Opening Day NY Tom

[CAPTJJ]

Hadn't had a lot of time to scout or roost birds but did have some gobbles at one spot 2 of the 3 nights before the opener, middle night it rained and I didn't bother checking. The night before I tried several spots with no answers, came here last to find it pretty windy. Nothing at first, then I thought I heard a faint gobble, went lower and confirmed he was there in the same spot.

Hunted here last year with no blind, just used some brush to hide in, came close on toms and passed on three jakes that spent an hour right in front of me. 2 years ago I filled both tags from the blind at this spot(first on opening day, too) and decided to give the blind a shot. This allows me to set up on the more open grassy flat instead of the hillside.

Got there as it was just getting light, set the blind and decoys, he soon started gobbling. It was getting light and he was gobbling good, so I clucked and made a soft yelp to let him know I was there... and a hen answered between us. She was cutting and yelping and I was mimicking her, the tom kept gobbling. Typical early season in northern NY, toms are usually with hens and I hoped she would come my way as agitated as she seemed. The gobbles continued but the hen stopped and stayed down the hill and out of sight, still early, sun not even up.

I kept calling, the tom would answer but I knew he had company already, she went silent. Eventually I spotted the tom way off strutting and started hear spit/drumming. Then he was closer, maybe 40 yards out behind a large dead tree.



I kept calling lightly with him close and soon another one gobbles further off and he's coming this way. Now the first tom had come in front of the dead tree, 30 yards and in shotgun range but I need him a lot closer. I hoped with the second tom the pair would want to come down and gang up on my jake decoy, except they already had a hen. Look left of the strutter for part of the second fan.



With competition, the 2 toms strutted, gobbled and spit/drummed for an hour and a half on the hillside, in and out of sight, within 30 yards a couple times. Finally, just before 8am as the toms were coming close for the fourth time I briefly spotted the hen between them, behind the dead tree. Now I figure she's finally coming this way and will bring the toms closer. Wrong, she disappeared back down the hill and the toms went with her. Figured it was a good hunt, early season henned up toms, kept calling anyway.

A few minutes later I spotted the hen approaching from behind the blind, two full fans coming up after her. Oddly, she gets to 20 feet and lays right down, then puts her head down on the ground, the toms keep coming then stop. I was certain I was going to see her get bred right there but the boys just stood there strutting like they didn't know what to do?



Now I have all 3 turkeys close but in the wrong direction and facing right at the blind, minutes pass. I was really tempted to try and open a shooting port but decided to be patient with all the eyes right there, they had her cornered and the open path was in front of the blind. Didn't matter, the tom on the right was ever so slowly working his way toward the decoys. I positioned myself for a shot before he could see me move. Took him about 5 minutes to strut the last 30 feet, giving me an easy 3-4 yard shot. He spun at the hit, ran about 20 yards and did the death flop. His buddy came over strutting on top of him, yet didn't tear him up like they often will.



18 1/2 lbs, 9 1/4" beard and 3/4"+ spurs



The spot:

[Greg Massey]

Congrats, it sounded like an awesome hunt... memories

[Old Timer]

Congrats! Great accomplishment. Rained here in CNY 4 out of 5 days. Although I got a late morning hunt in today.

[3bailey3]

Congrats!

[eddie234]

Congratulations


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[JeffC]

Congrats with the long bow!! Awesome job with the story and pictures.

[nyturkeyduster]

Congrats on the trad gobbler, fellow Yank! Good stuff!

[ybuck]

i'll say it again...
much respect, and what a great gobbler!
congratulations!!!

[OJR]

Awesome! Congratulations!!

[knifeshark]

What a great hunt! With a recurve bow no less! Congratulations, I love a happy ending.

[zelmo1]

Congrats, sounds like a great hunt. Z

[Lcmacd 58]

Nice job
Good decisions make for a memorable hunt .

[MISSISSIPPI Double beard]

Congratulations Capt!

[Tom007]

Awesome, congrats!

[CAPTJJ]

Thanks all.

Just about every time I see toms this year there is more than one, saw a single jake and single tom with a hen that I think was the other one that was with the tom I shot.

Trying to fill my second tag without the pop-up blind. On 2 mornings I've had groups of jakes come right into the decoys, then move to call in tom groups that won't commit, just gobble and strut around me. On the 8th it was 3 jakes that came up from way off below, circled above then came down to the decoys. Moved to a spot, had one gobbling across the road and set up. Tom across the road wouldn't answer, so I made an aggressive cut/yelp and heard a gobble from the other direction. Kept calling and soon spotted 3 red heads coming and then spotted the beards hanging. Thought for sure they would come right in to gang up on the 3/4 size jake decoy, no they circled and gobbled away for 2 hours, getting close a few times but never inside 20 yards; closest was behind me.

Then on the 12th I had a bird roosted at the spot where I killed, set up in the dark and he was gobbling good, flew down and went silent. I was calling lightly and saw red heads approaching, first one had a stubbly beard: 1, 2, 3, 4 more jakes coming right for me. Had the camera in my lap and managed to start recording as they walked up to the decoys.

Tried several other spots with no gobbling, so late morning I decided to try back where I started, had heard hens and a tom gobbling. Set up after 10am and started calling. At 11:14 I started getting answers way off below me, they started getting closer and I kept calling, have until 12pm to hunt and hoped they would get there in time. By 11:30 the gobbles were just below me withing 100 yards but moving slowly. Didn't realize it until they got close enough to see my decoys and one tom started putting as the other still gobbled behind me. Finally was able to spot 2 red heads over the rise below, strutting back and forth... again not committing to the decoys, turned away at 2o yards.

Have until the end of the month but work and rainy weather are limiting hunting time, will keep at it.