Tailgate Tom

[bushcannon]

To start, our opener was very slow. I'm trying to get a bird in for my son, but we haven't seen or heard many birds at all the first 3 days. We've seen lots both pysically and on the trail cam at our usual spot, but within a week of the hunt, it's been dead as compared to other years.

I couldn't keep my son from missing another day of school so I headed out on my own Monday. I tried a spot that I just found last year, but the activiy was not so promising prior to the season. I set up along the woods where I spotted hens roosting, jabbed my hen decoy in the ground and picked a tree to lean on. It was 5:20am. After a couple of soft yelps, a hen responed and started to cut and yelp louder. I did the same back at her. At this point, no gobbling! I frequently continued to communicate with the old hen in the early part of the morning, hoping at least a Jake would show up.......nothing. About an hour later, she comes out and heads for the decoy, purrs and walks off. Right behind her, another hen and then another........no bearded bird. After a while, I get another hen cutting and yelping toward me and she's 2 yards away from me. I'm thinking "your so lucky it's not the Fall hunt!! you'd be in the Turkey Fryer by now!" Another hour goes by and a hen walks up behind me 1 yard away! She continues to walk to my left, a couple of minutes goes by I hear foot step on the dry leaves. My eye's slowly goes to the right corner only to have a Tom 2 yards to my back. I stood still regardless how much my rear end was killing me! He took a couple of steps and broke into a full strut! He then broke out of the strut and started to head for the decoy in front of me. He crossed the fence, strutted again and then broke out of it. I cluked twice, he raised his head for the perfect shot and "POW"! The smell of the gun smoke filled my nose as I sat there and watched him flutter only to relize he was only 7 yards away! It was 10am.


When I look back, I remembered being able to see the brown in his eye's that close!

Anyway, since I was alone, I don't have a pose with the bird, but he resting on my tailgate.

Now, I know I can take my son there to see if he has a brother!

Tailgate Turkey.jpg

[JMatthews]

The birds have been acting strange this year. Glad you shot a Tom and shared your story with us.

[bushcannon]

Thanks JM. I really can't figure out what happened to these birds in the Area where I hunt.

[moosekiller]

Thanks JM. I really can't figure out what happened to these birds in the Area where I hunt.

Congrats on your bird! I shot a Tom on opening day at 6:30 AM. I have to agree with both of you that the birds are acting strange this year. Last year we saw 30 birds on opening morning on the same farm that I shot the Tom on Friday. This year we heard one and I shot him, no other birds sighted or gobbles heard the rest of the day Friday and all day Saturday. I see that you live in Bolton as do I. I hunt turkey around Shelburne, what about you? Not that I want you to give up your spot, but just wanted to see if its a territorial thing with these birds this year. Congrats again and I hope you son fills his tag too!

John

[Oddmott]

Great story and up-close experience with not one, but two WTs!

Congrats on your success... I bet your son is pizzed you made him head to school! lol

[GW11]

Congratulations! Nice to get one up so close.

[bushcannon]

Great story and up-close experience with not one, but two WTs!

Congrats on your success... I bet your son is pizzed you made him head to school! lol

Thanks ODDMOTT,

My son was happy, but I could tell he was a little pi$$ed! He's dying to go on Saturday and Sunday, so I have a job to do.......call in a bird for him.

[bushcannon]

Congrats on your bird! I shot a Tom on opening day at 6:30 AM. I have to agree with both of you that the birds are acting strange this year. Last year we saw 30 birds on opening morning on the same farm that I shot the Tom on Friday. This year we heard one and I shot him, no other birds sighted or gobbles heard the rest of the day Friday and all day Saturday. I see that you live in Bolton as do I. I hunt turkey around Shelburne, what about you? Not that I want you to give up your spot, but just wanted to see if its a territorial thing with these birds this year. Congrats again and I hope you son fills his tag too!

John

Thanks MK,

I hunt in Collingwood and Palmerston, I have the same result at both places. Meanwhile, I have a dozen birds on the trail cam up to a week ago?

Good luck on bird #2.

[bushcannon]

Congratulations! Nice to get one up so close.

Thanks GW11,

[bucky]

great read,awesome bird. congrats.