You make your own bad luck

[Charles Ek]

#7449

Our spring turkey season ends tomorrow and I am still burdened with my tag. Spotted a youngish gobbler and a jake a couple days ago while I was out stumping, but it was three hours after our noon closing time. They looked like they had grown accustomed to the spot, so I resolved to come back with something sharper than a judo point at the first available occasion. Before I left I scouted for a set-up and found a good place next to a large-trunked white pine, with a good lane for me and good views of my decoys for any gobblers in the area.

My schedule dictated today as the day to get back there. I thought about roosting them last evening but discarded the idea in a fit of sloth. There was enough moonlight this morning that I didn’t need a headlamp to find my way over familiar ground. As I got to within twenty feet of the pine at o dark hundred, two birds launched themselves out of the tree.

Never saw or heard another until I got back to my car, drove a hundred yards and spotted a flock in the open with a very nice gobbler. Sunning themselves on the spacious front lawn of a house where they hang out all the time …

[David Petersen]

#62443

Sorry you struck out, Charlie. But hey, you stuck with it to the bitter end, which is way more than I can say for myself. All the best turkey spots around here are overrun with shotgunners, so I don’t go there. My “private” places have few to no birds. I used to take turkey hunting SO seriously–measured by sleep lost, miles walked before daylight, even backpacking in blizzards … then I decided the meat wasn’t worth the motion. Now it’s a “gentlemen’s” outing, meaning I only do it when it’s easy and I’m in the mood.

However, if I lived in a hot turkey area with good uncrowded places to hunt and multiple tags available, all of that would change.

Better luck next year, or this fall (which I find more productive for trad bowhunting).

[Etter1]

#62529

Turkeys are the biggest jerks ever. Drove into my hunting lease the other day and four gobblers sat there looking at my running truck for 2-3 minutes before they slowly walked off. Couldn’t buy one at a grocery store for most of the season.:D

[Col Mike]

#62545

Know how you feel Charlie. After my post of opening day and the missed shot I only missed a day or so of hunting the spring season. Never got another shot and didn’t really care–even when returning– Linda had pictures of the birds in our back yard.:shock:

What a way to greet spring. Ya gotta love it. I’ll be back out in the fall–trust you will be to.:D

Semper Fi

Mike

[Author]

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