When I got home from work yesterday, I saw that there were a few birds above the pond at about 400 yards from the driveway. I had seen hens there in the last few days, but no toms. From the road I could see two big shiny black birds mixed in with the duller ones and I figured those were toms. While looking at them one of the shiny dots grew to about three times its size, so I knew it was a tom fanning.
They weren't going anywhere so I did a few chores that needed to happen, and then grabbed the 909 and started the walk. The birds were still there, and I used the rolling terrain to shield me from view. Ironically, I did the same thing on Sunday in the infamous Turkey Grotto. After spotting a hen and a strutting tom I did the long stalk, was set up 35 yards from the hen, but couldn't find the tom. The hen walked off and when I started to still hunt my way through the trees I kicked the tom out of the weeds not five feet from me. Unfortunately he flew, giving us both a heart attack. But I digress...
I covered he distance in a few minutes and climbed the hill that they were on. I knew I was within 50 yards but couldn't see over the rise to pinpoint them. More often than not in this situation, I get busted by the periscope-like heads seeing me peek over the horizon and off they run. Yesterday I was more fortunate. I caught a bit of movement and saw a hen feeding right in front of me at about 30 yards. She saw my head, but I was in the waving (super windy) bushy tall grass on my knees. She went back to feeding, and once again I'm back to searching for a tom that I know is close by. It didn't take long, as within a minute I saw a bright head pop up between me and the hen. I rose up slightly on one knee to see the body and took aim. The tom turned and was just starting to run when I pulled the trigger. The slug found it's home and the bird went down in a heap and stayed there. A soon as I shot the other tom appeared and came in to attack the downed bird. After a few half-hearted whacks at his defenseless compadre, he too joined the hens and ran off.
I'm not a great judge of turkey size, but this seemed like a huge bird. Super heavy, long spurs...a nice way to get my third and final bird for Spring 2023. Now it's time to address the coyotes that I seem to see every time I'm out
They weren't going anywhere so I did a few chores that needed to happen, and then grabbed the 909 and started the walk. The birds were still there, and I used the rolling terrain to shield me from view. Ironically, I did the same thing on Sunday in the infamous Turkey Grotto. After spotting a hen and a strutting tom I did the long stalk, was set up 35 yards from the hen, but couldn't find the tom. The hen walked off and when I started to still hunt my way through the trees I kicked the tom out of the weeds not five feet from me. Unfortunately he flew, giving us both a heart attack. But I digress...
I covered he distance in a few minutes and climbed the hill that they were on. I knew I was within 50 yards but couldn't see over the rise to pinpoint them. More often than not in this situation, I get busted by the periscope-like heads seeing me peek over the horizon and off they run. Yesterday I was more fortunate. I caught a bit of movement and saw a hen feeding right in front of me at about 30 yards. She saw my head, but I was in the waving (super windy) bushy tall grass on my knees. She went back to feeding, and once again I'm back to searching for a tom that I know is close by. It didn't take long, as within a minute I saw a bright head pop up between me and the hen. I rose up slightly on one knee to see the body and took aim. The tom turned and was just starting to run when I pulled the trigger. The slug found it's home and the bird went down in a heap and stayed there. A soon as I shot the other tom appeared and came in to attack the downed bird. After a few half-hearted whacks at his defenseless compadre, he too joined the hens and ran off.
I'm not a great judge of turkey size, but this seemed like a huge bird. Super heavy, long spurs...a nice way to get my third and final bird for Spring 2023. Now it's time to address the coyotes that I seem to see every time I'm out
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