Another CA turkey down

[TRKYHTR]

A good friend of mine Dr John Zeiter asked if I wanted to go turkey hunting before work this week because his cousin owned a golf course that was supposed to be loaded with turkeys. I said sure and we made plans to roost turkeys Tuesday and then hunt Wed morning. Roosting went as planned and we saw 23 turkey go to roost. In the morning we could hear 3 different groups way off in the distance. I normally don't set up so far from the turkeys but with all of the information we had from the owner and golf pro we decided to set up where the turkeys wanted to go and were seen regularly. After flydown we had nothing near us and I could hear a hen yelping in the middle of the coarse. It looked like the turkeys had changed their habits and went a different route. We finally decided to move and try and cut the turkeys off. We picked up his DSD and I left my 2 mounted turkey decoys. We did get on the turkeys and crawled up to a vantage point right on top of some turkeys. John was the shooter so he was in the lead. The first turkey I spotted was to his left which he never saw and the turkeys were only 20 yards away. Then he turns his head and says theres the big gobblers. I said can you shoot and he says no their 40 yards. I was thinking so whats the problem. I guess he doesn't have a 40 yard gun. Which I commend him for knowing his limitations. But I'm carrying a 50 yard gun and their all in range for me but I just kept quiet. They fed off without a hitch and we heard a couple other gobblers coming from the north. We decided to try and get in front of them but it didn't work either. All of the longbeards had hens. We finally decided to head back to our original set up at which time I said that we will probably have turkeys next to our decoys, insert profit here. As we came around a bend in the road I spotted turkeys to our right. We were only 30 yards from our decoys although we couldn't see them because of the terrain.
As the turkeys walked toward our original set up I told John that his only option was to try and get to our decoys in a hurry before they popped out on the dirt road we were walking on. He took 3 steps and hit the dirt. He said there is a turkey strutting next to the decoys. The I see a turkey head pop up and John aimed and pulled the trigger. Instantly he said Oh man I killed 2. I thought OMG I am going to have to tag one of these turkeys. I turned and grabbed his DSD and we walked toward the downed birds. As I got closer I could see 1 turkey doing the flop dance and my Jake decoy lying on the ground. I told him at that point that he hadn't killed 2 turkeys that 1 of them was my decoy. He had forgot that I had a Jake decoy out and when he shot he just saw 2 turkeys go to the ground. Then we walk over to the turkey and it's a Jake. There were 2 big gobblers in this group of turkeys and a few Jakes. John has killed several turkeys, mostly Jakes. He has even taken a few guys and called in their first turkeys, all Jakes. John is officially called the Jake killer now by me. I also made him take a picture of both turkeys he shot and made him carry out both of them. If you shoot a turkey with me you will carry it out, unless physically impossible, even if you shoot my decoy. It was still a fun morning. He was disappointing he killed a Jake but I told him not to rate his experience on the size of the animal he harvests but the fun that was had. If I would have had the camera rolling when all of this took place I think I could have won some money on Americas Funniest home video.

TRKYHTR

[Basser69]

Congrats!

[barry]

Jake or Longbeard it was still a Good hunt!

[JVA54]

   

[Stoner]

Was that golf course the Mayacama near Healdsburg, CA. I was there a few years ago and it was full of turkeys.

[Hognutz]

Way to go. Nice story, Joe. Sounds like this buddy of yours was happy with the jake, so all is well that ends well. Maybe you can go back and get the big boys.. Sounds like a plan..Mike

[TRKYHTR]

Was that golf course the Mayacama near Healdsburg, CA. I was there a few years ago and it was full of turkeys.

Nope but i've been on several golf courses that were thick with turkeys.

TRKYHTR

[BOFF]

HEY HEY!! Way to go Joe!!

Congrats on a great hunt.

Gotta agree, it's the fellowship, smiles, laughs, and all the fun which make it a good hunt or bad a bad one. Very rarely have I every had a bad hunt.

How do you repair pellet holes in the decoys?


God Bless,
David B.

[TRKYHTR]

Just leave them I guess. He did knock several feathers off its chest and side of its wing. He hit it hard enough that it knocked it over and you know how long those spikes are that I have on my decoys. You can't hardly push one over.

TRKYHTR

[RutnNStrutn]

Congrats on your hunt!!! LOL at chops bustin!!!

[BOFF]

Just leave them I guess. He did knock several feathers off its chest and side of its wing. He hit it hard enough that it knocked it over and you know how long those spikes are that I have on my decoys. You can't hardly push one over.

TRKYHTR

No, but pellets and spurs sure do. 

Congrats again!! 

God Bless,
David B.

[LX_Trkyhntr]

Great story Joe!!  Congrats on an exciting hunt!  I'm glad he didn't tear up your decoy too bad!! 

[Flydown]

Great Hunt Joe! Congrats to Mr.Jake killer!

[kj]

Great story Joe,  he had to work for that one.

[hookedspur]

Congrats!