Post by walleyed on May 2, 2013 14:02:38 GMT -5
walleyed and the Beaver Princess were in the Turkey woods at 5:00AM and by 5:15AM the gobblers were sounding off in two different locations.
The South-Eastern Group sounded more excited and numerous so we headed that way. Fly-Down was at 5:50AM and there were some mouthy hens between us and the gobblers so, there was no turning them Our way.
About 6:15 AM a lone hen who was very vocal began to Cutt and Cackle at walleyed calls and was soon checking us out in the fence row at 100 yards.
As luck would have it, her excited calling drew two different flocks out of the nearby Sugar Bush roosting area with one Flock containing two hens and three adult gobblers and the other containing five hens, three Jakes and One Adult Gobbler.
The lone mouthy hen soon made us in the Hedgerow and scooted into the cedars, but the two flocks 200 yards distant ignored walleyed and the princess and Our Calls.
Time to move and relocate so we belly crawled to the Cedar cover and looped around to the other side of the field to the north and aligned ourselves with the Flocks direction of travel.
The birds were indifferent to our calling, and soon something; Possibly a coyote or another stalking hunter, spooked the birds back to the Sugar Bush to the south.
The Princess had to leave early for work obligations by 9:00AM so we broke for breakfast and soon walleyed was headed solo back to the Cedar Ridge for another go at it.
About 9:00AM walleyed returned to the woods and busied himself constructing a small ground blind from Dead, Fallen limbs at a key pinch-point travel route and while sitting in the newly constructed blind,
a Dump Truck Tailgate slammed at the nearby Sand and Gravel pit eliciting a thunderous
Double Gobble from about 400 yards away and lined up with walleyed's usual calling route.
Just for fun,
walleyed let loose with a blast from his Air-Horn and was immediately answered by twin gobbles that seemed a bit closer.
After waiting about 5 minutes, and another Air-horn blast the Gobblers let loose with another set of gobbles and were no doubt less than 200 yards and closing.
Walleyed donned his head net and gloves, loaded his Street Cannon and made his way towards the approaching gobblers in the cover of thick cedars but was caught away from a good set up and had to hunker down behind a honey suckle shrub as a pair of slammers approached coming down the edge of the Field.
walleyed hadn't had time to break out his slate or box call from his knapsack and so had to rely solely on his Quaker-Boy single reed diaphragm with a few soft clucks and purrs.
As the Birds passed an old cedar fence post on the Field fence-line they came into walleyed field of fire and stopped to stretch their necks in search of the hidden hen.
Choosing the longer bearded Bird, walleyed lined up the front and back beads on the Moss-burg and YANKED the trigger.
At the BLAST, The Lead Longbeard hit the dirt and his brother hauled backside back the way he had come soon resorting to flying as he rapidly put distance between the scene of the Ambush and himself.
The time was 10:15AM, and Spring Bird #1 was in the books.
Walleyed filled out his tag, and returned home to call in his turkey Information in the DECALS harvest reporting system.
Vital statistics:
WEIGHT: 23LBS 12OZS. (Heaviest Bird Ever)
BEARD: 9 1/8th" INCHES
SPURS: 1 3/16ths", 1 1/4"
Some photos of Today's Harvest:
Apparently yesterday's Nerve Block Therapy Needle to try and relieve some of walleyed's Neck and Back pain from the February MVA worked somewhat successfully, as I was able to function for most of the morning with out excessive Pain. Better Living through Modern Pharmaceuticals. LOL
Hopefully the wind and weather will be nice again tomorrow and walleyed will have an opportunity for another Bird
Stay tuned
walleyed
The South-Eastern Group sounded more excited and numerous so we headed that way. Fly-Down was at 5:50AM and there were some mouthy hens between us and the gobblers so, there was no turning them Our way.
About 6:15 AM a lone hen who was very vocal began to Cutt and Cackle at walleyed calls and was soon checking us out in the fence row at 100 yards.
As luck would have it, her excited calling drew two different flocks out of the nearby Sugar Bush roosting area with one Flock containing two hens and three adult gobblers and the other containing five hens, three Jakes and One Adult Gobbler.
The lone mouthy hen soon made us in the Hedgerow and scooted into the cedars, but the two flocks 200 yards distant ignored walleyed and the princess and Our Calls.
Time to move and relocate so we belly crawled to the Cedar cover and looped around to the other side of the field to the north and aligned ourselves with the Flocks direction of travel.
The birds were indifferent to our calling, and soon something; Possibly a coyote or another stalking hunter, spooked the birds back to the Sugar Bush to the south.
The Princess had to leave early for work obligations by 9:00AM so we broke for breakfast and soon walleyed was headed solo back to the Cedar Ridge for another go at it.
About 9:00AM walleyed returned to the woods and busied himself constructing a small ground blind from Dead, Fallen limbs at a key pinch-point travel route and while sitting in the newly constructed blind,
a Dump Truck Tailgate slammed at the nearby Sand and Gravel pit eliciting a thunderous
Double Gobble from about 400 yards away and lined up with walleyed's usual calling route.
Just for fun,
walleyed let loose with a blast from his Air-Horn and was immediately answered by twin gobbles that seemed a bit closer.
After waiting about 5 minutes, and another Air-horn blast the Gobblers let loose with another set of gobbles and were no doubt less than 200 yards and closing.
Walleyed donned his head net and gloves, loaded his Street Cannon and made his way towards the approaching gobblers in the cover of thick cedars but was caught away from a good set up and had to hunker down behind a honey suckle shrub as a pair of slammers approached coming down the edge of the Field.
walleyed hadn't had time to break out his slate or box call from his knapsack and so had to rely solely on his Quaker-Boy single reed diaphragm with a few soft clucks and purrs.
As the Birds passed an old cedar fence post on the Field fence-line they came into walleyed field of fire and stopped to stretch their necks in search of the hidden hen.
Choosing the longer bearded Bird, walleyed lined up the front and back beads on the Moss-burg and YANKED the trigger.
At the BLAST, The Lead Longbeard hit the dirt and his brother hauled backside back the way he had come soon resorting to flying as he rapidly put distance between the scene of the Ambush and himself.
The time was 10:15AM, and Spring Bird #1 was in the books.
Walleyed filled out his tag, and returned home to call in his turkey Information in the DECALS harvest reporting system.
Vital statistics:
WEIGHT: 23LBS 12OZS. (Heaviest Bird Ever)
BEARD: 9 1/8th" INCHES
SPURS: 1 3/16ths", 1 1/4"
Some photos of Today's Harvest:
Apparently yesterday's Nerve Block Therapy Needle to try and relieve some of walleyed's Neck and Back pain from the February MVA worked somewhat successfully, as I was able to function for most of the morning with out excessive Pain. Better Living through Modern Pharmaceuticals. LOL
Hopefully the wind and weather will be nice again tomorrow and walleyed will have an opportunity for another Bird
Stay tuned
walleyed