Runningfool
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
What a stunning day in Southwestern Ontario today. I know fall turkey hunting isn't as exciting as spring - nothing beats the sounds of those gobbles! But I had an exciting hunt today anyways with a good 30 minutes of heart-pounding, adrenaline dumping fun.
Headed out shortly before noon, slowly making my way through the bush. Still lots of leaves on the trees but enough on the forest floor to make sneaking in unheard a challenge. Picked a suitable spot to sit down facing west and sat there for about 5 minutes before deciding that another tree about 10yds away would provide a better vantage point where I would be facing east. Moved over to that tree, sat on the ground, and barely got my camo skirt positioned before I caught movement on my extreme right.
One hen. Then another. Followed by another. About a dozen in total all moving cautiously and slowly behind me. There was no way I could get a shot without doing an about face. I sat there, trying to remain motionless, willing them to make there way to where I could get a shot. They weren't in a hurry and they were clucking and putting all around RIGHT BEHIND ME. A couple of them got within 6m of me but there was no way I could get a shot without getting up. I even switched shoulders thinking I would take a shot from my weak side if they would only come another meter out but they stayed behind me. This continued for about 20 minutes until the last two hens made there way behind me and out of my peripheral vision on the right.
I decided I was going to have to take a chance and make a move. I would have to swing the gun left, get up onto my knees and hopefully have a shot when I did a 180. I figured if they busted me before I had a bead on one, well I'd just run at them and hopefully bust up the little flock and try again.
Took a deep breath, tried to be as quiet as I could, and started to move. I had 3 birds in view, two were sillouetted almost perfectly, all had their heads up because they new something was up. Took a bead on the largest of the three and let her have it!
All in all, a very exciting hunt for me. If you haven't tried hunting turkeys in the fall, don't write it off. It can be a different kind of exciting than a spring hunt but worth it nonetheless!
Headed out shortly before noon, slowly making my way through the bush. Still lots of leaves on the trees but enough on the forest floor to make sneaking in unheard a challenge. Picked a suitable spot to sit down facing west and sat there for about 5 minutes before deciding that another tree about 10yds away would provide a better vantage point where I would be facing east. Moved over to that tree, sat on the ground, and barely got my camo skirt positioned before I caught movement on my extreme right.
One hen. Then another. Followed by another. About a dozen in total all moving cautiously and slowly behind me. There was no way I could get a shot without doing an about face. I sat there, trying to remain motionless, willing them to make there way to where I could get a shot. They weren't in a hurry and they were clucking and putting all around RIGHT BEHIND ME. A couple of them got within 6m of me but there was no way I could get a shot without getting up. I even switched shoulders thinking I would take a shot from my weak side if they would only come another meter out but they stayed behind me. This continued for about 20 minutes until the last two hens made there way behind me and out of my peripheral vision on the right.
I decided I was going to have to take a chance and make a move. I would have to swing the gun left, get up onto my knees and hopefully have a shot when I did a 180. I figured if they busted me before I had a bead on one, well I'd just run at them and hopefully bust up the little flock and try again.
Took a deep breath, tried to be as quiet as I could, and started to move. I had 3 birds in view, two were sillouetted almost perfectly, all had their heads up because they new something was up. Took a bead on the largest of the three and let her have it!
All in all, a very exciting hunt for me. If you haven't tried hunting turkeys in the fall, don't write it off. It can be a different kind of exciting than a spring hunt but worth it nonetheless!
