RyeGuy74
Active member
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2019
- Messages
- 107
I'm not really sure why I decided to post the story of my first solo turkey, I'm sure nobody really wants to hear it but here goes nothing.
I was set up on public land sandwiched between a state highway and private land. My decoys were out in front of me about 15-25 yards away and I myself was tucked tight into the base of a small pine tree. I had gotten out there at about 0430 AM and was completely set up just before 0500. I could only hunt for a couple of hours since I had to be school by 0745, but having to be somewhere is never going to stop me from trying to get a at least a couple of hours of turkey hunting. Anyway, as the sun starts to rise and fill the trees with the morning light I start calling. Just a few soft clucks to see if there were any toms near by that were looking for their newest lady. After 15 minute. Nothing. Tried again awhile later with some loud clucks to really get these toms going. Nothing. Tried again. Nothing.
I was starting to get nervous since my hunting time was starting to dwindle but just as I had pretty much given up hope about the morning hunt I heard a car go by on the highway that was a couple hundred yards away and that's when I heard it. A full gobble and I new I had finally gotten someone's attention. I called back and he immediately gobbled! Called again and he didn't even let me finish my sequence of clucks before he sounded off. This time he was closer but still way out of the range. This went back and forth went on twice more with him getting closer each time, before there was no response.
I thought to myself, "Did it not sound natural? Did I mess up in my excitement of the Tom getting closer?"
However, right after that I heard some rushing through the trees, something was coming through the trees at a run on my left side from the direction of my turkey's gobbling. I quickly got my in position as quietly as I could, since I was positioned in the direction of decoys, and waited to lay eyes on the thunder chicken. What jumped out of the trees was the scariest and exciting thing and a story I will tell my kids and grandkids.
It was a coyote! (Coyote may not be the coolest thing in the woods but since I managed to get him to come in to my hen calls I'm going to take that as a sign my calls are sounding very natural!)
The coyote was about yards away and I honestly thought about putting him down but the thought of my Tom being out there dissuaded me and after about 30 seconds of the coyote looking very confused since I believe he thought he had an easy meal in store. He finally noticed I was sitting there and about 2 seconds later he took off into the trees on my back side luckily in the opposite direction of my turkey. After I watched him disappear into the trees I called again and the gobble was so close it shook my bones. I yelped on my slate call and he sounded off. I yelped again and he called right back. I was thinking, " what is keeping this dude from racing in hear?" and that's when it hit me. He must be on the other side of that highway. I called again and he was still there. Two minutes later there was semi truck horn that tore through the trees and my mind was torn. That turkey either tried to cross in front of that truck and got pushed back to the opposite side or he managed to skate by and is now on my side. Luckily, it turned out to be the latter of the two possibilities.
As I watched the tree line that was about 65 yards away I saw something pale gray bob between the small amount of undergrowth. I called again and he stepped out in the opening. He puffed out and full strut right towards me. I didn't dare move, my hands were safely hidden behind my lucky hunting hat which is just a camo cowboy hat. I called again and he gobbled immediately. He was coming directly at me and not my decoys which didn't make sense to me at first until I realized he was following the sound ( I know I should've known right away but with my heart beating out of chest I couldn't figure it out since my decoys were right there). Anyway, he starts strutting straight at me and I didn't dare try to raise my gun with him staring at me. He made the fatal mistake which was pass behind a thick pine tree which was enough time for me to get my Grandfathers old Mossberg 500 up and by the time he stepped out I was already trained right on his head. I squeezed the trigger and he dropped. I couldn't contain my excitement of getting my first solo turkey on the ground. I let out a few "whoop whoops", got up and looked at my prize. Not only did I get my first solo turkey, I called him across a state highway, and he turned out be my largest tom ever. 23 pounds. I tagged him, got some photos, and through him into my truck
I will never forget my first solo turkey and I hope to one day have many other turkey hunting stories to tell my kids and grandkids some day!
I was set up on public land sandwiched between a state highway and private land. My decoys were out in front of me about 15-25 yards away and I myself was tucked tight into the base of a small pine tree. I had gotten out there at about 0430 AM and was completely set up just before 0500. I could only hunt for a couple of hours since I had to be school by 0745, but having to be somewhere is never going to stop me from trying to get a at least a couple of hours of turkey hunting. Anyway, as the sun starts to rise and fill the trees with the morning light I start calling. Just a few soft clucks to see if there were any toms near by that were looking for their newest lady. After 15 minute. Nothing. Tried again awhile later with some loud clucks to really get these toms going. Nothing. Tried again. Nothing.
I was starting to get nervous since my hunting time was starting to dwindle but just as I had pretty much given up hope about the morning hunt I heard a car go by on the highway that was a couple hundred yards away and that's when I heard it. A full gobble and I new I had finally gotten someone's attention. I called back and he immediately gobbled! Called again and he didn't even let me finish my sequence of clucks before he sounded off. This time he was closer but still way out of the range. This went back and forth went on twice more with him getting closer each time, before there was no response.
I thought to myself, "Did it not sound natural? Did I mess up in my excitement of the Tom getting closer?"
However, right after that I heard some rushing through the trees, something was coming through the trees at a run on my left side from the direction of my turkey's gobbling. I quickly got my in position as quietly as I could, since I was positioned in the direction of decoys, and waited to lay eyes on the thunder chicken. What jumped out of the trees was the scariest and exciting thing and a story I will tell my kids and grandkids.
It was a coyote! (Coyote may not be the coolest thing in the woods but since I managed to get him to come in to my hen calls I'm going to take that as a sign my calls are sounding very natural!)
The coyote was about yards away and I honestly thought about putting him down but the thought of my Tom being out there dissuaded me and after about 30 seconds of the coyote looking very confused since I believe he thought he had an easy meal in store. He finally noticed I was sitting there and about 2 seconds later he took off into the trees on my back side luckily in the opposite direction of my turkey. After I watched him disappear into the trees I called again and the gobble was so close it shook my bones. I yelped on my slate call and he sounded off. I yelped again and he called right back. I was thinking, " what is keeping this dude from racing in hear?" and that's when it hit me. He must be on the other side of that highway. I called again and he was still there. Two minutes later there was semi truck horn that tore through the trees and my mind was torn. That turkey either tried to cross in front of that truck and got pushed back to the opposite side or he managed to skate by and is now on my side. Luckily, it turned out to be the latter of the two possibilities.
As I watched the tree line that was about 65 yards away I saw something pale gray bob between the small amount of undergrowth. I called again and he stepped out in the opening. He puffed out and full strut right towards me. I didn't dare move, my hands were safely hidden behind my lucky hunting hat which is just a camo cowboy hat. I called again and he gobbled immediately. He was coming directly at me and not my decoys which didn't make sense to me at first until I realized he was following the sound ( I know I should've known right away but with my heart beating out of chest I couldn't figure it out since my decoys were right there). Anyway, he starts strutting straight at me and I didn't dare try to raise my gun with him staring at me. He made the fatal mistake which was pass behind a thick pine tree which was enough time for me to get my Grandfathers old Mossberg 500 up and by the time he stepped out I was already trained right on his head. I squeezed the trigger and he dropped. I couldn't contain my excitement of getting my first solo turkey on the ground. I let out a few "whoop whoops", got up and looked at my prize. Not only did I get my first solo turkey, I called him across a state highway, and he turned out be my largest tom ever. 23 pounds. I tagged him, got some photos, and through him into my truck
I will never forget my first solo turkey and I hope to one day have many other turkey hunting stories to tell my kids and grandkids some day!
