Vic's First Turkey

[Duke0002]

Great first hunt with Vic, Charlie. I didn't see anyone else ask you in the other replies, but I've gotta ... what the heck is a "boink" call, & what got you started with it?

I was waiting for this question or someone to tell me why it works and what it means in turkey talk. It all started one time while I was setup against an old upside down metal stock tank working some stubborn fall toms that continued to fight very vocally but wouldn't acknowledge me. As the morning sun warmed the tank it made that sound they make on temp changes. Startled the heck out me and before I could settle back down all 6 toms were standing in front me, killed what looked like the biggest and made his wings into the largest base sounding wingbone call I currently own. That call makes a fairly good boink. At the time I was excited to get that tom, the why didn't dawn on me until much later on another day when I had a similar group of toms ignoring my calls; then remembered the water tank, boinked on that big wingbone and the toms were soon standing in front of me. Like anything in turkey hunting it does not work all the time but enough to keep me using it.

Charlie, any way you can post a sound link to the "boink" you make on the wing call? I have zero skill in that department.

-Dale

[putt]

Charlie

I'm glad to see that others besides me are responding to your "boink" comment. I was a bit afraid that "boink calling" was the turkey hunting rookie equivalent of snipe hunting.

I recently got my first wingbone yelpers, so I'm curious as to what their sound capability is. My current level of skill is that I've figured out that I suck on it instead of blow. It's going to take me a while to get it to sound like a steel drum.

How did the new phone-in reservation system work for your fall bird?

By the way, your attached photo shows that Vic has mastered the most important turkey dog skill ... how to pose for the turkey photo. How did that young pup do at staying still during the flock recall? I would guess that would be the toughest for a pup his age.

Tom

[charlie elk]

How did the new phone-in reservation system work for your fall bird?

The phone system is a little cumbersome but the online is awesomely easy and quick. Now we need to get this for registering deer too. I am really tired of loading deer and hauling them to the registration station then back to hang em. Done that 3 times this year so far.

By the way, your attached photo shows that Vic has mastered the most important turkey dog skill ... how to pose for the turkey photo. How did that young pup do at staying still during the flock recall? I would guess that would be the toughest for a pup his age.

Just in case you are interested my friend Steve Hickoff posted an expanded Vic story on the Realtree site. http://www.realtree.com/hunting/blogs/t ... -longbeard

recently got my first wingbone yelpers, so I'm curious as to what their sound capability is. My current level of skill is that I've figured out that I suck on it instead of blow. It's going to take me a while to get it to sound like a steel drum

.

I might not be describing the call correctly as a "boink" not sure how to spell the sound. On my wingbone I make the base sound of the steel drum expanding and contracting not the high pitch metallic. I will try and figure out how to post an audio clip. If I can't post it here I'll post it my http://www.charlieelk.com site as time allows. All my spare daylight time is spent afield this time of year.

[Duke0002]

Thanks for the further explanation of the metallic sound. From your description I think I've got the idea. Interesting that toms sometimes are attracted to it. In a bird's way of hearing, maybe it sounds like a gobbler drumming.

[charlie elk]

Interesting that toms sometimes are attracted to it. In a bird's way of hearing, maybe it sounds like a gobbler drumming.

Possible but I have never heard a turkey make a sound like this. I will be the first to admit that I do not hear what the turkeys hear. Also I am tone deaf and rhythmically challenged, some say my calls do not sound like turkeys, but no matter the turkeys come to em often enough. Why? Put that down as one of the mysteries of the world

[putt]

How did the new phone-in reservation system work for your fall bird?

The phone system is a little cumbersome but the online is awesomely easy and quick.

Charlie.

Used the new online system yesterday, & I agree that it is easy & quick. It will be especially welcome the next time I get a late afternoon bird a long ways from home. Although I confess that if I'm lucky enough to get a big, sharp-spurred bird I'll miss being able to show it off at a registration station.

[charlie elk]

Putt, that is a bit of a tease. You used the new system which must mean you got a bird. So where is the story?

[turkeydoghunter]

Maybe you could run Vic with a dog that barks , Monkey see Monkey do.....Ron

[putt]

Putt, that is a bit of a tease. You used the new system which must mean you got a bird. So where is the story?

Yup, Charlie, I did get a fall bird Friday. The weather forecast was so gorgeous that I skipped work & headed to the land of a farmer friend. The morning was absolutely beautiful, giving me a memory that will certainly get me out for more future fall hunting.

I set up leaning against a tree about 15' off a small (~20 acres) rolling field in near-chest high brambles, sitting on a 5-gal pail. Since there wasn't much wooded land to hunt, I decided to sit there for several hours & just admire the day & see what appeared. About 8:30am 3 toms came out at the far end of the field & slowly pecked tangent to me. I quietly watched them for 20-30 minutes until they angled off well away from me out of sight in a dip in the field. Waited 5 minutes or so & thought they'd left the field. I figured I had nothing to lose so I tried my 3-bone wingbone yelper, hoping to sound like a tom yelp (still figuring out how to play that thing). I'd have let loose with a "boink" call, but that one needs a bit of work yet.

30 seconds later their heads popped over the field crown, & after looking things over for several minutes they eventually came in. When they finally got in front of me they decided to launch into the air & "play-fight" with each other. Between enjoying watching their show & not wanting the morning hunt to be over so early, I almost didn't shoot. But the fact that I'd been skunked this spring sealed the deal & I picked out the longest beard.

I'm now trying a red-dot "scope" on my shotgun (no magnification) as an aid to my old eyes. First time I used it in the field. I can see the red-dot real well, but this was a under-20 yards shot, so I could likely have thrown a rock at him & done as well.

Although the bird had an 8" beard & a full tail, its spurs were only 5/8" & it weighed just 17.5#. So I guess we'll have to call it a jake. His crop was bursting with soybeans & wheat.

One fall call that I've got to work on is a fighting purr. I had been out once before this fall for a few hours, & that time I saw 8-10 nice toms come by at a fast trot across the field from me, well out of range. I could hear the loud fighting purr/putting that they were running to. The sound was off the land I was hunting, but it sure got those toms' attention.

I can't do a decent purr with my mouthcalls. Genetic deficiency I guess. On my slate I don't purr much better, but I’ll work on it

How's Vic been doing in your land of many permits?

[charlie elk]

Skipped work and got a nice bird; it doesn't get better than that! Plus you got em interested with your wingbone and then show off so nice you had a great day. Personally I call birds like yours gobblers; it had a good beard, spurs and sometimes they are just light. Been hearing a lot guys complaining a lot of the toms this year are under weight. As a matter of fact the local registration czar says turkeys have been running about 20% lighter than normal year; according to the spring records.
BTW, if that bucket you were sitting on was metal maybe you could have twitched your butt and made it boink.