Hilljackoutlaw
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2019
- Messages
- 6,052
So this story will probably take me longer to post than the actual hunt.
Today I got home from work earlier than usual at 545pm because of weather. Quick change of clothes and a few minutes debating bow or gun and out the door I was. Figuring I was just going to try and watch some birds roost I decided on the old 870. 45 minutes later I was headed up the canyon road to my final destination. About 2 miles from my parking area I spotted a stutter and 6 hens in a field about 500 yards away on the fence line of public/private. I pulled off and started watching them and realized a guy down the road was already watching them so I continued on my way. A few hundred yards from the road closed sign I saw some birds above the gate a ways up. Pulled out the binocs and it was 3 toms. So I backed down and pulled off the road and ran down the steep bank to the creek bed and slowly made my way up towards the birds. I got to where I figured they were right above me and setup against the wall of the steep bank. I putted with mouth call and all 3 sounded off. A few minutes later they popped down just above me on the steep bank 15 yards away. One shot and a little flop later bird was down. 10 minutes into the first hunt of the season and tag was punched. I have been chasing these merriam birds for 6 years in idaho and have been on the wrong side of my buddy luck everytime and it finally came together for my first idaho turkey. Thankful for the turkey soup my wife will make and the opportunity to chase them around.
Shameless plug for my buddy who makes Tactical Edge turkeys calls in his free time in Pennsylvania and sent me a few to help seal the deal with one call.
Today I got home from work earlier than usual at 545pm because of weather. Quick change of clothes and a few minutes debating bow or gun and out the door I was. Figuring I was just going to try and watch some birds roost I decided on the old 870. 45 minutes later I was headed up the canyon road to my final destination. About 2 miles from my parking area I spotted a stutter and 6 hens in a field about 500 yards away on the fence line of public/private. I pulled off and started watching them and realized a guy down the road was already watching them so I continued on my way. A few hundred yards from the road closed sign I saw some birds above the gate a ways up. Pulled out the binocs and it was 3 toms. So I backed down and pulled off the road and ran down the steep bank to the creek bed and slowly made my way up towards the birds. I got to where I figured they were right above me and setup against the wall of the steep bank. I putted with mouth call and all 3 sounded off. A few minutes later they popped down just above me on the steep bank 15 yards away. One shot and a little flop later bird was down. 10 minutes into the first hunt of the season and tag was punched. I have been chasing these merriam birds for 6 years in idaho and have been on the wrong side of my buddy luck everytime and it finally came together for my first idaho turkey. Thankful for the turkey soup my wife will make and the opportunity to chase them around.
Shameless plug for my buddy who makes Tactical Edge turkeys calls in his free time in Pennsylvania and sent me a few to help seal the deal with one call.
