Fall Turkey Hunt.

[Nymph]

We had a very good fall season this year. We were only able to hunt the Friday Saturday and Sunday of our season because of work schedules. We went out and talked to the land owners and had a few tips from them before we started our hunt on Friday.

A buddy of mine went out by a small patch of grass next to woods. Hearing alarm putts for the first hour of the hunt, he pulled his decoys. About an hour after pulling the decoys he had a big tom fly in and land within 30 yards of him and his hunt was over by 8:30.

My Father was hunting a transition area where woods grass and picked field meet. He hadn’t seen anything for the first 2 hours of his hunt. Sticking with his plan for about another half hour, out of the woods a flock of about 15 birds heads his direction. He watches as they march past him at about 20 yards. Not a single tom in the bunch. He decided to harvest the last one in the bunch, passing on the 2 mature hens if front of the flock, in hopes they will teach the rest of the flock how to survive the winter. His hunt was over by 9:30 our first morning.

I sat the first morning and all I saw were deer. I decided to move after about 2 hours and sat till noon and nothing. Went back out that evening and all I saw were cows and pileated woodpeckers, which kept me entertained between calls. Packed it up that evening and went back to camp. The next morning I went to a small grassy opening on the bottom of a valley. I set up about 40 yards from where the valley spilled into this grassy area. I sat for about an hour and not even an alarm putt. I watch a nice 6 point buck for the next hour until he bedded down about 60 yards from me. I was getting restless and was running a plan B through my head. I was going to sit it out for about another hour and was going to move to the open fields above if I didn’t see anything. I started to pick up the pace on my calling a little, calling about every 15 minutes and starting another sequence after the first call. I was giving this a try for about 40 minutes, out pops Tom at about 45 yards. He comes out of the wash out of the valley with his head high looking for what was making all the racket down here. I slowly moved my bead over to where he was and pulled the trigger and down he went. The hunt was over on the second day by 9:30.

The First tom we harvested was 22-23 pounds with an 11 inch beard and 1 1/8” spurs.

My bird was 22-23 pounds with a 10 ¾” beard and 1 1/16” spurs.

Most of our hunt was spent on high pressured public hunting areas next to private land. Talk to the land owners before you go out to hunt. They see the birds every day and know the general area the birds are in and that can save a lot of scouting time.

The second thing I can’t stress enough to new turkey hunters is to sit as long as you can and then sit there for another 40 minutes. I have had a lot of birds come in just as I was thinking about moving.

Good luck on the spring permits.

[Borch]

Congrats on some great fall hunts!

[Scott M]

Congrats on some terrific hunts. Sounds like you were really paying attention to what was going on around you and your adjustments really paid off.

Nice birds.

[DonBo]

Sounds like a great hunt, way to go!

I also filled my tag this morning. I hunt public land in NW Wis. No ag. fields anywhere to be found. Birds are very scattered, and spooky! Mostly I hunt them when I find them as I am in bowhunting mode for deer right now.

Last night a friend, while on deer stand, heard birds fly to roost. He showed me the spot after dark. This morning, I went in very early and sat on a stool right in the middle of them. The first two flew down from right above me, I thought they had seen me and were gone. I made a couple of soft yelps and they came right in! 7:55 and my tag was filled with a young tom. What a good friend huh?

[HateHumminbird]

Good work DonBo! Really about scouting this time of year, and great to see your buddy help out. I tried putting Deitz on deer this weekend, instead he sees this monster gobbler I've been keeping tabs on for the past 3 years.....at 11 yards. Amazing bird....hope he makes it another winter so I can chase him again this spring.

Joel

[DonBo]

Too bad (good thing) he didn't have a turkey tag in his pocket.