Got an Iowa Bird

[Connor]

I haven't posted here in a while, I've been busy with work and school but I have learned a ton here and I thought you might enjoy a picture.  Sorry the write up is so wordy.

I finally had some success yesterday after getting skunked last year and a very poor start to the season this year. I didnt get to scout quite as much this year as i have in the past so i was a little nervous going in but the 10 day forcast looked like 1st season was better than 2nd as of last Sunday (tables have turned a bit since then...) so I got my tag and headed out.

Monday was less than stellar with the wind and rain; I put nearly 3 miles on my boots up hills and never did hear a gobble. The day was not a complete loss, i did end up seeing a turkey the only problem being that I watched him (could see his beard, perfect) fly away from 40 yards away. To top it off I was only a few hundred yards from my car, in the spot I had set up on initially that morning, all AFTER I had already walked a few miles. O well, guess you just have to keep trying.

Day 2 was far better weather, thank gosh, and the birds were slightly more vocal on the roost but not nearly as vocal as I have had them in my general area in years past. I had a few birds gobble around me and had a pair roosted 100 yards away. It was the wierdest thing, they wouldnt gobble much and would answer some other gobbles or crows cawing or even my shaker call but would not make a peep in response to my hen calls. Maybe pressured birds? Maybe just old and smarter than myself? I assume both haha. As the morning progress the two gobblers stayed very near their roost site, gobbling sparingly and at one point I started to get them a little more worked up and could see them walk to the edge of the ridge they were on and not come down near me. After a half hour or so of this one, quickly followed by the second, and I thought this was it and they were finally heading my way. Wrong. They came down the slope in my direction and then drifted around the side of the hill and I never saw them again. I waited for a while and then went in search of warmer birds, and another couple miles on the boots yeilded nothing. Around noon I headed home to grab a sandwhich and hunt a different place near my house. Not 200 yards from my house I spooked 3 hens, just for fun I called a little and one came back haha I continued and spooked another hen later (probably same hen) and called her to a stop also. I decided since there were turkeys around I would hang out and see if anything wanted to play. After a half hour or so sitting there I heard a gobble on the next ridge. A few more minutes of calling and he started to get a little warmer. It didnt sound like he was keen on jumping ridges so I moved to the base of his ridge and called a little. He was really excited now, and was gobbling at every call I made and every other sound in the woods. I worked him and he eventually worked my direction. I could hear him spit and drum as he closed the distance and I had my gun pointed and was ready to go. All of a sudden I see his head appear at 40 yards aligned between to oak trees so I could only see his head. I just wasnt comfortable with the shot and as hot as he was wanted two steps to either side. To my dismay he didnt like what he saw (I did not move and inch, he is just smarter than me) and he turned and left without any chance to shoot. I heard him gobble a few hundred yards away and went to work him, I even thought I heard him spit and drum close (a little tighter lipped to my calling now haha) but he never appeared, later I saw a longbeard sneak by at 80 yards but had already spotted me or was just never interested. O well, maybe tomorrow.

The next day I was excited, I had watched the weather and the nice lady said thunderstorms up north and Ames might see a shower or two (I hunt the Ames area), I thought heck I can deal with a shower or two. I got up extra early to head to the ridge where the pair was strutting the day before figuring I would do the work and close the distance. I set my decoys out and hunkered in, and litterally less than 2 minutes later it started to rain. I sat there for the next 2 hours or so enjoying a constant rain that turned into a fairly intense thunderstorm (30 min from my car so I just sat through the 5 min of nasty stuff) and then more steady rain. Needless to say I was very wet and very down after not hearing a single gobble on the roost. O well, I decided to sit it out and call very sparingly in hopes that those two would come back to strut or something would come in quiet. I sat there soaking wet until 3:30 and the only turkeys i saw were out about 100 yards and sneaking by with no interest. Heck of a day, let me tell you. I decide to try a spot, run and gun style, that is on the way home. I ran in to a place I saw a few jakes at while mushroom hunting last week. I set up, called, waited. Nothing. Called, waited, and 5 min later I hear rustling. I see two jakes run down to the creek between us, and I start trying to decide if I'm willing to shoot a jake. They get to the creek and were behind a slight bend and disappear. I waited 10 minutes and nothing. 60 yards away, ridge on both sides, they go behind a bend and gone. Crazy, but that makes my decision easy. Out of no where I hear a single gobble the opposite direction of the jakes. I call, wait. 10 min later one more gobble. I decide to jump the ridge hes on (he is a few hundred yards away) so he isnt looking down on my like yesterday. I get set up and call a little and now he is gobbling a little more but still pretty tight lipped. I'm playing him more slowly when i see the two jakes run by me headed for my gobbler. I think o great these two jakes will run him off. Sure enough I hear rustling, jake yelping, wings flapping, and I see my gobbler slinking down a slight rise, away from me. As soon as he starts leaving the jakes head my direction. One got to 20 yards and its decision time, I decided heck I got skunked last year I'll hold out for a longbeard. The two jakes got within 10 feet of me which was pretty neat to say the least and they turned and left after not seeing a hen. As soon as they left I called a little to calm them down and that longbeard started hammering pretty good. He was much more excited and vocal now so I called a bit more. He started closing the distance (150 yards-ish) but I had set up just off the edge of the ridge so he would have to come close enough to shoot to see me. I could hear him spit and drum, closing the distance, then foot steps still coming. Just as I knew he was about to appear those dang jakes show back up to my right. Before they could spook him, the gobbler poked his little head up where I could see it at 30 yards and I pulled the trigger. Gobbler down! Sorry for the long post...

Not an huge beard (haven't measured it), not super long or thick but nice 1 1/8" spurs and a beautiful fan

[RutnNStrutn]

Looks like a heck of a bird!! Congrats!!

[bird]

Outstanding!!!!
Thanks for the read and the picture.
Congrats

bird

[Hognutz]

Congrats on a beautiful bird. That fan is picture perfect..

[Reloader]

Congrats!!!  Nice tom.

[Wrangler95]

Very nice going,congrats!!

[tomstopper]

Nice bird. Congrats.

[beagler]

Nice!

[boomer]

Congrats!!!

[surehuntsalot]

fine looking bird...congrats

[captin_hook]

 

[renegade19]

 

[WiLL B]

Congrats!!

[WyoHunter]

Congrats! Beautiful bird and nice pic too!

[ElkTurkMan]

Congrats on your bird.  Great pic as well.