3 for 4 on San Carlos hunt

[Couestracker]

My 3 friends, Jorge, Terry and Frank, that got me into turkey hunting and I went to the San Carlos Indian Reservation last Friday for a turkey hunt. The birds weren't hened up yet and wouldn't come to the call. After roosting some birds Saturday night, we setup near them Sunday morning. We had them in a gobbling and yelping frenzy! That was fun, but unfortunately for me, I never saw them, they were just over the rise between me and them. Luckily for Jorge, one tom walked right in front of him and he nailed it! It was a big tom, 22 lbs with a 10 1/2" beard.

 

 

When Jorge shot, I heard a gobble from the ridge top above me. I stalked slowly up the hill, then I heard a hen putting slowly. When I froze she quit putting and I scanned the hill looking for her, but I couldnt see her. I started up the hill and she started putting again. I froze and she quit putting. I was straining my eyes looking for her. This went on 2 more times. As I'm looking for her again, I finally see some movement up ahead....it's a coyote and it moved right into where I figured the birds were. So I thought it was going to be cool, seeing that 'yote chase out the birds. It stopped and then looked my way for a few seconds and then took off when it saw me. I didn't understand why the birds didn't flush out. By now I was done toying with them, I decided to charge up there and either get that tom or watch them run off. I headed up the hill fast and then she started putting more in a panic, but I still couldn't see her. That's when they flew out of the trees above me! Of course I got pretty startled right then with all the racket, but I was surprised that they were in the trees! I saw a couple of hens fly off, then the tom was in the tree directly above me. I got a bead on him as he flew off, but didn't pull the trigger because I didn't see the beard.

 

Monday morning we hunted hard to no avail, and Frank had to leave Monday afternoon. Terry and I hunted the rest of the day with no luck, except we found another roosting area that was really fresh.

 

Tuesday morning I woke up to the daylight - my alarm clock messed up. We got to the area almost an hour late, and didn't have any luck all morning. We returned that evening and each setup a few hundred yards on either side of the roosting area. Just before dark, I got visited by a hen just before I heard a gobble, followed by the sound of Terrys shotgun going off! "Alright, Terry got one" I thought. I joined up with Terry who was carrying a turkey. High fives! I check his bird out as I hear his story, he had two birds walk right past him, and when an approaching tom gobbled, the two birds turned sideways to him and he saw a beard on one, so he shot it. Turns out it's a bearded hen! This is Terrys second bearded hen in the 7 years I've been hunting with him.

 

 

Wednesday morning was going to be my last chance. My plan was to get to the roosting area extra early, listen for the gobbles at light and head that way. I woke up to daylight again! I was so mad! I left the truck at 6:17 and headed off to a distant gobble. He was nice enough to gobble every few minutes as I headed that way. I climbed a ridge, hoping it was the one he was on. I let out some yelps from my mouth call. He gobbled back - he was close! I got on one knee and yelped again while I scanned up the ridge. He gobbled back and another couple of gobbles and some yelps came from below me. Then I saw the tom on my ridge, strutting his way through the woods. I wasn't sure if he was going to get close enough for a shot before the ones behind me got too close. I kept yelping at the tom I could see, he started veering my way. He was angling down the ridge and as he passed behind a bush I brought up my Browning. When he cleared the bush, I fired....bird down! I ran over there and secured my tom. He was a 21 pounder with a 9 1/2" beard. I checked the time: 6:32, 15 minutes after I left the truck!

 

 

As I tagged him, I heard some putting. Here came 3 jakes, right up to me. They must have been following the big guy. I told them they were silly birds as I laughed out loud. They went putting off. After getting back to the truck, I was about to get in and leave when I heard some real close gobbles. As I laughed and thinking "really?", I got my camera and diaphragm call and let out a yelp. I had 3 gobblers coming in to the truck! Turned out to be those 3 jakes again. I took pictures of them gobbling their heads off as I laughed out loud some more. As I drove out of the area and past where we had parked on previous days, I heard more gobbles. Then I see 5 gobblers right next to me, they walked past this corral we parked at every day! It's 8:00 and 5 gobblers walking around! What a difference a day makes.

[Wrk2Hnt]

Sounds like a great trip. Nice looking birds.

[Tdub]

Thanks for sharing! Just gets me more excited to get my daughter out next weekend for her hunt.

[cramerhunts]

Awesome, congratulations to you guys on the birds. Sounds and looks like a lot of fun. I'm starting to get excited for my daughter's hunt in a few weeks.

[CouesWhitetail]

Thanks for sharing your hunt with us!

[SWDesertRat]

Thanks for sharing your hunt with us. Great job! Good to know they aren't all henned up yet, plus it just goes to show that even if you miss your alarm sometimes you should still make the most of the hunt and get out, it could just work out.

[Devil Diver Down]

Congrats to you all on 3 fine birds. Sounds like a good time.

[wildwoody]

awesome story and cool pictures, hope to have the same success in 23 in 2 weeks

[randyolson]

Sounded like a fun hunt! Congrats to all!!! Thanks for sharing your story and pics!!