Home Forums Campfire Forum Thee Elusive Thunder Chicken

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    • Bruce Smithhammer
        Post count: 2514

        And so a few days ago, our spring turkey season ended.

        I pulled a tag for our earlier controlled hunt this year, which, given the winter we just had, turned out to be a mistake. It was still very much winter for those two weeks, and though I got after it every spare moment I had, I never heard a gobble, though there was sign here and there. I think they were still in ‘survival mode.’

        A few images from those first two weeks:

        Still, getting up that early, day after day, allowed me a lot of great wildlife encounters – elk, mulies, whitetail, moose. It was a fine way to spend those couple weeks, coming out of a long winter. Given the lack of action locally, I decided to drive a few hours south last week, and catch the end of the general season.

        I drove far up a river road, till I reached snowline, stopping and getting out and hiking around and calling, and nothing. Just as I was heading back down the road, feeling a little discouraged, I saw this guy 100 ft. from the road with a couple hens:

        I went around the bend and set up and started calling. The gobbler was certainly game, and responded every time I called, but wouldn’t close the distance, so I tried stalking. Spent an hour trying to get in range, stalking as quietly as I possibly could. Even though I inadvertently snuck up on at least half a dozen different mulies in that hour, within range, I couldn’t get near those turkeys. I have an infinite amount of respect for anyone who can successfully stalk them with a bow and without a blind of some sort.

        I hiked out in waning light and it was time to make home:

        The following day broke with a heavy downpour, keeping me in the tent till late morning. By the time I got to my blind it was mid-day, and there was a hen turkey walking around not 10ft. from the blind. Upon seeing me, she wandered off. I spent the next 6 hours patiently calling, and nothing. Just as I was about to break down the blind while I still had a little daylight, and gobble spontaneously erupted a couple hundred yards away. I waited a minute, and scratched out a hen purr. He responded. This went on for the next 15 minutes, and though I couldn’t see him, it didn’t sound like he was getting any closer.

        But then a second tom gobbled off to my right, much closer. With each successive gobble he was getting closer and closer….not more than 150ft. away and closing, coming right in on my decoys…and then I hear a bunch of noise in the drainage below and another hunter comes crashing up the hillside, and that was the last I heard of my closest encounter yet this season. I wanted to tear my hair out, but decided that having a beer and laughing would probably be a healthier response. And so my spring 2011 turkey season came to a close, with no animals harmed in the process. But there were lots of cool experiences along the way, and as always, much learned.

        Till next time…

      • SteveMcD
        Member
          Post count: 870

          We had a very wet nasty rough spring too. I believe none of the pulits from the first nesting ever made it. Appear to be nesting again.

        • bruc
          Member
            Post count: 476

            Great pictures ❗
            Quite a difference in the vegetation, from the first picture with the moose compared to the last picture.
            Thanks for sharing. Bruce

          • FUBAR
            Member
              Post count: 252

              Great pics. I would love to do a camp hunt for turkeys like that. Looks and sounds like a good time. Too bad someone screwed it up for you

            • mikelee
                Post count: 86

                Hey ! I was wondering where that scruffy cow moose that was hanging around my place disappeared to! Obviously had enough of our Canadian winter and headed south :lol:Wonder if she has to show he passport at the border 😀

              • William Warren
                Member
                  Post count: 1384

                  If success was measured by how many birds we got we would likely not get up and go again. But the possibility keeps us going. I’d take that trip any day even without getting a bird. Great pics and I enjoyed seeing your camp too.

                  Duncan

                • Bruce Smithhammer
                    Post count: 2514

                    Duncan wrote:
                    …I enjoyed seeing your camp too.

                    After years of sleeping on the ground in small tents I could barely sit up in, I decided this year to go big, and get a cot as well. It feels pretty darn decadent. Sure was nice during a 12-hour, heavy rainstorm, though.

                  • james gilmer
                    Member
                      Post count: 131

                      Super looking camp, great looking area, thanks for sharing

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