time and started slipping their direction. about an hour later I laid eyes on them and they were busy showing off for the ladies. I hit them with some hard cutting and they would just raise their heads and then go back to strutting. I didn't like their attitudes, the lay of the land, or the thought of bushwacking them, so as I was sitting there watching them I heard another faint gobble way back behind where I had started that morning. I had a general idea of where he was so so I headed that direction. Once I got in trumpet range I made contact. He delayed answered and he was right were I was hoping he wasn't. He was in the fields and I am not a huge fan of field turkeys but I will tangle with them if the need arises. (Rumor has it that you need decoys or fans to kill these gobblers.) But he would at least occasionally respond and he had a buddy, I was sure there were some hens too. I settled into my field turkey game. It was a two hour chess match that at one point I had them out of sight but with 80 yards and they still wouldn't break. Finally I thought I had it figured out and made my final move. My move actually put me about 250 yards away from them and it was wide open field between us other than a few dips in the terrain. I was sitting and waiting on their move when another GOAT texted saying he had a bird down. while we were conversing, the two gobblers and their two ladies made their appearance on the other side. I won't go into details but the moment I called, They both popped into strut and started my way with the hens following. Eventually they started fast walking and I gave them a little coaxing as needed. Probably 5-6 minutes later one of them was flopping and his buddy was beating on him.

[Happy]

Took Monday off and took care of some work stuff plus odds and ends at home. Hunted Tuesday with 2 close calls, both times they were in tss range but not my personal range. This morning things went a bit smoother.

[Happy]

Man I am good-looking.

[crow]

 

Very nice and congrats, A-plus

[GobbleNut]

Man I am good-looking.

Which one are you?...     

[JeffC]

Hes the one with the BIG MOUTH   

[Happy]

All, in good fun fellas, . Now that most of the loudmouths who dream of being known as the best turkey hunter in the country are over on Facebook, where they can get more attention. I should slow my roll on my online persona. It's too fun, though. Johnny Bravo was a favorite of mine back in the day if you can't tell.

[Happy]

Update. Been out twice since my last post. One my first attempt, I played everything perfect except the last part. Had him come screaming in and stop at 20 yards to my hard left. He made my silluete against the tree and I proved I am not Wyatt Earp. No shots fired. Kicked myself for the rest of the day cause I knew better and didn't prepare well enough for it. I expected a gobbler slowly approaching and not running in. Attempt #2 was with high winds and rain. Not a gobble heard. I also took the boy out on Sunday. He had an opportunity at 2 gobblers and some hens we caught moving across a ridge and cut off but passed on the shot cause we didn't call them in. Hopefully they gobble tomorrow