Persistence Pays...Sometimes...

Stories of your favorite gobbler hunts.
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Prospector
Posts: 323
Joined: April 11th, 2016, 10:55 am

Persistence Pays...Sometimes...

Post by Prospector »

Early season. Go in early where a gobbler with hens has been sighted. Have also heard some satellites gobblin in the mornings. Place a 1/4 strut jake and a breeding hen tandem on a fields edge. A gobbler sounds off about 250 yds back in the timber. It’s the only one I hear. When it’s lighter outside I call and the gobbler answers. At that point I also hear some hens and maybe a jake trying to gobble roughly 75 yds begins me. I never hear the turkeys behind me fly down but it’s obvious the gobbler way back has and is heading my way. He gobbles right off the fields edge(100yds) and I ready myself behind my shotgun. He appears out of range and pretty sure shys from the dekes- he skirts around me, walking, dropping into a quick strut and occasionally gobblin. After he’s out of sight I quickly retrieve the decoys. The (A?) Gobbler continues to gobble in the woods so I leave fields edge and drop back into the timber somewhat in front of his announced path. I change to a one sided box and he answers on my second call. A hen also answers between us😡. He begins closing the distance gobblin well and at this point he is just out of my sight and I am once again behind the gun ready to trip safety and whack some wattles. The hen, A hen,now cutts and yelps back towards the field 😳. He answers but does not answer me ( uh, oh). Several minutes pass in silence and then he gobbles and is now with the hen! I sit dejected a minute or two, then ease back to my original set up. I decide to site tite be quite and read a book while the drama plays out with this Fool ( as in, Gobblin Fool). Well, he goes quite for a while but when he does gobble again he is back where he originally entered the field but is working down the line away from me. Because I am familiar with this ground I suspect he is heading to a lil flat place in the timber where he can strut and gobble. Which is what he does so I make a about 1/2 mile circle around him, then use the creek to approach unseen. Thankfully he continues to gobble and update me to his position. I set up this time probably under 75yds from him. I gently condition Dixie ( my slate) and give him basically a tree Yelp, purr and leaf raking. He gives me silence but rewards me to some drumming. Hmmm...two can do that. I rake leaves and he ramps up the gobblin again. A yelp, cluck and purr gets me a gobble and I see him throw his head out. He fans and looks but is heading my way! He takes his time but finally gets in range and stands tall. I end it there because he is at 34yds ( later ranged) and the next opportunity would have put him at around 15... don’t know about y’all but if I miss it’s usually the close ones I guess cause of pattern size. Anyway it’s now 10:30 on a hunt that began at daylight. On a side note, I’m still not sure I wasn’t dealing with at least two gobblers but they did an awesome job pulling me one way then another without gobbling at the same time!
He was a big 2yo but as I’ve told my son, I really like Long spurs but give me a gobbler that will gobble, strutt, drum , answer and come and I’ll be content with 2yos!
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“Son, Turkey HUNTING starts at 40yds and in. If you can kill him farther that’s all you’re doing- KILLING. Make him think he’s answering you, call him up, kill him closer-Man! Now that’s what it’s meant to be…” Johnnie Keel ( an Old Pro most never know)
BrowningGuy88
Posts: 750
Joined: February 13th, 2013, 9:01 am

Re: Persistence Pays...Sometimes...

Post by BrowningGuy88 »

Very nice!
MAK
Posts: 532
Joined: April 13th, 2015, 8:08 am
Location: Southern PA

Re: Persistence Pays...Sometimes...

Post by MAK »

long beard down - good job love those long morning hunts
MAK
taylorjones20
Posts: 223
Joined: March 6th, 2015, 11:17 pm
Location: Beech Bluff, TN

Re: Persistence Pays...Sometimes...

Post by taylorjones20 »

Nice! Congrats!
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kythunter
Posts: 339
Joined: April 23rd, 2015, 1:24 pm
Location: Western Kentucky

Re: Persistence Pays...Sometimes...

Post by kythunter »

Good job!
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ylpnfol
Posts: 70
Joined: February 24th, 2018, 11:41 am
Location: central virginia

Re: Persistence Pays...Sometimes...

Post by ylpnfol »

congrats, good story. nice to get one early, but those all morning chess matches can be very satisfying ....good job!!
you never know, unless you go

David
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OLE RASPY
Gobbler Nation
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Posts: 2958
Joined: July 8th, 2011, 10:06 pm
Location: KENTUCKY

Re: Persistence Pays...Sometimes...

Post by OLE RASPY »

Good job. Congrats. Good read. Nothing wrong in a 2 year old. They sure are fun.
TURKEYS
COYOTES
DEER
SQUIRRELS
(all in this order)
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Grumpy
Gobbler Nation
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Posts: 4858
Joined: January 22nd, 2012, 12:03 pm
Location: N.C. Montana

Re: Persistence Pays...Sometimes...

Post by Grumpy »

Nice one, morning hunts are the best IMO
I was not his father but he was my son,,MAK IV, 10-15-1993 - 4-22-2007
"Rest in Peace my Little Buddy"
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202P&Y
Posts: 347
Joined: February 23rd, 2015, 3:45 pm
Location: Bama

Re: Persistence Pays...Sometimes...

Post by 202P&Y »

Way to hang with him!
Proverbs 3:5-6
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GLS
Gobbler Nation
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Joined: May 16th, 2012, 11:29 am
Location: Lowcountry, GA

Re: Persistence Pays...Sometimes...

Post by GLS »

Patience and persistence work enough times to make them good traits. Good job on this bird. I have taken a book with me to the woods for afternoon hunting knowing they'd return in the area close enough for them to hear me calling or for me to hear them fly up. Sitting for hours can be boring as the dickens and a book helps. It's been years since I've afternoon hunted, but it can be effective. It's the only time I'd sit in one place with branches cut to make a blind to break up my outline. I have called then snoozed in the morning only to be startled awake by a nearby gobble that I still can't figure out which direction it came from. Gil
Prospector
Posts: 323
Joined: April 11th, 2016, 10:55 am

Re: Persistence Pays...Sometimes...

Post by Prospector »

I either carry a small paperback but lately I have a kindle. I also carry a ziplock bag that will hold all of that, friction calls and my all important TP! All of those are useless if you get caught by a spring shower. It’s aggravating for most of those things but is a downright catastrophe if the TP gets wet!!!!
“Son, Turkey HUNTING starts at 40yds and in. If you can kill him farther that’s all you’re doing- KILLING. Make him think he’s answering you, call him up, kill him closer-Man! Now that’s what it’s meant to be…” Johnnie Keel ( an Old Pro most never know)
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ncturkey
Posts: 886
Joined: September 15th, 2011, 2:22 pm
Location: North Carolina

Re: Persistence Pays...Sometimes...

Post by ncturkey »

Good job staying with him. Congratulations on a fine Gobbler.
Mike
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