Meatseeker
Well-known member
I hunted hard for the first consecutive 9 days of hunting. Here is the run down;
Day 1 - Monday 4/24 - Mass Opening Day - called in a nice tom off the roost for a friend and he missed
Day 2 - Called in a jake for a friend and he connected
Day 3 - CT opening day - hunted hard on public land. Tons of hunting pressure. I was around turkeys all morning but I couldn't buy a gobble
Day 4 - RI opening day - called in a nice tom for a friend and he connected
Day 5 - back in MA. I worked a few different birds throughout the morning but couldn't close the deal
Day 6 - MA - hit some different spots. Birds were not gobbling much. Did have a bird hang up late morning on me and I ran out of time
Day 7 - Slept in.... I could have hunted RI (allows Sunday hunting) but 6 consecutive days of 3:30 am wake ups tired me out
Day 8 - MA - Day broke cool and crisp. Birds were gobbling good on the roost. I work a group of the roost that didn't pan out. Then struck a lone bird at 9:00 am. After a 45 minute back and forth he came into 15 yards and I rolled him. Tag 1 filled. 21.5 lbs, 9.5 beard, 3/4" spurs
Day 9 - MA - I slept in until 7:30 am, out the door by 8:30 and at my spot by 9:00 am. Struck a bird right off. He was alone but only answered me twice. I waited him out and called occasionally thinking he'd sneak in silently. At 10:15 am I had another bird about 300 yards away start gobbling. Over the next 45 minutes he gobbled every few minutes and was closing the distance. The first bird gobbled a few more times in response to him. At 10:45 the 2nd bird was hot as a pistol but was paralleling me and starting to the get further away. There was a nasty thicket swamp between the bird and I. So I decided to make a move on him. I scurry to get around the swamp and into some hardwoods ahead of him. I knew there was a little woods trail that intersected the direction he was headed. I got about 50 yards away from the woods trails and he gobbled and about took my hat off. CRAP!. I couldn't get to the trail without getting busted. I just sat down in some briars in the edge of a clearing. Luckily there was thick tangle of briars between the two of us so he could see me. I gave him some light clucks and he cut me off with a double gobble. OK.... it silent treatment time. Gun up...ready to go. I'm burning the woods up with my eyes trying to find a white head for 10 minutes. Nothing.... I cluck at him and he cuts me off again... now he's like 30 yards away but I still can see him. I cut at him pretty aggressively and he starts chain gobbling. OK.... silent treatment... I'm done calling. 5 minutes of pure anxiety proceed... then finally I catch motion and I see a white head peering around the briars. He sees me and periscopes... but its too late and I role him at 20 yards. Tag # 2 in MA is filled!
He is pretty nice bird and my heaviest to date;
25.1 lbs, 10.5" beard. 1" spurs.
Day 1 - Monday 4/24 - Mass Opening Day - called in a nice tom off the roost for a friend and he missed
Day 2 - Called in a jake for a friend and he connected
Day 3 - CT opening day - hunted hard on public land. Tons of hunting pressure. I was around turkeys all morning but I couldn't buy a gobble
Day 4 - RI opening day - called in a nice tom for a friend and he connected
Day 5 - back in MA. I worked a few different birds throughout the morning but couldn't close the deal
Day 6 - MA - hit some different spots. Birds were not gobbling much. Did have a bird hang up late morning on me and I ran out of time
Day 7 - Slept in.... I could have hunted RI (allows Sunday hunting) but 6 consecutive days of 3:30 am wake ups tired me out
Day 8 - MA - Day broke cool and crisp. Birds were gobbling good on the roost. I work a group of the roost that didn't pan out. Then struck a lone bird at 9:00 am. After a 45 minute back and forth he came into 15 yards and I rolled him. Tag 1 filled. 21.5 lbs, 9.5 beard, 3/4" spurs
Day 9 - MA - I slept in until 7:30 am, out the door by 8:30 and at my spot by 9:00 am. Struck a bird right off. He was alone but only answered me twice. I waited him out and called occasionally thinking he'd sneak in silently. At 10:15 am I had another bird about 300 yards away start gobbling. Over the next 45 minutes he gobbled every few minutes and was closing the distance. The first bird gobbled a few more times in response to him. At 10:45 the 2nd bird was hot as a pistol but was paralleling me and starting to the get further away. There was a nasty thicket swamp between the bird and I. So I decided to make a move on him. I scurry to get around the swamp and into some hardwoods ahead of him. I knew there was a little woods trail that intersected the direction he was headed. I got about 50 yards away from the woods trails and he gobbled and about took my hat off. CRAP!. I couldn't get to the trail without getting busted. I just sat down in some briars in the edge of a clearing. Luckily there was thick tangle of briars between the two of us so he could see me. I gave him some light clucks and he cut me off with a double gobble. OK.... it silent treatment time. Gun up...ready to go. I'm burning the woods up with my eyes trying to find a white head for 10 minutes. Nothing.... I cluck at him and he cuts me off again... now he's like 30 yards away but I still can see him. I cut at him pretty aggressively and he starts chain gobbling. OK.... silent treatment... I'm done calling. 5 minutes of pure anxiety proceed... then finally I catch motion and I see a white head peering around the briars. He sees me and periscopes... but its too late and I role him at 20 yards. Tag # 2 in MA is filled!
He is pretty nice bird and my heaviest to date;
25.1 lbs, 10.5" beard. 1" spurs.
