Youth Turkey 2018

[rossislider]

Well, we had a good day but didn't get a turkey on the ground. We got into our first spot well before sun up. Called for a couple of hours, but didn't have any turkeys come in and didn't her so much as a cluck. It was windy, so that made it rough. It got real interesting about 7:00. As we were calling we heard a deep growl from behind us, very close behind us. Not sure if I was hearing things, I looked over at my son who was staring back with wide eyes. Then we herd it again. I reached over for the shot gun thinking, "things are about to get real western". We were leaning up against a giant pine and couldn't see behind us. One more time we heard the deep growl. Another minute goes by and I decided to get up and look to see what our visitor was. What ever it was must have retreat back into trees because I couldn't see anything, but we are thinking it was likely a bear.
Shortly after that we decided to move to our mid morning spot. We had a place where we thought they were coming in to water mid morning. Sadly, as we got a few hundred yards away, we got busted. They had come to water earlier than expected and all we saw were fleeing birds to far for us to do anything about it. We explored the area and made a plan to get back there in the morning well before first light. Then, we hiked back to the truck and were heading into camp for lunch. Unfortunately, we were met with a low tire pressure warning. So ran into town. We couldn't find a leak so grabbed air and headed to camp. The air pressure light came back on a little later. Long story short, we spent a couple of hours in Springerville. By the time we left we had four new tires. If you ever need tire service in Springerville, I highly recommend you see Tony Martins at Alpine Tire. Great guy, hunter, and outdoors writer.
By that time we had to beeline to our evening set up. Long story short, we found turkeys. Unfortunately, they found us first. We couldn't hear them any earlier due to the wind. The snow was coming down heavy at that points and we were losing light, so we strategized on how we could get in on that group tomorrow afternoon and called it a day. Lots of lessons learned, and we have a strong plan tomorrow based on what we learned today. No turkey on the ground yet, but a fun (and expensive) day!

FYI, he had warmers clothes on, but after the hike back to the truck, he started ditching layers quick.

[Big Browns]

Thanks for the update!

[MT_Sourdough]

My season isn't for a couple more weeks, but I went out this morning to watch, listen and scout. The weather made me want to play it safe at first light, so I went to my blind.

I had gobbles in the first 1/2 hour or so of light, then it went quiet. Closest bird gobbling was about 300 yards from my blind.

I was thinking, if I saw a parent and kid looking like they could use some help. I would offer the use of my blind, but there weren't many hunters around this morning.

Good luck to you all. I look forward to more pics of the turkey season.

[Adicted]

Sweet. What unit u guys in

[rossislider]

Sweet. What unit u guys in

1 and 27

[brian390]

Cool. Hopefully the wind has died down and you're listening to gobbles right now. Good luck

[Roosevelt Mark]

Another awsume picture. Interesting shot gun. Where did it snow?

[rossislider]

Gobbles all around us, nothing committing at this point. At least 4 different birds talking to us.

 

[rossislider]

Another awsume picture. Interesting shot gun. Where did it snow?

Unit 1. He is insistent on using his bow againt dad's suggestions and pleading. I have the shot gun with me on stand by if he wises up.

[218buck]

Good luck

[rossislider]

Well we had a fun but frustrating morning. Since Draysen has been insisted on using his boy, we hiked in around 4:00 to get the blind, chairs, and decoys set up well before light. Once we were within a few hundred yards of out predetermined location (meadow at the base of a hill they having been coming down to water) we were greeted by gobbles from the roosts. We got set up as quickly and quietly as possible. The blind was right at the base of the hill, sandwiched between larges bushes. The decoys (breeding Jake/hen combo and an upright hen) were 15 yard in front of us in the meadow. About 5:15 we started yelping with the nearest Tom talking back every time. In short time we heard the fly down and within 15 minutes we had multiple Toms talking to us. Draysen and I thought it was game on! We only had the windows facing the decoys open so couldn't see behind us. Over the next couple of hours we had four different birds come in behind us gobbling up a storm. Unfortunately we never saw them. I am guessing each came into the 20-30 yard range behind us, hung up for a couple of minutes, and were gone.

Any thoughts?

I think that 20-30 yards range where they were hanging up was right about where they were getting a visual of the decoys and blind. Might they have had issues with the blind or didn't like the Dave Smith decoys we were using?

About 8:30 things went quiet for the last time. We hung out until about 10:30 hoping one would come back but no luck. Exciting and frustrating!

I think I may have Draysen convinced to use our remaining time with the shotgun so we can be swift and light without blinds, decoys, etc. The uphill hike out with pack, blind, decoys, and chairs did me in. I think it is nap time.

[MT_Sourdough]

Well we had a fun but frustrating morning. Since Draysen has been insisted on using his boy, we hiked in around 4:00 to get the blind, chairs, and decoys set up well before light. Once we within a few hundred yards of out predetermined location (meadow at the base of a hill they having been coming down to water) we were greated by gobbles from the roosts. We got set up as quickly and quietly as possible. The blind was right at the base of the hill, sandwiched between larges bushes. The decoys (breeding Jake and hen and an upright hen) were 15 yard in front of us in the meadow. About 5:15 we started yelping with the nearest Tom talking back every time. In short time we heard the fly down and within 15 minutes we had multiple Toms talking to us. Draysen and I thought it was game on! We only had the windows facing the decoys open so couldn't see behind us. Over the next couple of hours we had four different birds come in behind us gobbling up a storm. Unfortunately we never saw them. I am guessing each hit that 20-30 yard range behind us, hung up for a couple of minutes, and were gone.

 

Any thoughts?

 

I think that 20-30 yards range where they were hanging up was right about where they were getting a visual of the decoys, and blind. Might they have had issues with the blind or didn't like the Dave Smith decoys we were using?

 

About 8:30 things went quiet for the last time. We hung out until about 10:30 hoping one would come back but no luck. Exciting and frustrating!

 

I think I may have Draysen convinced to use our remaining time with the shotgun so we can be swift and light without blinds, decoys, etc. The uphill hike out with pack, blind, decoys, and chairs did me in. I think it is nap time.

Were your decoys motionless?

[rossislider]

 

Well we had a fun but frustrating morning. Since Draysen has been insisted on using his boy, we hiked in around 4:00 to get the blind, chairs, and decoys set up well before light. Once we within a few hundred yards of out predetermined location (meadow at the base of a hill they having been coming down to water) we were greated by gobbles from the roosts. We got set up as quickly and quietly as possible. The blind was right at the base of the hill, sandwiched between larges bushes. The decoys (breeding Jake and hen and an upright hen) were 15 yard in front of us in the meadow. About 5:15 we started yelping with the nearest Tom talking back every time. In short time we heard the fly down and within 15 minutes we had multiple Toms talking to us. Draysen and I thought it was game on! We only had the windows facing the decoys open so couldn't see behind us. Over the next couple of hours we had four different birds come in behind us gobbling up a storm. Unfortunately we never saw them. I am guessing each hit that 20-30 yard range behind us, hung up for a couple of minutes, and were gone.

 

Any thoughts?

 

I think that 20-30 yards range where they were hanging up was right about where they were getting a visual of the decoys, and blind. Might they have had issues with the blind or didn't like the Dave Smith decoys we were using?

 

About 8:30 things went quiet for the last time. We hung out until about 10:30 hoping one would come back but no luck. Exciting and frustrating!

 

I think I may have Draysen convinced to use our remaining time with the shotgun so we can be swift and light without blinds, decoys, etc. The uphill hike out with pack, blind, decoys, and chairs did me in. I think it is nap time.

Were your decoys motionless?

Yes, not really any wind early so they weren't moving much if at all.

[brian390]

I think that its more fun turkey hunting with a shotgun rather than a bow. I like to be able to move when I need to and I would rather not be in a blind. Good luck and thanks for the update.

[rossislider]

We had a good afternoon! Story coming later.