Blog Entries from the WeHuntSC.com blogging crew
While standing behind an old fence row, a series of yelps triggered a gobble from a distance. After a few minutes contemplating our next move we hit him with another series of calls. This time his gobble was closer. He was coming. We scrambled back and decided to set up on the tree line along the fence.
April 15th, 2011 is a day that I won?t forget and neither will my cousin JD. I am a novice turkey hunter and am thrilled anytime I get to go, but this day was special for another reason. This was JD?s first turkey hunt. A couple friends, Robert Abell and Rick Currence, invited us to tag along and attempt to get JD his first bird. Robert and Rick are seasoned turkey hunters so the thought of tagging along with them had us fired up. We meet them at 6:00 a.m. and the action was heart pounding from that point forward. Now back to the story.
As we scrambled to get set up we spotted three birds truckin? it across the field. It was three jakes to be exact. Rick was attempting to get a decoy out when he realized he was stuck. Robert and JD were able to get set up on a tree but I was stuck somewhat out in the middle of this tree line. Knowing that these birds were moving in fast we all sat tight. The birds moved into the tree line at about 70 or 80 yards out. I thought these birds were going to come right up the fence line so with me stuck out in the middle I was really going to be putting my Crossover Camo to the test. It did its job and the birds moved out into the field, but they seemed to get hung up just outside of gun range. They moved on and we regrouped. My heart was pounding and I know JD was pumped. Robert chuckled and said that when those birds were coming JD?s gun was just a shaking. He told JD ?alright buddy you gonna have to calm down? with a laugh. JD was worried about missing and said, ?If I miss you we?re gonna go again!? No doubt he is hooked. That?s what it?s all about right there!
We moved down the tree line and got set up on the back field that the birds exited. With the decoy out and everyone set, Rick assumed the calling. Within minutes the three Jakes stormed out of the opposite tree line like a freight train. JD clicked off the safety and got ready. They were headed straight at us. We thought this would be quick, but as the birds topped the little knoll they seemed to hang up again. They were gobbling like crazy but seemed to be weary of the decoy. As they moved around just outside of gun range boy did they give us a show. As we sat there I thought to myself that there isn?t a whole lot that beats listening to a turkey hammer out a gobble over and over. These birds were definitely not shy about stretching their necks. The birds finally moved out of the field. Check out the video below.
Although JD didn?t get his first turkey that morning I could see the fire in his eyes when we headed home. There was so much to soak in about that hunt that I know I will never forget and I?m 100% sure JD won?t either. Being able to listening to Robert pound out the meanest owl hoot in Chester County without the assistance of a manufactured call was pretty neat. Being able to listen to the reactions of the jakes to Rick?s yelps and purrs was also awesome to witness. Thanks to Robert and Rick for the invite and awesome calling. I had an absolute blast! JD hasn?t quit talking about it so I know he?s hooked. This should be fun!
As we marched up the old road bed, the anticipation of the morning hunt filled the air. Brad Crawford spotted a couple longbeards strutting in the meadow the evening before. With that being said we had a good idea of where the birds were roosting. We planned on getting up on the ridge above the meadow for the morning hunt. Brad led the way up the road bed. Sam Poulos and Tank Johnson both armed and ready followed behind. I was pulling up the rear armed with my video camera.
Brad called out an owl hoot with a dead on response from the longbeards. We sat up on the ridge and got ready for the action. As Brad sent out a series of yelps there must have been four more birds gobbling off in the distance. It seemed that we were in prime position. With another series of calls it seemed that the gobbles echoed a little louder. Back and forth we went when all of a sudden a soft yelp from a hen could be heard in the distance. As Brad said later it was as if the hen grabbed the gobbler by the beard and said oh no you don?t. The gobbles faded into the distance. We got up and planned our next move.
We heard one gobbler move to our left off in the distance so we figured we could get down in the meadow and see if we could draw him back. As we moved down the ridge, Brad sent out a crow call and was answered by a gobble. We scurried down the hill and called briefly and realized the bird was coming. Brad stayed back on the ridge about thirty yards. Sam sat out on the main field which is where we thought the bird would pop out. Tank and I sat behind Sam about twenty yards in a little cove. Tank and Brad both called for a few minutes. I was in a good position to film Sam and any birds out in the main field but I realized I wasn?t in a good position when I saw Tank ease his gun around to my left and click off the safety. With Brad and Tank calling the birds split the difference. When the birds didn?t see anything out in the cove or meadow they got a little weary and all I could hear was a few putts that signaled the show was over. Tank had a shot but it was a Jake so he didn?t take it. Up the ridge Brad had a better vantage point and could see the longbeard in the back fanned out. Too bad he?s tagged out. Oh so close!
It was an awesome morning hunt with a lot of gobbling, awesome calling, and tons of heart pounding action at the Poulos Sportsman Club. I was glad I had some Wildlife Energy shots because I was whooped after a weekend of early morning hunts. I got a kick out of Brad saying that he doesn?t sleep in April. That?s about the truth.
Although our hunt ended without filling a tag another hunter, Mark Cody, had better luck. Mark was able to take his first bird by calling himself. He was pretty pumped when we got back to the clubhouse. I was able to snap a few pictures. 18 #, Double Beard 10 ¼ and 4 ¼, ¾ inch spurs.
Check out my recap video of the hunt! Turn up the volume and listen to some gobbling action.