Congrats on the birds!
I HAD a place like that, but they have changed this year. I did have two coyotes in there, so maybe that is what is getting them out of their routine.
Thanks for the info guys, I know that a couple years ago I was fishing on McGee Creek and got back up in Potapo creek and started calling while I was fishing and had 4 different birds from different directions standing on the bank that never made a sound, never got close enough to tell what subspecies they were.
Looks like Rios. Too much white on the tail tips. Easterns are much more brown on the tips. Nice looking birds.
Great job Phillip! Who needs to call when they come right to you.
nice job phil, well i haven't been so lucky. we have birds on my place but never have any success. i've been out 3 times now and the birds are there and gobbling. as soon as we call they will answer back a few times then nothing. the other day we hit them hard with aggressive calling. this morning i though i would change it up and tried soft easy purrs and yelps. same result. getting frustrated. i've had this place for years and its been the same every time.
Amazing how a bird with a brain the size of a pecan can outsmart a human with the brain the size of a grape fruit.
I'll put up a pic later when I get my camera back. I ended up bagging an 18 pounder Saturday evening. 9 1/4" beard, 1" spurs. Very low fat, and some very pretty meat. Can't wait to cook this sucker up! Only "boo boo" was that I nearly blew it's fool head off with a second shot. I'd pegged it from about 25 yards solidly, and it hit the ground in a big black puddle, twitched a few times, then didn't move any more. When I got over to it though, the crazy thing (which had shot holes in it's head and neck, and a pretty obviously broken neck) still tried it's damnedest to fly away when it saw me, and started flopping around in circles and making gurgling noises. I couldn't stand to see it suffer so I shot it again...and made cleaning it a lot harder as I thought the head was going to end up popping off while I was yanking the feathers off 
Earlier in the day I'd had a more exciting hunt where I was actively trying to get down a fence row to head a group of toms off "at the pass" that was ruined when one of my loco relatives chose just that time to drive his four wheeler into the area and panic the group. Once the turkeys started off at a fast trot, no way I could get into a shooting position in time to bag one :/
Earlier in the day I'd had a more exciting hunt where I was actively trying to get down a fence row to head a group of toms off "at the pass" that was ruined when one of my loco relatives chose just that time to drive his four wheeler into the area and panic the group. Once the turkeys started off at a fast trot, no way I could get into a shooting position in time to bag one :/
Here is a cut and paste of a story I put on another forum yesterday.
Had the best hunt of my life this morning. This morning made the 3rd run out after turkey I have made this season, but this morning was different. This morning was the first time that I have taken my 2 kids with me on a turkey hunt, daughter 8 and son 6.
Since I was going to be hunting with the kids this morning, I thought it best to break out the new Ameristep Intimidator Blind. We set it up in the backyard yesterday to see how we would all fit in there. The kids had the best time playing "Turkey Hunter" in Daddy's camo tent....
So, this morning early I loaded up the kiddos, ATV, blind, 3 chairs, and my hunting gear and we headed for our hunting spot. I think the kids really liked the ATV ride at O'Dark thirty this morning. We made it to our spot and I proceeded to setup the "Camo Tent” Surprisingly, this morning, the blind seemed much smaller than the afternoon before, but this time we had 3 chairs and my hunting gear too....so we were a little cramped, but we managed.
As mentioned earlier, I had already been out after a bird I had scouted. He had given me the slip opening day morning and Wednesday morning. On the previous 2 hunts this Gobbler would gobble on the roost, but after fly down he would shut up. I had to make quick hunts earlier and I couldn't wait till late morning for this old fella to get lonely after his ladies had gone to nest, so I was hopeful this morning the kids and I could wait him out.
Well, after getting all setup and settled in.....no gobbling. We waited....and waited.....and waited before sun up to hear him gobble......NOTHING. I was beginning to think that the adjoining land owner may have been out chasing the birds yesterday and blew my chance for this morning.
Around 7:20 we had a couple of hens come by to my call. They milled around for about 10 minutes giving the kids something to look at......while I sat and wondered where my gobbler had gone. After those hens wondered off, I was wondering how soon before the kids got bored and wanted to head home.
At 8 AM I thought I heard a distant gobble....in the complete opposite direction that I had expected to hear from. So, I took out my loudest call and gave out a few loud, sharp yelps......waited 5 minutes and nothing. So, I hit the call again....5 loud sharp yelps.....nothing. I thought that maybe I had not heard a distant gobble earlier. I waited just a little bit and did not think much of it......so I took out a mouth call and did just a few real soft purrs........GOBBLE.....was totally cut off after 2 notes. He was close...maybe 40 yards, but I can't see him. I tell the kids that this just might happen and now if the time to be the best little hunters you can be and don't make a sound.
After just a minute or two after his first gobble, he fires off again. This time he sounds like he in right in the blind with us!!! I am able to poke the end of my barrel out just about 10 seconds before I can see him....he out about 25 yards and coming from my right to left. The kids had already put their electronic earmuffs on so I told them as soon as he pokes his head around the cedar bush I was going to let it fly. He takes 2 more steps and I got a clear shot at 25 yards BOOM...flop....flop...flop. All 3 of us let out a collective....YEAH!!!!!!! We were done by 8:30!!
It must have been a real sight seeing all 3 of us fighting to get out of that blind at the same time to go see..... Words cannot describe how happy I was to be able to put a bird down with my kids there to see.
He is not the biggest bird I have ever gotten......but is my favorite bird to date by far.
18 lbs, 8" beard and 3/4" spurs.......and I could not be happier.
Forgot the camera at home, so had to wait to get pic’s till we got back
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Had the best hunt of my life this morning. This morning made the 3rd run out after turkey I have made this season, but this morning was different. This morning was the first time that I have taken my 2 kids with me on a turkey hunt, daughter 8 and son 6.
Since I was going to be hunting with the kids this morning, I thought it best to break out the new Ameristep Intimidator Blind. We set it up in the backyard yesterday to see how we would all fit in there. The kids had the best time playing "Turkey Hunter" in Daddy's camo tent....
So, this morning early I loaded up the kiddos, ATV, blind, 3 chairs, and my hunting gear and we headed for our hunting spot. I think the kids really liked the ATV ride at O'Dark thirty this morning. We made it to our spot and I proceeded to setup the "Camo Tent” Surprisingly, this morning, the blind seemed much smaller than the afternoon before, but this time we had 3 chairs and my hunting gear too....so we were a little cramped, but we managed.
As mentioned earlier, I had already been out after a bird I had scouted. He had given me the slip opening day morning and Wednesday morning. On the previous 2 hunts this Gobbler would gobble on the roost, but after fly down he would shut up. I had to make quick hunts earlier and I couldn't wait till late morning for this old fella to get lonely after his ladies had gone to nest, so I was hopeful this morning the kids and I could wait him out.
Well, after getting all setup and settled in.....no gobbling. We waited....and waited.....and waited before sun up to hear him gobble......NOTHING. I was beginning to think that the adjoining land owner may have been out chasing the birds yesterday and blew my chance for this morning.
Around 7:20 we had a couple of hens come by to my call. They milled around for about 10 minutes giving the kids something to look at......while I sat and wondered where my gobbler had gone. After those hens wondered off, I was wondering how soon before the kids got bored and wanted to head home.
At 8 AM I thought I heard a distant gobble....in the complete opposite direction that I had expected to hear from. So, I took out my loudest call and gave out a few loud, sharp yelps......waited 5 minutes and nothing. So, I hit the call again....5 loud sharp yelps.....nothing. I thought that maybe I had not heard a distant gobble earlier. I waited just a little bit and did not think much of it......so I took out a mouth call and did just a few real soft purrs........GOBBLE.....was totally cut off after 2 notes. He was close...maybe 40 yards, but I can't see him. I tell the kids that this just might happen and now if the time to be the best little hunters you can be and don't make a sound.
After just a minute or two after his first gobble, he fires off again. This time he sounds like he in right in the blind with us!!! I am able to poke the end of my barrel out just about 10 seconds before I can see him....he out about 25 yards and coming from my right to left. The kids had already put their electronic earmuffs on so I told them as soon as he pokes his head around the cedar bush I was going to let it fly. He takes 2 more steps and I got a clear shot at 25 yards BOOM...flop....flop...flop. All 3 of us let out a collective....YEAH!!!!!!! We were done by 8:30!!
It must have been a real sight seeing all 3 of us fighting to get out of that blind at the same time to go see..... Words cannot describe how happy I was to be able to put a bird down with my kids there to see.
He is not the biggest bird I have ever gotten......but is my favorite bird to date by far.
18 lbs, 8" beard and 3/4" spurs.......and I could not be happier.
Forgot the camera at home, so had to wait to get pic’s till we got back
[Broken External Image]
A view from my blind this morning. I'll post the story and more pics tonight after work.
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- Sub Category: Shotguns
- Sale Price: 200$
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