Opening Day Blues!!!!!

[wiginton]

Was wondering how everybody did on
Opening Day? I'm hunting in Unit T
which is in the Thumb. The weather was
miserable with rain and high winds.
The Toms had "lockjaw". The day before
while me and my hunting partner were
scouting, we saw 11 birds, including
4 jakes and two NICE Toms. They were
in a field about a mile away from our
hunting property. One of the Toms was
really strutting out in the field.
Luckily we drew the 4/17/00 to 5/15/00
hunt. Hopefully the weather warms up like
we had in March. By the way trout, our
hunting property is in Forestville.
Good Luck All!!!!!

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Ed

[Steve]

Wiginton, I've yet to hear any success stories on this site. Keep us posted and by all means submit a picture if you bag one.

[wiginton]

Steve, Will be sure to send in a picture
if I'm succesful. The weather is probably
the reason for no success stories so far.
Pray for Spring like weather, upper 60's
with no high winds. A little drizzle won't
hurt, but PLEASE no torrentual downpours!!!!

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Ed

[wiginton]

Trout,
Wish I didn't have to work today, like you
said the weather was nice. Took a vacation
day yesterday. Had too, it was Opening Day!
But neither the Toms or the weather cooperated. Guess that's why they call it hunting. Yes the Forestville area is really
nice and is becoming more and more populated
with Turkeys. My hunting partner bagged a
nice Tom their two years ago that had a
8 inch beard. Alot of Hardwoods,Ridges, &
Ravines. Plus all the farm fields. Turkey
and Deer Heaven!!!

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Ed

[RiNgMaStR]

Chomping at the bit here...have the first hunt in area K but can't get there until Thursday afternoon. ARGHHHHHHH! Lifes responcibilies suck when ya pull that permit but have area being "watched" and have been informed several flocks waltzing through so come Thursday.. *BANG* then i can come back here and tell you all about the 30# tom with the 18" beard right? :) Good luck all.

[Baydog]

First year at turkey hunting started off frustrating. I have a permit in area T, started off with no birds responding in the wet woods. Only to come home and have toms or jakes really fired up across the road from the house.They responded to anything I gave them. Would not come across because of houses. Then going into town to get stuff for honey do list a jake ran across the road in front of the van. Hunting partner was going berserk, good thing I was driving. I'll get out the rest of the week, while trying to secure permission across the road. Bye and good luck all. BAYDOG

[wiginton]

Baydog,
Hope you secure permission to hunt across
the road from your house. Sounds like a
real honey hole. Ringmastr, Good Luck
bagging that 30# Tom with a 18 inch beard!!!!!!! Work seems to get in the way
of having fun, but we all have to do it.
Unless your rich or retired?

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Ed

[David G Duncan]

This was our first year turkey hunting, so I guess beginner luck must be the explanation for our success.

We were hunting in area K where we have a cabin and 25 acres. We have seen turkey off and on most this past fall and early spring. The most promising area on our property looked like a clearing between two pine plantations. The turkey had several dusting bowls along the edge of the pines and the grass in the area looked like it was getting regularly mowed.

I put up a blind at the end of the clearing for my wife and situated a portable blind for me at the edge of the pines about 75 yards from her position.

Opening morning was not all that spring like, with a cold 32 degrees and wind. At 7:00 AM I quickly placed decoys of a jake, feeding hen and an alert hen in front her blind. Then 15 yards out in front of my blind, I put a feeding hen decoy. In one of the dusting bowls I positioned an alert hen.

The wind kept all the decoys looking pretty lively, but it was almost impossble to hear if there were any turkeys talking in our neck of the woods. I did hear one shoot at about 7:45 AM, but nothing else. I did a litte calling about every half hour, but never heard any responses, or then some dogs barking in the distance. A couple of times I really thought I could hear some gobbling, but wrote it off to my over active imagination.

My wife got cold, disappointed at not action and left her blind at 11:30 AM. I had made my mind made up to stick it out until 1:00 PM, mainly because I had read that turkeys like to visit their dusting areas in the middle of the day.

At 12:15 PM I nearly dropped the book I was reading, when a Tom let loose with a thundering gobble. Just like a turkey calling expert said on one of his, "You will think the woods is falling down around you". This experience alone was worth the price of admission.

Finally, I caught sight of two Toms strutting around in front of the jake decoy, I put out in front of my wife's blind.

Right then I wished I had moved to her blind when she left. Somewhat frustrated I did a little very soft hen talk, but it seemed to make them very nerve, so I just put the call aside and wished for the best. Sure enough they both finally worked their way down to my decoys. At 20 yards the picture look right to me so I touched off my 16 guage with #4 shot. The Tom went down like a ton of bricks and never even flapped a wing. Luch smile again, because this is not a turkey gun. Modified choke and only 2 3/4 chamber. This is the first and last year for this gun. Next year you will find me in the same place (if I draw a permit), only holding my compound bow.

The numbers on this Tom were 22 lb. and 9 inch beard. Both Toms looked to be the same size, so may be they were twins.

Needless to say my wife was really disappointed in missing the action. She hunted the afternoon from her blind and saw 7 jakes and two hens. The next morning she was back hunting at 7:00 AM and I was in my blind for moral support. At 9:30 AM I saw the head of a Tom bobbing through the woods behind my wife's blind. I knew she could not see him, so I let loose with series of hens yelps and sure enough the Tom responded. Now, I was confident that my wife was on point, if she hadn't had a heart attack.

I could not see how big the Tom was, but based on his gobble he sounded like good bird. I could just barely see he in front of her blind and I kept waiting for her to let loose with her 20 guage 870. Then I finally figured out the problem. He had his fanned tail toward her and she did not have a shot at his neck. So I let out a couple of yelps and sure enough up went his head. Her aim was perfect at about 16 yards and we hung bird number two.

Once I get the photos developed I will try to figure out how to post a picture of two very proud and happy hunters.

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Trapper Dave

[wiginton]

Trapper Dave,

Great story and Congratulations to both
you and your wife. Can't wait to see the
pictures of both fine birds on this site.
Hopefully I'll fill my tag this weekend
or at least by May 15th. Luckily I drew
a month long permit for Unit T. Might
need the whole month. Again, Great Job
considering the weather conditions!!!!

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Ed

[Steve]

Dave, please do post the pictures here and we will also get them on our Turkeys 2000 page.

[Baydog]

Wiginton and Trout... Thanks for all the info and stuff. Bad news I did not get permission across the road today, But good news I did get permission on two properties a few miles away.Took the neighbor guy over there tonite as walking in had a tom walk right towards us on the two track. About fifty five yards out he new somthing was not right and turned around. We then got up to the smaller field only to see two groups of about ten birds in each group. Birds then returned to the woods, We then set up decoys out in the field and sat back. Didnt take long birds started to filter back into the field.I called in five jakes but they came running in to decoys in too tight of a group, no shots were offered. We had birds in the field all evening. Finally a single tom came over a dike offering my neighbor a shot. He got a nice tom seven inch beard, 23 pounds, and about 1 inch spurs. Not bad for two rookies, maybe mine will come tomorrow. I guess a little leg work paid off knocking on doors. I'll have to send pictures snail mail, because I don't have a scanner. Maybe I'll talk to you guys about my bird, hopefully. BAYDOG

[Curdog]

Congradulations, Trapper Dave!

What load did your Wife use outta he 20 ga.?

My Dad used a modified choke Sweet 16 and had fine luck with 1 1/4 oz. of #5 shot.

Gotta see those pictures!!

Godd luck, Baydog..... sounds like a great spot. You might have a cold, you better call in and get some fresh air.

[David G Duncan]

Curdog,

We purchased a Remingtion 870 express 20 guage youth model shotgun for my wife. They still had to have 1.5 inches cut off the stock. Looks a little funny, but she likes it, so that is what really counts.

I had her practice with regular 2 3/4" low power shells to take it easy on her. Then without her knowing it I gave her 3" mag. #5 shot shells for the hunt. I asked her after the kill if she felt any kick, naturally she said " there was no kick at all" It is amazing how the recoil disappears when our mind is focused on the critical moment of the hunt and not the gun.

However,I did shoot the 3 " shells to check the pattern before her hunt.

Her gun also as an extra full turkey choke and fiber optic sights.

She hit her turkey directly in the back of the neck at about 16 yards and no pellets in the body. My modified choke 16 guage with #4 shot at 20 yards put pellets in the neck, head and breast of my tom. That is the reason I don't intend to use it again for turkey. Besides may be this way I can buy a new shotgun. This 16 guage is 40 years old and due to be retired. Maybe an over and under would be a good choice for me.

Does anyone know if I can get an over and under 20 guage, that might have the ability to accept an extra full turkey choke?


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Trapper Dave