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Indiana turkey

midwesthunter

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 7, 2015
Messages
726
Location
Northern IN
Well it was a successful spring for me and Teddy. We got permission on a new property, so we started scouting a couple weeks before season. We located turkeys all over the property, but one area it was the most consistent. So I set a blind up the day before youth season and we went out to roost them the night before. We located one tom not to far from where the blind was set up, so our hopes were high for the AM. We get in way before sunrise I set decoys up and we climb into the blind waiting on sun rise. As the sun started to come up that tom started to gobble and I thought he sounded pretty close, peaked out the side of the blind and he was roosted in eye sight of the blind. I could see he had a hen with him as well. I was worried he would see the decoys and not come in when he flew down. Well they pitched out of the tree and wend down hill out of sight to the swamp like I figured they would. He gobbled a couple times when he was on the ground then shut up. I called once or twice with no response so we waited, I didn't want the hen to lead him away. About 20 mins latter he lets out a gobble, so I call and he gobbles again, I wait until he gobbles again then call, and now he is fired up and I can hear his gobbles getting louder, I tell Teddy he is coming. He pops up on the top of the hill with us 40 yards to the left, he is on the wrong side of a big fallen tree. He is strutting and looking around for the hen he was talking to. I give a light purr and he gobbles and starts his way around the free towards the decoys. Teddy was beyond jacked up, I had to keep telling him to calm down, quit moving/talking. He kept telling me how nervous he was. He worked right up to the decoys, I had a 1/2 strut jake right behind a hen. I figured he would come up and thump that jake decoy but just strutted around them. I made teddy wait so he didn't shoot my new (expensive decoys lol) he finally cleared them and Teddy smoked him. But with all of the re-positioning to clear a limb by the blind and get the barrel out the window, Teddy didn't hold the gun tight to the shoulder and it thumped him pretty good. Lesson learned for the next time. Teddys bird weighed 25#, had worn down spurs that measured 1" and had a 10" beard. I would age the bird at least 4 years old if not older, turkey are hard to age, but based off the size of his head, compared to my buddies sons 3 year old bird, this was a very old bird. Below are two video links of part of Teddys hunt, first is from when the tom came on top of the hill, the second is just a slow motion of the kill shot.

Teddy.jpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xkYpanMNkKk&index=1&list=UUP6NGO-xMOCVihuQZgw_DAw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b2LGX_1KaVc&list=UUP6NGO-xMOCVihuQZgw_DAw&index=0


I was going to go out opening morning of reg season but found out four other guys were going to be there so I opted to go to work. Went out another morning for couple hours with not even a peep of a turkey. Well I decided to go to a spot I hadn't seen any turkeys all year or sign and try for a quick mid day hunt. Well we were set up, waiting to hear a gobble or see one, when a loud motorcycle went down the county road and I heard one gobble over the hill. Then he gobbled again. So we went to peak and see what was going on, there was a tom strutting 100 yards away in the alfalfa field. We belly craw to the top of the hill and are laying there watching him. More motorcycles go by and he is gobbling his head off. I then think crap, left decoys and all my calls back where we set up. So I let out a yelp with just my mouth and he turns towards us and gobbles, I let out another and this stupid love struck bird starts running towards us. I tell teddy down't move, he will see us. Well he gets about 8 yards away and knows something isn't right and starts to change direction. I knew this close I couldn't head shoot him, my pattern would be way to tight. I can't miss a bird this close so I body shot him putting him down fast. He did a couple flops and was done. Now not to let my son out do me this year, mine had 1-5/16" spurs, 11" beard and weighted 23.5 pounds.
TJ.jpg
 
Great stories! Great birds!! Great memories! (and some pretty fair eatin!)
 
Congrats! First weekend I missed with my bow and haven't had a second chance at one.
 
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