Thanks again to everyone for the advice, it is greatly appreciated! Another question tho, when setting up where they roost, how close do you get to them before settling in to do your hunt? Like 100yrds from their roost or further?
Hunting turkeys in fields
- Thread starter 53Izzy744
- Start date
Arrived at 5am just before fly down at 530 abouts. Set up 150 yards away along a tree line and farmers plowed up tree pile at the front.
Saw 7 up in the trees at back bush, lots of gobbling going on.
On fly down they all went to the field on their left. We waited as they gobbled and slowly moved on. Did some calling and no responses. Field filled up with geese and drowned out any noise with all their honking. Pulled up shop and went in to the bush in the direction we saw them go.
Walked in to a field among the back bush and set up again. Heard some gobbling but also a bunch of yelps and cuts etc. Sounded store bought...
Went for a walk and saw a big tom or jake strutting on a ridge (couldnt see his tailfeathers behind the brush) it was 72 yrds away and i was behind a pine tree, my buddy had a better angle but we couldnt get any closer. That bird walked off after a big hen down the other side of the ridge.
We moved again to see if we could get him before the fence line (end of property) and heard lots more yelps and calls. Arrive at the fenceline and see movement in the trees and decoys in the adjoining field. Other hunters hunting the field behind us (turkey we saw was on the right corner). So we waved at the hunters as they saw us glassing them. They had their back to the fenceline and were clearly set up for hunting their own field so nothing to worry about there.
We moved back and went to work on the ridge where the turkeys had been. Nothing there and no more property to persue them on.
We head back to our set up and do some more calling. No more gobbles or action until we hear some shots from the back where those other guys were. Bang!......Bang! Bang!......Bang!..Bang!.....Bang!...... Bang!..Bang!.............Bang!.....Bang!
Yup. 10 shots in about 2 minutes.
We only saw 2 guys so that would bean both had to have reloaded twice at least! And god knows how many they shot or how many they missed.
Long story longer, didnt hear another sound the rest of the day. Those shots were at around 1030am and we stayed out until 7pm.
No turkeys but it was great to get to do some scouting of a new property. Lots of deer tracks and saw two good tree stands set up that need some repairs but very promising for deer season. Also tons of geese so may have to try that out as well this fall.
Hope to return at least one more time before the end of turkey season but if not, there's always the fall!
Saw 7 up in the trees at back bush, lots of gobbling going on.
On fly down they all went to the field on their left. We waited as they gobbled and slowly moved on. Did some calling and no responses. Field filled up with geese and drowned out any noise with all their honking. Pulled up shop and went in to the bush in the direction we saw them go.
Walked in to a field among the back bush and set up again. Heard some gobbling but also a bunch of yelps and cuts etc. Sounded store bought...
Went for a walk and saw a big tom or jake strutting on a ridge (couldnt see his tailfeathers behind the brush) it was 72 yrds away and i was behind a pine tree, my buddy had a better angle but we couldnt get any closer. That bird walked off after a big hen down the other side of the ridge.
We moved again to see if we could get him before the fence line (end of property) and heard lots more yelps and calls. Arrive at the fenceline and see movement in the trees and decoys in the adjoining field. Other hunters hunting the field behind us (turkey we saw was on the right corner). So we waved at the hunters as they saw us glassing them. They had their back to the fenceline and were clearly set up for hunting their own field so nothing to worry about there.
We moved back and went to work on the ridge where the turkeys had been. Nothing there and no more property to persue them on.
We head back to our set up and do some more calling. No more gobbles or action until we hear some shots from the back where those other guys were. Bang!......Bang! Bang!......Bang!..Bang!.....Bang!...... Bang!..Bang!.............Bang!.....Bang!
Yup. 10 shots in about 2 minutes.
We only saw 2 guys so that would bean both had to have reloaded twice at least! And god knows how many they shot or how many they missed.
Long story longer, didnt hear another sound the rest of the day. Those shots were at around 1030am and we stayed out until 7pm.
No turkeys but it was great to get to do some scouting of a new property. Lots of deer tracks and saw two good tree stands set up that need some repairs but very promising for deer season. Also tons of geese so may have to try that out as well this fall.
Hope to return at least one more time before the end of turkey season but if not, there's always the fall!
Update!
Went back out this morning and was in the field at 4am this time.
Chose the west side rear field with the thick bush to the east. Set up my hub style ground blind 10 yards from a thin tree line with my decoys set up 15 yards north. Half strut jake first on east side, then laying hen in middle, then upright hen on west.
A coyote was kind enough to howl and cause a shock gobble letting me know that there were still a few males roosting up in the bush. Didnt hear any hens tho.
Did some soft clucks and after a few minutes did a fly down cackle. Still learning but the Primos Hookup is easy enough to work lol heard a few gobbles off and on as sun came up. Saw a lone hen walk in from the south east clesring side and start feeding and preening her feathers.
I was hoping she would bring a jake or a tom in behind her. No such luck.
She poked around then left through the thin tree line behind my blind heading south.
Little while goes by and i hear some more gobbling from the eastern south side field from the bush. I do some yelps and clucks. Then a few minutes go by and i hear the gobble REALLY close by behind me.
So i get out of my seat in my blind and slide open one of the rear windows and see through the trees a big fan rotating aeoubd in the field directly south of me. Awesome!!
So i do a few more clucks on my pushpull call. No gobble but i see him put his fan down and start heading west in my direction.
So now im in remodel mode! I am a left hand shot and my chair is facing the decoys anticipating a turkey coming from the front and east.
So now a turkey is coming from behind me and west.
I hop out of my seat and close the front windows and open up the ones on the west side. I dont have time to move my chair because itd be too loud and the turkey is moving at a good pace.
Im kneeling now and have a mossberg 500 on a shooting stick pointing out the corner of one of the windows. Just as i realize i need more of a shooting lane and start to open another side of the window the jake appears in the gap between the tree line.
So i stop opening the window and freeze. It sees my decoys and be lines it towards them. So fast that my shooting lane runs out before i can get a lock on him. GREAT! Now i gotta open back up the decoy side windows and hope not to bump into anything in my blind while turning back around!!!
Just as i start looking at my footing as to what i need to sidestep in order to spin around towards this jake investigating my decoys..... i see a much bigger bird coming down the same path as the jake! Luckily tho, he is walking along nice and slow.
He just cruises into my shooting lane, i struggle with the extremely stiff mossberg safety (ill have to take a look at it and try to smooth it out) and line up my red dot. I let him slowly walk into the crosshairs with his head out and touch off a 3 inch winchester double xx number 4 at 35 yards. He drops backwards like a rock. The jake comes over and runs towards the tree line like a hostage that was just set free and worried he is going to be shot lol quite amusing!
Here he is. Looks like an old jake/young tom. Fan was flush but the middle two feathers were slightly different colour. 17.8 pounds with 3/4" spurs and 9.5" beard.
Looking forward to cooking him up on the holiday monday!
PS: dont know why the last pic is rotated! And i was wearing all black while in the blind but after i got out and collected the bird and was out in the sun i took off the black mask/gloves and black hoodie i was wearing while in the blind.
Went back out this morning and was in the field at 4am this time.
Chose the west side rear field with the thick bush to the east. Set up my hub style ground blind 10 yards from a thin tree line with my decoys set up 15 yards north. Half strut jake first on east side, then laying hen in middle, then upright hen on west.
A coyote was kind enough to howl and cause a shock gobble letting me know that there were still a few males roosting up in the bush. Didnt hear any hens tho.
Did some soft clucks and after a few minutes did a fly down cackle. Still learning but the Primos Hookup is easy enough to work lol heard a few gobbles off and on as sun came up. Saw a lone hen walk in from the south east clesring side and start feeding and preening her feathers.
I was hoping she would bring a jake or a tom in behind her. No such luck.
She poked around then left through the thin tree line behind my blind heading south.
Little while goes by and i hear some more gobbling from the eastern south side field from the bush. I do some yelps and clucks. Then a few minutes go by and i hear the gobble REALLY close by behind me.
So i get out of my seat in my blind and slide open one of the rear windows and see through the trees a big fan rotating aeoubd in the field directly south of me. Awesome!!
So i do a few more clucks on my pushpull call. No gobble but i see him put his fan down and start heading west in my direction.
So now im in remodel mode! I am a left hand shot and my chair is facing the decoys anticipating a turkey coming from the front and east.
So now a turkey is coming from behind me and west.
I hop out of my seat and close the front windows and open up the ones on the west side. I dont have time to move my chair because itd be too loud and the turkey is moving at a good pace.
Im kneeling now and have a mossberg 500 on a shooting stick pointing out the corner of one of the windows. Just as i realize i need more of a shooting lane and start to open another side of the window the jake appears in the gap between the tree line.
So i stop opening the window and freeze. It sees my decoys and be lines it towards them. So fast that my shooting lane runs out before i can get a lock on him. GREAT! Now i gotta open back up the decoy side windows and hope not to bump into anything in my blind while turning back around!!!
Just as i start looking at my footing as to what i need to sidestep in order to spin around towards this jake investigating my decoys..... i see a much bigger bird coming down the same path as the jake! Luckily tho, he is walking along nice and slow.
He just cruises into my shooting lane, i struggle with the extremely stiff mossberg safety (ill have to take a look at it and try to smooth it out) and line up my red dot. I let him slowly walk into the crosshairs with his head out and touch off a 3 inch winchester double xx number 4 at 35 yards. He drops backwards like a rock. The jake comes over and runs towards the tree line like a hostage that was just set free and worried he is going to be shot lol quite amusing!
Here he is. Looks like an old jake/young tom. Fan was flush but the middle two feathers were slightly different colour. 17.8 pounds with 3/4" spurs and 9.5" beard.
Looking forward to cooking him up on the holiday monday!
PS: dont know why the last pic is rotated! And i was wearing all black while in the blind but after i got out and collected the bird and was out in the sun i took off the black mask/gloves and black hoodie i was wearing while in the blind.
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Mount Sweetness
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Ontario
Nice bird, great story, glad it all worked out for you.
There was a lot of opening and closing blind windows, never heard of such a thing.
Try plucking that turkey and deep frying it, I did one today....delicious!!
There was a lot of opening and closing blind windows, never heard of such a thing.
Try plucking that turkey and deep frying it, I did one today....delicious!!
Thanks!
I had the sun coming at me from kind of a weird angle so i was worried as i change my shooting position that if i just opened up the side windows and left theothers open it would skyline me from behind where i had originally opened the windows to see the decoys.
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
Right on, congrats on the successful hunt!
Awesome, thank you! It was straight on in my phone i dont know why it turned itself around.
Boy you have no idea! My 2nd ever turkey hunt and first ever CHANCE at one, this will be something i remember forever lol
Boy you have no idea! My 2nd ever turkey hunt and first ever CHANCE at one, this will be something i remember forever lol
Awesome story! Thanks for sharing and congratulations on your first bird! I have a bit of an idea, as I got my first and second birds this year in two trips out, after coming up empty handed 7 times last year. Turkey hunting is way more exciting than you can explain to someone who has never tried it.
Congrats man yeah its funny to explain to someone who has never done it the appeal of waking up early and sitting out in a cold farmers field lol
This..I could hear exciting music in the background gradually building...
Lol i wouldve loved to have had someone filming the whole thing. I wish my blind was big enough to fit a second person! It would be a case of "what not to do while in a ground blind" but it worked out in the end!
