Post by kings6 on Dec 21, 2011 21:52:44 GMT -5
I posted this on the RF but I thought since I had shared my first casting endevour with you guys, I'd share my first turkey hunt with you as well.
Yesterday the man who owns one of the farms I rent called and said "Get up here, the turkeys are coming across the field and headed for my apple tree!" I thought I would humor him and go up to the farm just to see the beggars. Since I shoot right handed but have a dominate left eye, I don't shoot shotguns. In fact, I have given them all away except for the old Stevens break action single shot 20 gauge. I grabbed the old beat up gopher gun and three #6 shells and headed up the road. The bunch was right next to the driveway so as I drove in they headed across the pasture and started feeding. I pulled up behind the house and thought to myself " Now what do I do?"
Since I have never hunted turkeys before I defaulted back to deer hunting spot and stalk mode and started out through the woods directly away from the flock. After a 20 minute circle I was able to enter the reprod patch they were feeding next two and begain sneaking and peeking just like I do deer hunting. One thing is for sure, if there are 18 turkeys in a bunch, there is ALWAYS at least one or two with their heads up watching!
Regardless, by using the reprod for cover and crawling through the grass slowly while watching for sentrys I finally got to within 20 yards of the fence line they were feeding along. The hard part was staying perfectly still and motionless while they slowly fed along the fenceline. Finally after 15-20 minutes a young jake came out from behind the last tree and at 25 yards, the little 20 gauge dropped him. The only bad thing was it scared the rest of the flock so bad they flew right over the top of me at about 15'! Dog gone single shot! I could have tossed it straight up and knocked one of the onery things down they were so close on take off.
Anyway. I know it wasn't a classic turkey hunt but I did learn that deer hunting methods and sneak and peek stalking can result in some nice wild game! :lol:
ps: I know that stalking is not normally considered a safe turkey hunting technique. I only did it due to the fact that I was on private ground that I have exclusive hunting rights to and the birds where in the open where I could see them and I was NOT calling so there was no danger of calling in another hunter.
Yes, that is what a happy poop pumper looks like. ;D
Yesterday the man who owns one of the farms I rent called and said "Get up here, the turkeys are coming across the field and headed for my apple tree!" I thought I would humor him and go up to the farm just to see the beggars. Since I shoot right handed but have a dominate left eye, I don't shoot shotguns. In fact, I have given them all away except for the old Stevens break action single shot 20 gauge. I grabbed the old beat up gopher gun and three #6 shells and headed up the road. The bunch was right next to the driveway so as I drove in they headed across the pasture and started feeding. I pulled up behind the house and thought to myself " Now what do I do?"
Since I have never hunted turkeys before I defaulted back to deer hunting spot and stalk mode and started out through the woods directly away from the flock. After a 20 minute circle I was able to enter the reprod patch they were feeding next two and begain sneaking and peeking just like I do deer hunting. One thing is for sure, if there are 18 turkeys in a bunch, there is ALWAYS at least one or two with their heads up watching!
Regardless, by using the reprod for cover and crawling through the grass slowly while watching for sentrys I finally got to within 20 yards of the fence line they were feeding along. The hard part was staying perfectly still and motionless while they slowly fed along the fenceline. Finally after 15-20 minutes a young jake came out from behind the last tree and at 25 yards, the little 20 gauge dropped him. The only bad thing was it scared the rest of the flock so bad they flew right over the top of me at about 15'! Dog gone single shot! I could have tossed it straight up and knocked one of the onery things down they were so close on take off.
Anyway. I know it wasn't a classic turkey hunt but I did learn that deer hunting methods and sneak and peek stalking can result in some nice wild game! :lol:
ps: I know that stalking is not normally considered a safe turkey hunting technique. I only did it due to the fact that I was on private ground that I have exclusive hunting rights to and the birds where in the open where I could see them and I was NOT calling so there was no danger of calling in another hunter.
Yes, that is what a happy poop pumper looks like. ;D
