I found 'em

[eggshell]

Your a better man than me Mark. Setting a goal and sticking to it. Getting late in season the first turkey in range would find it's beak in the dirt, if it were me. I really hope one of those long beards gives you a shot.

My hunting buddy has been holding off shooting a bird to work his dog more and waiting for a gobbler. But Wednesday he decided it was time to fill the tag. He took his grandson with a .410 he'd bought for him. They set up a blind in a field edge where birds had been coming. Sure enough  they returned and the boy shot a young jake, then he started calling and the group came back so he took the .410 and shot a hen. He said both where about 25 yards and went down like rocks. So score two for .410 shotguns. It was his grandsons first turkey, but he was as pumped as the kid.

[mark hay]

A better man ?  Not hardly. About halfway through the season I really began to miss my SxS 12 . I kept carrying the 410 in spite . Not that the 12 ga would have changed anything , except for one bird . I was back in there this evening with my friend . After legal time expired Jon stepped it off to the spot of the first possible shot . 24 steps . I know there is always the possibility of that one pellet making the kill ,,but that same amount of possibility plays the other way too ,,, with a wounded bird .
 
I ain't filled my tag yet ,,,,and I didn't stick to the plan ,,,I carried the double the past three days .
 
I had a plan for this morning, but it was ruined by a free ranging dog . So I sent him packin' with 4 challenge bark howls like a coyote . So I went after the gobblers across the hunting area . Upon reaching the place where I could see into the field ,,,there they were . 40 yards from the road ,,,,man what a flock of toms . There was at least 25, possibly more. There wasn't time to count . I parked the truck and climbed a briar cover bank and entered the field to drive them away from the road , and back into the timber . They didn't scatter ,,,they just went airborn and departed . Plus being up high and on the edge of the break ridge they were able to sail for quite some distance . Now I had to turn thee truck around , go 3/4 mile to the parking lot , walk the 3/4 mile back and then enter the woods and try to locate them . Needless to say I covered Aa lot of ground and had only one bird reply , and he very well could have been a young jake with those hens .
 
 Later I hit an area that held two longbeards a month ago . They have evidently tribed up with some other jakes or toms and moved out. Not one ounce of sign . This afternoon I got with Jon and we combed his place trying to locate and get them to answer . Nothing doing . They have moved out to some better food I suppose .
 
I'll hunt a short time in the morning . Tomorrow is the annual deer camp cookout , so I won't be hunting all day .
 
I let one walk on opening day ,,,,,,I hadn't called .
I let a hen walk ,,,,,that I had called .
I let a longbeard walk ,,,,that I had called , but judged it a mite too far for the 410.
I saw things I had never seen concerning turkeys .
Saw a bearded hen .
Saw some fine fights , both hens and toms .
Heard a jake , on the ground , after sundown , when it was too dark to shoot with fiber optic sights .
I suspect this same jake is the one that pooped on my new hat.[:D]
Watched a bluejay going from tree to tree , always landing on the uppermost twig , and each time he landed he whistled like a chicken hawk .
I learned some fine lessons on patience , calling , and moving.
The last time I fired a gun was the week before turkey season .
 
I've had a very fine season . But a better man than you , Dana ,,,not hardly .

[nhtrkybstr]

Mark!
 
Sounds like you had a ball! What a great time! I wish I had a longer fall shotgun season so I could put a little more time into fall hunting them!
I also want to extend congrats to a well deserved pro staffer position! I always learn alot from your postings!
Is spring here yet?
 
Mike

[turkeydoghunter]

sounds like you need a dog...mark...glad you had fun...im heading to hunt KY

[eggshell]

Yup I'm heading back to Ky for the second season next week. I filled one tag in the early segment, but got one left. This one can't be a long beard though. Kentucky limits you to one gobbler with a beard greater than three inches, and I filled that. So poults beware! I also have two archery tags left, but for some funny reason I'm not feeling like another bow hunt.....

Turkeydoghunter, I think we'll be taking my buddies Mt Curr on this trip as late fall birds can be hard to approach. besides it's just fun watching him charge them. You know, some will fly up in trees,well he sits and barks treed, it's funny. However that tells you where you need to go to further the bust. I'm divided on dog vs no dog hunting, it's kind of a situational thing for me. If I know where they are, I go without the dog, but if it's a search to find birds the dog is an ace.

[mark hay]

ORIGINAL: nhtrkybstr

Mark!

Sounds like you had a ball! What a great time! I wish I had a longer fall shotgun season so I could put a little more time into fall hunting them!
I also want to extend congrats to a well deserved pro staffer position! I always learn alot from your postings!
Is spring here yet?

Mike

 
Thanks Mike,
 I did have some fine times in the woods ,,,,,enjoyed every moment . I wish we all could enjoy more time and limits .
 ProStaffer ? I rarely think about it . But thanks for your comments . As you can see , Linda nor myself can get the avatar moved from one place to another .
Spring yet ? Well ,,I'm not quite ready for spring . I want to spend more time in the woods with the turkeys this winter ,,,just for observation and learning experience. And try to refresh my coyote vocalizations and ventilate a few . Also want to do some 'coon calling .
 One minute it seems as though I was fall hunting non-stop for months ,,,the next it feels like it was just yesterday I was aggravating that ''Head of the Holler ''tom , that was in April. Spring will get here ,,,and we'll be ready ,,,and I know as you ,,sometimes it seems mighty slow a coming.

[mark hay]

ORIGINAL: turkeydoghunter

sounds like you need a dog...mark...glad you had fun...im heading to hunt KY

 hey Ron , best wishes on your Ky. hunts .
 
Maybe someday I'll try the dog hunting,,,but right now I'm content goin' alone.

[turkeydoghunter]

where do you hunt in KY shell? i hunt western ky...near benton

[eggshell]

Turkeydoghunter,

I've hunted all over Ky. from Maysville to Carlisle to Carter caves area to West Liberty and Salersville to bath county. This trip will be in Morgan County towards West Liberty.