It's Opening Day in Ohio ...Yipeee

[eggshell]

Finally we can hunt turkeys again. I'm getting ready to go. The arm is in a brace but I been practicing with a shooting stick keft handed and I'm gonna try. Just will make it a new challenge and more fun. Good lock to all going....yeah even ole rock head Mark Hay.

[mark hay]

Ole rock head had a fine morning . I slipped in to 'bout 125 yards of the roosted birds and went to work on the trumpet . We had probably a 10 minute exchange of pleasanties when the most vocal hen made a few cutts . I replied in like manner and ended it with a short ground cackle and yelp . They all pitched out and headed my way . They passed by at 12-15 steps . I just acted like a tree and let them go on up and over the hill . I could hear them over there rattling the leaves as they ran around . Another bunch began to talk it up down in the holler in front of me . At least one jake in this bunch . So I began mocking him with yelps of my own . They started my way and the first bunch came back to my side of the hill and stood around silently . One of the hens in the second bunch started cuttin' . So I started cuttin' back . Only problem was I didn't hit it just right and they must have mistaken it for putts . All went quiet .
 Gotta say though ,,,I'm tickled silly with this trumpet .
 
 Glad to hear your making it to the woods Dana.

[eggshell]

Man it is tough getting sighted on birds one handed. I pretty much gotta set my stick and point the gun where I think they'll be and live with it. MOving can be done, but an elevation change changes the point of aim and then there is no swinging.

Right off the bat at daylight I got on gobblers, I actually heard a gobble when I was about 100 yards from the point. I went on and sat down right on top of the ridge point and made a "good morning cluck" and whalla cluck back , then a gobble then two gobbles and yelping....Yes I'm in business. They are about 125 yards out. They pitch down and start my way but not where I'm set up pointing to. So they go right on by and then more birds open up down the hill and this bunch of 5 or 6 longbeards turn and go to them. I moved around a bit but decided to let them go and not spook em...I'll go back this evening. Then on my way out I drive up on a flock of 10-15 mixed ages with four super jakes. So I drive right up to them and jump out screaming and the bust really well. So I head over the bank and wait about 15minutes  and call and bingo a jake yelps back then poults and game on. Birds run to me from all directions and spend an hour milling around....oh to have two good arms. I could not get a bird in front of my gun to save me, other than poults. So that bunch snuck off and I left them and came home. This one arm thing does make it a bit more challenging, but one will step where I need him sooner or later.

[Duke0002]

Eggshell and Mark,

Beautiful day for chasing feathers.  You're on to something and it'll happen!

Won't be able to get out until Sunday afternoon at the earliest.

[eggshell]

Went back out this evening. Had the gobblers (5 long beards) pegged right, but they passed just out of range and wouldn't turn. 

[rbewilson]

go after them boys

[fallhnt]

Sounds like you guys had a great hunt.Is this public land?

[rbewilson]

Hey Mark and Eggshell,how is the hunting going,got one yet?When out on Sunday after church with my bow and found some good sign, did not see any turkeys, but I did have one yelp back at me.

[eggshell]

Fallhnt...I'm on private ground. I do hunt public a fair amount in the fall as you rarely see any fall turkey hunters in our neck of the woods, so it's wide open.

I have not tagged a bird yet. Two reasons: First I have not got a clean shot at a gobbler and second I'm shooting one handed off a shooting stick with my left hand,  (recovering from a fractured elbow and surgery on it) so it really limits my ability to get the sights on a bird. I have seen and heard birds everyday and had the chance to shoot a hen or poult several times over, but I'm holding off for at least a super jake or gobbler for a while. However; it won't be long and I'll be picking out a nice jake poult and doing my best to drop him. We've had a ball busting birds with my buddy's mountain Cur and calling the poults up, but we been letting them walk for now. If we were allowed two birds in Ohio I'd take a poult, but not yet. Who knows I may get tired of playing tomorrow and bust one....I usually go 3-5 days gobbler chasing then shoot whatever. I have been working a group of gobblers, so my hopes are high. I've had them 60-80 yards a couple times, but just haven't sealed the deal. They have been pretty vocal and even gobbling some.

[eggshell]

Here's a short update....I still have not got a crack at one of those gobblers and the hens and poults are walking all over me. I had birds 360 degrees around me this evening and not one gobbler. There were 5 jake poults that looked nice and if one of those would have gotten too close he may of been tagged. It ended up I had to sit until dark to slip out as birds roosted right in front of me. I can't hunt tomorrow morning, at daylight. I may go after  I get home from physical therapy or I may give them a break. I'm getting about ready to drop the hammer on something if a gobbler doesn't show up soon. I was just kind of adding up the birds I've had around me and I've passed on around 50 poults and hens. The nerves are starting to twitch in my New left trigger finger...LOL.