My Mother's Day

[naturegirl]

The plans were made months ago for us to go turkey hunting this past weekend. We didn't realize until just a week or so before that it was Mother's Day weekend, which totally worked for me since the plans included taking my mom and youngest daughter with us. The plan was a family camping-hunting trip.

 

We got to the woods around noon on Friday, set up camp, and hung out with the family for the afternoon. Our hunting buddy had arrived a couple days before us and it turns out this man is a major bear magnet! He ended up seeing four different bears in just 2 days right in the area we would be hunting turkeys. One day he was sitting a water hole and had this black bear come running up over the burm and jump right into the tank. The bear then proceeded to take a lengthy 10-minute swim, shake off, and leave. Our buddy always carries his bear mace with him since he has been chased by an angry mama bear during a past spring turkey hunt, but luckily all of his encounters this trip were safe ones including one with a beautiful cinnamon bear who was quite curious about him.

 

Saturday morning we got up early and got to our spot. It was a little before 5 am and the sun was already starting to peak out. We were later than we would've liked, which always seems to happen on the first day of a hunt. We dropped our buddy off at his tank and my husband and I headed on up the road. We parked and just as I was getting my pack out the gobbles started. I had gobblers sounding off in all directions. How exciting! We had lucked out and picked a good spot! My husband headed out one way and me another. I hunkered down until there was more light. Just as I was getting up to start moving, I see movement down below me. It took me a second to ID it, but it was the antelope buck we had seen the day before. I watched this buck stop dead in its track when a truck approached. The truck parked, the buck held it's ground. When the truck backed up and left, only then did the buck move and cross the road. By about 5:30 am the gobbling had stopped. It turns out the birds headed in the direction of my husband and some other hunters. It also turns out that antelope buck was quite "friendly" with my husband. They were within 20-30 yards of each other on more than one occasion and the buck didn't seem too concerned. We ended up questioning his health (the buck...not my husband).

 

Mother's Day morning had arrived. My original plan was to sleep in and make breakfast for my mom, but with all that gobbling the day before I just had to get back out there. We head to the same area as the day before and the wind was a whirling. My husband had a plan to head to a spot he had found the day before along with our hunting buddy. I had zero plans of my own so I head out with them. As we started making our way up, I changed my mind and said "Bye guys. I'm heading down the valley."

 

My new plan was to walk slowly between two tanks and see what happens, but first I needed light to let my eyes do their job so I take a seat under an oak tree and wait. So far there has been no gobbling to hear of so when the light allows I start making my way slowly forward. I come across an old closed two track between the two tanks and walk this slowly. I see the sun making it's way through the trees and the sun glistening off the meadow at the end of the road. I say to myself "Now this is a beautiful morning." No sooner had I gotten the thought out and I see something big and dark brown right at the edge of that meadow. It's not moving so I'm thinking it's a tree stump or maybe a bear so I pull my binos up to see. Well, surprise to me because it was a Tom who was strutting his stuff and then I think I see another Tom, but now I definitely see a bunch of other turkeys feeding at the edge of the meadow. I'm about 200 yards at this point so I find the closest tree to hide behind and make a plan.

 

As I'm trying to come up with a plan, the lead hen starts feeding right down the two track toward me. I'm sitting here thinking to myself "I can't believe this....they are coming right to me. How much better can this get?" Everything that is now happening is a first for me. I've seen turkeys many times over the years, but typically they see me and I'm chasing rear or they are on a mission somewhere and I'm making a plan. This time is different. They are so relaxed, haven't a clue I'm there, and they are close! Within a short time I realize they just feed here, feed there, feed wherever their heart desires. I start making my stalk and I know very well how phenomenal their vision is as they've taught me this again and again. I positioned myself the best I could behind as many trees as I could to cover the 10 sets of eyes that are at the edge of the meadow looking for danger. I inch and inch and inch forward. I'm about 70 yards at this point. I only see one Tom now and he's big, but he seriously never stopped strutting (a jake decoy sure would've been nice). Next thing I know the flock decides to feed up and away from the meadow. Now I'm kicking myself in the butt for at least not trying to call. I do have my slate call and have had limited conversations with gobblers in the past, but I was afraid I would scare them away.

 

Now they have disappeared into the woods and I'm asking myself "Where'd they go?" I head up the hill. Flanking wide always seems to work well for me with turkeys so now I head across the hill parallel to the meadow. I'm glassing out in front and yippee - there they are! That Tom is in full strut right in front of this hen and he wouldn't let her budge. I stalk again and this time I end up getting stuck out in the open as a hen comes within 30 yards of me and she is feeding right toward me. Again, I didn't move one muscle (besides my heart pounding that is). I stood still as a tree. Here she comes along with a couple other hens right behind her. She then turns and heads up the hill. I'm still trying to get closer to the Tom who is still being a road block for this one particular hen. I position a big tree between us and move forward. This goes on until finally the rest of the turkeys start feeding up toward the other turkeys, which brings them in line with me and within shooting range. I sit and wait still as a tree again and out in the open again. Here's a line of turkeys meandering right toward me. I can literally see their feathers ruffling from the wind as they head uphill. I'm guessing they are about 30-40 yards and closing. My gun is out in front of me. All I need to do is shoulder it when that Tom walks in front of me and he does, but the flock was so close together I felt I couldn't take the shot without risking hitting a hen so I did not get a shot. They went up the hill and so did I. I caught a glimpse of them as they crested the top and yet again after I hit the top, but then lost them.

 

I passed and I'm okay with it because I know I wouldn't be okay with taking two birds. Although I must say I'm still patting myself on the back for stalking within 70 yards of 10 turkeys not once, but twice and oh yeah I was the only of our group of hunters to find turkeys every day (hehe). I'm improving for sure. I could've used a portable decoy and can improve on calling. I also could've hunted with someone else and had them guide me in, but nah that's okay too. I liked it just the way it was.

 

Late that afternoon we took my mom and daughter out for a ride. In just a couple hours my little one counted 61 animals and only 10 were birds (not turkey). The rest were deer and elk. My daughter was thrilled to see so many animals and my mom couldn't stop talking about how much she enjoyed herself. It was a very good Mother's Day!

[WHALE]

Good write up and those close calls sure can be an adrenaline rush.

[Big Browns]

Great story!

[Lucky Draw]

That's a great day.

[papa]

Great story I will have to try a spring turkey hunt one of these days.

[tjhunt2]

Great write up. Kudos for passing on the turkey when some guys would have shot and not cared about hitting another bird. Sounds like the perfect Mother's Day for you and your mom. Glad you got to spend it with your daughter as well. Thanks for sharing.

 

TJ

[CouesPursuit]

Great read, Happy Mother's Day!

[Couestracker]

Great write up and an awesome time with your family. Love those close encounters with turkeys. Thanks for posting about your hunt.

[GotBowAz]

Great write up Christina, you made it feel like we were right there with you. You have mentioned that Tom was the one who introduced you into hunting and somewhat showed you the ropes to get you started. It appears to me Tom could take some lessons from you, LOL! You get better and better every hunt. A great and happy mothers day to boot! Awesome post, thanks for shareing.

 

GBA

[naturegirl]

That's funny

 

He needs no help though. The man is an animal magnet most times and if he isn't and we are hunting together, I'll blow a stalk and send them his way...lol

[brian390]

Sounded like a lot of fun. Great write up, and thanks for sharing.

[Devil Diver Down]

Thanks for sharing your great story. FWIW, you did right by those birds by passing a shot that might have put 2 birds at risk. I did the same on my hunt - passed on a tom bunched with a hen and then 4 jakes side by side and closer - even though I almost certainly would've been okay at that range (~20 yards) with the narrow pattern of my choke. It worked out okay for me as they spaced out a little and I was able to shoot a jake from 45 instead. I'd feel a lot better about leaving the turkey woods empty-handed than killing two birds. It's coming together for you. You're getting opportunities and making opportunities. That's going to lead to a tagged tom.

[randyolson]

Really enjoyed the story! Thanks for sharing your experience!! Sounds like a great time non the less!!

[cramerhunts]

Great read! Thanks for sharing your experience with us.

[capoeirajosh]

Awesome write up and great job on your stalks!! You will get them next time. Happy late Mother's Day. : )