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Post by Purebred Redneck on Apr 14, 2010 19:41:40 GMT -5
After taking last turkey season off, I was reluctant to go this year just because it's always a waste of time. It just so happens I drew a lottery hunt for opening week that's within about 20 minutes from home. So this hunt starts next monday. Today, I thought I'd get up early before work and have a look around. So at 6am I'm at an old favorite spot listening to 3 birds gobble about 150 yards away. And then the inevitable happens - I hear a car door (cause you're never more than 1/4 mile away from a road at this place), several minutes later some other guy is walking down the path, we talk, and both pretend we're not really interested in hunting here. Now instead of getting there at 5:30 next week, I have to get there at 4:00am to lay claim to this spot and hope he doesn't walk in anyway and F it up for the both of us. Why again am I going to even bother...
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Post by Jack on Apr 15, 2010 1:19:12 GMT -5
Sounds like you know where the gobbler's roosting. You might get on the other side- away from the road. Chances are the gobbler's not going to like all the commotion from the road- he might be prone to going away from the road.
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Post by Purebred Redneck on Apr 15, 2010 7:50:22 GMT -5
I don't think they have a problem with the gravel roads there because I saw one in full strut right in the middle of the road !!! They hate when you slow down and they run when you stop though.
I could go in from the other side but it's off limits to hunting due to a walk through woods archery range. Where I am, there's only about a 50 yard strip of woods I can hunt on. I might go there anyway and cross my fingers that no one is using it on a weekday so early in the year.
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Post by Jack on Apr 15, 2010 8:40:39 GMT -5
The road itself isn't the commotion I was referring to- it's the hunters coming in from that road, with all the attendant lights, car doors and trunk lids closing, etc.
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Post by Purebred Redneck on Apr 15, 2010 20:34:29 GMT -5
With it being the first hunt, I think I'll be ok in that respect. The 4th hunt...the birds will almost certainly be wiser.
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Post by Purebred Redneck on Apr 17, 2010 11:38:51 GMT -5
Screw that place, he can have it !!! I found me something better ;D ;D ;D
I found a hidden valley that had corn in it last year and is now greening over. There were 3 strutting birds and a few hens there bright and early this morning. I have to go back there mid-day today and figure out where I can setup - whether to let them walk right past me into the field or or hit them when they cross the creek going to the field.
The only thing that can screw me is someone else comming in. I'm still going to get there early 2 hours before light and set up that gimmicky "hunter in area" banner I found last winter on the old abandoned path.
I feel pretty good about this for once
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Post by jabba on Apr 19, 2010 6:31:17 GMT -5
Good luck Red.
"The ONLY thing that can screw me up..."
Wow... I have found LOTS of ways to get screwed up by turkeys.
Jabba
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Post by Purebred Redneck on Apr 19, 2010 14:28:13 GMT -5
Well I called 3 sets of birds in (for a total of 5) and two birds got shot out from under me Right at daylight one was comming to me and someone got in between us and killed it. I knew I was in trouble at 9 o'clock when nothing was gobbling except the one 60 yards in front of me hell bent on strutting there for an hour. And then there was a wreck on the interstate and the bird gobbled a couple dozen times at the sirens. Shortly after that, someone snuck up and killed him (probably with a big 10 gauge as far as it was). Then I got one going at noontime but he wouldn't come any closer than about 100 yards - I think something was in his way. 3 more days of this nonsense ;D
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Post by jimh on Apr 19, 2010 19:31:07 GMT -5
so Red if all these guys always sneak up and get inbetween you and the gobblers and take them out from underneath you, why can't you just stay back and lurk in the woods and then sneak inbetween them and their bird?
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Post by Purebred Redneck on Apr 19, 2010 19:48:41 GMT -5
Cause I don't roll that way I saw a guy walking back to his truck about 11am and I wanted to hunt the opposite side of the road. Instead of going around the corner and just doing it, I waited for him and asked him if he was going over there. He said he wasn't but thanks for asking. If hunting the woods and I hear one gobble, I'll try to close the distance to avoid some of these issues. But as many fields as Busch has, you can't do that --- the bird will see you. You just have to sit tight and hope no one else is in the area.
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Post by jabba on Apr 24, 2010 8:49:09 GMT -5
I rolled one wednesday evening. Thought I had him... but I guess not quite. the shot flopped him, and he got it together and ran off. I could not get a 2nd shot. It was about 45 yards.
Damn it. Just too far and I got all stupid.
Jabba
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Post by Purebred Redneck on Apr 24, 2010 13:57:04 GMT -5
45 isn't too far for even a regular full choke - in most guns. 55 is really pushing it though.
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Post by jimh on Apr 24, 2010 14:33:07 GMT -5
Jabba where you able to watch which way he went and try to find him? BTW what size shot where you useing? i still say if you roll'em you hit them well enough they are going to die, just not maybe right there. good for you though Jabba for getting out. my only chance might be 1 day this year if that. and if i get out only for one hunt and i have a tom at 40 yrds and it's clear, i know i'm taking the shot.
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Post by jabba on Apr 24, 2010 16:47:35 GMT -5
I was using a 2 oz load of #5 shot thru a Remington 870 superdooperloudenboomermagnum with an undertaker .665" choke. Not only did I look, but I had 5 buddies with me looking too. We sort of gang raped a spot one evening, and all 5 of us calling had 6 hens and 2 gobblers in. The hens were at one point, withing 10 yards of my blind. We looked. And looked. And looked the next day too.
He jumped about 8' up, flopped onto his back, flopped on the ground... then got up and ran... jumping about 6' up trying to fly but unable too. I am pretty sure he died... and I feel like a shit bag for wounding him.
He was a real pretty tom too, with white wing-tips.
Damn it!
Jabba
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Post by jimh on Apr 24, 2010 23:19:22 GMT -5
i myself am a big fan of the #5 loads for turkeys. you had the right choke, right load and the distance, while near the maximum was legit in my book. sometimes you do everything right but things don't work out like you want. that's why it's called hunting.
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