Team #5....Limbhangers

[MoJack]

Had Missouri youth hunt this past weekend and took my nephew to Bush Wildlife area near St. Louis.  First day slid in early in the rain and heard 6-8 gobbling off the roost, but most of them pretty far away.  We hunkered down and made a few calls, and had 5-6 hens pass about 80 yards away down a game trail in the woods where we were, they passed by in groups of 1-2 over a period of about an hour, and had a nice tom follow them at the end.  Next day we set up close to that trail in the middle of 3 fallen trees about 30 yds from the crest of a hill.  Heard 6-8 Toms again and started calling.  One answered back from a good distance and we started a 'conversation'.  Next thing I know we can hear 3 of them together and they are cutting off every call I make and they are coming from the other side of the hill, and LOUD, each trying to be louder than the others.  We call back and forth about 6-8 times and each time all three cut me off and keep getting closer until I can hear that they are right over the crest of the hill.  Then......nothing but silence....  We had a hen decoy connected to some fishing line so we could give her a little wiggle, and I don't know if they saw her and didn't like it or what, but we waited about a 1/2 hour and then I snuck up to the crest and there is a big flat up on the crest and there was nothing there...poof!

Later we walk about a cagillion (technical term) miles to the very back of the property and walked up a trail toward the top of a hill.  I'm thinking we will get to the top and make a few calls, but halfway up a tom on the left side of the hill lights it up and he is close.  I tell my nephew to plant it in front of a tree on the opposite side of the trail and I sit about 8ft to his right behind a bush, both facing where we heard him.  I call a few times and soon he is cutting me off and coming hard.  Next, he quiets up but after a few second I look to my right and not 8 ft away up the trail is a strutting tom and 2 jakes.  I slowly turn my head, and clearly my nephew cannot see them on his right through the bush....GGRRRRR!!!!!!  I slowly turn and motion to him and I think he sees them but doesnt move his gun and keeps looking forward.  After a few seconds they smell a rat because there isn't a hen where they had heard something so they quickly exit stage right.  After they are gone I ask him what was he doing?  He said he was waiting for them to come the rest of the way down the trail, and he didn't know if he could shoot through the bush.  12 Ga #6 Hevi shot....um... from 15-20 feet I think it would have done the job.  Oh well, at least it was exciting.  He said he knows where he wants to go next year for youth hunt but I told him don't bother, uncle Jack plans on cleaning up after him next Monday when the MO regular season starts!!

[mark hay]

That sounds like some fine excitement MoJack . Tricking those gobblers that close is super fine . Too bad you didn't tag ,,,,,,BUT IN MY EYE , THAT WAS A SUCCESSFUL HUNT ,,,,,,,,CONGRATS.

[WillowRidgeCalls]

I agree with Mark, at least you brought those birds right into you lap and told them a good lie, that's 98% of the hunt. Sounds like you two had a great time at fooling them. Good luck to you this season. and keep telling them birds lies. [:D]

[roycefromrc]

Well guys the first weekend was a bust.Opening day my son and i crest a hill and the whole place was lit up likema christmas tree.ive never heard such a thing.That whole valley was crawling with birds.We tried to get out in front of them but only managed to cut off a few.I called one in to about 20yds but he was just over a knob.Well,right before he crested the hill I hear one hell of a comotion.i dont know if he was fighting or getting sex,but he was gone after the comotion. Maybe someone could tell me what I heard.Set up in the valley that night but they didnt roost till really late,i did get a few answers right at dark.The next morning cold and rainy so we did some road hunting. I fired four times at one big tom from behind at about 50-55 yds,but he just laughed and flew away. I now know why all you guys use heave shot. i want and bought a box of it in 5 shot.sunday night I roosted a flock with the binos at about 1500 yds.There was a giant tom with them and one jake. Went back monday night and set up right by the roost tree,but they never came.I think they got busted Sun night or Mon morning.Ive got some more private land that sounds very promising,so Ill be out Friday and Saturday to see what happens.I sure never thought turkey could be so damn hard and fun to hunt,Im hooked.sur be nice if the weather would break, snowing today and cold.Hope to have some pics for my next post.Good luck guys,tear em up!

[MoJack]

Well today (Thursday) is the last day of the managed hunt that I got drawn for at Busch Wildlife Area.  Monday I heard quite a few and had one gobble in the woods about 30 yds from me and then next thing I know he is thunder gobbling 15 feet directly behind me.....and a fallen tree (with all its branches).  I tried to slowly turn but of course he busted me and bye bye.  Tuesday it stormed like Noah's flood, never heard a thing.  Wed. heard 2 gobbles at 6:45 and not a thing the rest of the day, so I was kinda bummed out and didn't really have any confidence.  I decided to go back to where I had taken my nephew during the youth hunt, because we had 3 toms hot and heavy that disapeared into the Bermuda Triangle just over a hill after gobbling the whole way in.  I went to the top of the hill/ridge and walked quietly to the back near where it falls back off, set up my gobbler lounger and a decoy behind me to the left.  About 6:00 I start to hear a tom gobbling about 100 yards away down the back side of the ridge.  The whole morning I am having a conversation with myself saying "self, you have to slow down on the calls, you are scaring them away, and no self respecting hen sounds like a locomotive".  Well I send out a short set of yelps and no answer.  He is still gobbling every 10-25 seconds.  I cluck a few times, no immediate response.  I sit there for a minute, and say "what the hell?"  Okay, all the self control crud is out the window, I pull out my Willow Ridge glass, and cut loose with a series of loud yelps with some cuts mixed in, and before I am done he has cut me off.  Okay good.  Sit for a minute, and he gobbles again, but from the same place.  I kick out another series of loud yelps and cuts, and he cuts me off again, only this time it sounds like he may just be a bit to the left and closer, but not totally certain.  I wait another minute and rip off another series and before I am finished 2 toms are gobbling together and now for sure they are coming in much closer and to the left.  There is a gentle rise in the woods up to where I am on a plateau at the top, and to my left it falls off much faster.  The sun is not up yet so the woods are still mostly dark but I am begining to be able to see the trees out to 50 yds or so.  I am looking down the gentle slope and suddenly I see two shadows glide into the trees about halfway down.  They gobble again and now they are coming up a lane in the trees to the right. I put down the call and have both hands on the gun.  They gobble again and they are clearly looking for the 'special needs' hen that was making the calls.  The back one moves to the left into another lane and keeps going left, headed for the steep slope where I cannot see him.  The closer one comes in and starts to veer that way too.  He crosses into the other open lane at about 35-40 yds, stops and pops his head up.  Now, I am not completely certain of the yardage because its dark, but I know he is headed left and out.  I put the bead just above his head and let the lead fly.  He drops like a brick with hardly a shimmy or shake.  I jump up, put on the saftey and run down to him and stand on his neck.  6:25 and #1 is in the books, 19#, 3/4 spurs, 9-1/2" beard with a blonde stripe in it.  Scott, thank you so much, you call hypnotized them and they had no choice!
 
Jack

[roycefromrc]

Went out this morning for a quick hunt.i was driving down a fire road and seen him cross the road in front of me. I sped up a bit,slammed on the brakes,jumped out and nailed him at about 10yds.With all the calling,camo,decoys and wandering through the hills, I got this bad baoy road hunting.I will have a pic soon to post.
Royce

[eggshell]

Hey MoJack, here's a couple tips.

When birds are really close they will react violently to any movement, usually they'll fly. Yet if they are say 30 yards they will just walk away fast or run. If you get stuck again with a bird feet behind you and you are reasonably sure he's leaving then try this. Instead of trying to turn just move a foot or hand a slight bit. If he sees it and putts sit still for a few seconds until he's about 30 yards then turn right around and be ready for a quick shot. It's even better if he's putting as he goes. You'll kill a few like that, but  most will boogey before you get a bead on them. I don't do this in early season as there will be other days to work this bird, but after midseason it's game on. Also on those birds 20 yards over a rise, raise up in a steady motion, not suddenly and you will often get a shot. I've had birds just stand and look not sure what the movement is. Again judge if your gonna hunt or reposition on the birds. I killed my first Ohio bird this way. He was behind a down tree top for several minutes and I had the cover of the top so i just steadily rose up and he saw me but turned to just walk away and I planted some #5s in the back of his head.