Tagged Out on the Last Day

[njdevilsb]

It has been very tough hunting for the last 3 weeks here in New York, and pretty much the whole season since my dad and I doubled on opening day.  We have been dealing with birds who won't gobble on the ground at all, won't respond to decoys and basically go the opposite direction when you call to them.  I missed one that I misjudged the distance on earlier in the season.  We had a couple of close calls including a group that circled us like a deer would and came out 15 yards behind us and busted us, but couldn't close the deal.

We have been seeing birds every time we go to roost them, but they always seem to have a different idea in mind of where they want to go in the mornings, and it usually wasn't where we were.  Last night we had a dance recital to go to and didn't have a chance to roost any birds so this morning we went in blind. 

We setup where I had seen the birds late yesterday morning.  After about 2 hours we hadn't heard or seen anything at all and I was getting impatient.  Around 6:30, my dad and I decided to move to see if we could see anything in any of the fields.  There was nothing answering anywhere and nothing in the 4 fields that we have access to.  We decided to take a short drive near some state land and if there was nothing around we were going to breakfast and then come back for a while.  In the 10 minutes it took us to go down the road and come back, 3 birds had come out into the freshly planted corn field. 

We decided we had nothing to lose and they were in a good position for us to make a move.  Once they went into a dip in the field, we walked through the waist high soaked grass about 150 yards away from them below a rise to try and get where we thought they were going.  My dad grabbed the tail fan from our strutter decoy and brought it along just in case.  Using that, he was able to stand up and peak through it and get a visual on the birds again.  2 toms and a hen.  One tom saw the fan and decided to break off and head our way.  I was kneeling in the grass and couldn't see any of it.  My dad kept peaking through the fan while standing and said he was getting close.  Once he got to about 20 yards, I could finally see his head and nothing more over the tall grass.  I shot and my dad said he was down 5 hours before the season ended.  He's another mature tom but had a 2 inch beard with beard rot like the one I got earlier in the year.

After a long, tough season, it was a great way to end it.  In the last 34 days, I have only slept in passed 5:20 one time between work and turkey hunting.  It will be nice to finally get a little rest but I'll be ready to get back after them in a day or 2.  Now the waiting begins for next year.

[DirtNap647]

congrats

[WildSpur]

Way to go.   Nice bird.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[MACHINIST]

Great!!! My friend nailed a nice one in NY today also,I took my nephew out and we saw 3 different toms but no takers on getting their beeks shot off!!LOL ONE REASON I LIKE THE LATE SEASON!!!!

[Gooserbat]

Well Done, That's why you never quit till season is over or your out of tags.

[ZebWie]

Gives me encouragement as today is the last day here (taking a break for a small bite to eat)

[surehuntsalot]

congrats on the bird

[WNY Bowhunter]

Congrats on the last morning tom!!!

[GobbleNut]

Ain't no better feeling that getting one at the last minute when you think all hope is lost!  Congrats!

[Snoodsniper]

Yep those last day birds are always the most memorable. Congrats!

[zelmo1]

Last chance birds or deer are the best, only way to beat it is to have your son or daughter do it. Way to hang in there.

[troutfisher13111]

Congrats!

[snapper1982]

Congrats!

Hookedspur and I was in New York this week and for the first 3 days we experienced what you were. But on Thursday they broke free and started acting like they should. Thursday morning he and I both killed one. Mine had just started strutting he still had his wing tips. The. Yesterday day morning I killed bird number 2 and we packed up and headed home.

[tomstopper]

Awesome. Congrats.....

[RutnNStrutn]

Congrats on your last minute gobbler!!