This is my third year turkey hunting, couple close calls but still havn't sealed the deal. Limited to public land since the family land I deer hunt has no turkeys.
Arrived to KNF yesterday with about an hour to spare, went to a spot I heard/saw some birds 2 years ago the first year I turkey hunted(heard nothing/saw in here last year) to see if I could roost one. Nothing.
So got setup for the night and went to sleep in my truck.
Woke up not really knowing what I was going to do. Go on a finger and listened as day broke, nothing. Tried a little calling,nothing. Follow the creek and got near where I deer hunt and jumped 6-8 deer. Well that was cool but still no turkeys.
Got past 9am, no clue what to do so I sit on a finger looking down into a creek bottom with a dried creek and plantation pine on my right. Had an orchestra of crows and owls going on too so I figured maybe one would shock gobble after a while. Eventually played with the slate call a little bit and nothing.
Decided to grab my mouth call. I'm hesitant to use them because I'm still learning and not so confident with it but figured I'd give it a shot.
Started cutting while thinking to myself "this is the best sounding cutting you've ever done"..then all of a sudden goobbbbllllee
I start freaking out figured my ears are fooling me..So I cut again..Gobbbllee. Then catch a glimpse of movement..1 bird, oh no 2!
I'm shaking like crazy, got one hand holding the gun up other one holding my leg to control the shaking so it doesn't spook them!
They come in to 70 yards and hung up on the creek bed.They would have had to jump or cross the dried creek to be in range, should have payed attention to that setting up but I wasn't expecting action, Lesson learned. They eventually went the other way, walking away but still responded to my calling when I tried to get them to come back.
I get up after a bit an head along the creek, come across a hen. Call to her and wait a while but no more action. Get to walking some more and see a black spot in the creek, then realize it's a hog! Didn't want to waste my mag-blends on a hog (too$$) so I slowly try to take them out and put some Remmington 3 1/2 inch #4 turkey loads..Well hog spooks and ends up not being one but about 15, rest were down in the creek. I quickly slam a round in pick a hog on the run and pull the trigger it flips and I start fist pumping! 50+ yards on the run with turkey loads, wasn't expecting to actually get one haha.
All in all one of the best days of hunting I've ever had saw 6-8 deer, 3 turkeys, and a herd of hogs!
Arrived to KNF yesterday with about an hour to spare, went to a spot I heard/saw some birds 2 years ago the first year I turkey hunted(heard nothing/saw in here last year) to see if I could roost one. Nothing.
So got setup for the night and went to sleep in my truck.
Woke up not really knowing what I was going to do. Go on a finger and listened as day broke, nothing. Tried a little calling,nothing. Follow the creek and got near where I deer hunt and jumped 6-8 deer. Well that was cool but still no turkeys.
Got past 9am, no clue what to do so I sit on a finger looking down into a creek bottom with a dried creek and plantation pine on my right. Had an orchestra of crows and owls going on too so I figured maybe one would shock gobble after a while. Eventually played with the slate call a little bit and nothing.
Decided to grab my mouth call. I'm hesitant to use them because I'm still learning and not so confident with it but figured I'd give it a shot.
Started cutting while thinking to myself "this is the best sounding cutting you've ever done"..then all of a sudden goobbbbllllee
I start freaking out figured my ears are fooling me..So I cut again..Gobbbllee. Then catch a glimpse of movement..1 bird, oh no 2!
I'm shaking like crazy, got one hand holding the gun up other one holding my leg to control the shaking so it doesn't spook them!
They come in to 70 yards and hung up on the creek bed.They would have had to jump or cross the dried creek to be in range, should have payed attention to that setting up but I wasn't expecting action, Lesson learned. They eventually went the other way, walking away but still responded to my calling when I tried to get them to come back.
I get up after a bit an head along the creek, come across a hen. Call to her and wait a while but no more action. Get to walking some more and see a black spot in the creek, then realize it's a hog! Didn't want to waste my mag-blends on a hog (too$$) so I slowly try to take them out and put some Remmington 3 1/2 inch #4 turkey loads..Well hog spooks and ends up not being one but about 15, rest were down in the creek. I quickly slam a round in pick a hog on the run and pull the trigger it flips and I start fist pumping! 50+ yards on the run with turkey loads, wasn't expecting to actually get one haha.
All in all one of the best days of hunting I've ever had saw 6-8 deer, 3 turkeys, and a herd of hogs!
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