Posts: 166
From:w.Suffield,CT
Registered: Nov 99

posted October 20, 2008 08:42 AM            

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End results 16+ lbs 8 1/2 " beard and 5/8" spurs.
After trying one spot briefly with no results and no signs of birds being around I hit the road looking for something somewhere. I spotted one hen with her 3 scrawny youngins and thought it might be good messing with them if nothing else but as I drive to a place to turn around I spotted a flock of about a dozen birds (all much larger) at a 'T intersection. I ened up driving by them 4 times while trying to figure out where they might head and looking for a place to park resonably close. I ended up parking on the side road next to a woods road just out of sight of the intersection. As I got the vehicle turned around and parked I saw 3 birds crossing the road and into the woods just where I would like them to go. I gathered up my stuff and hussled up the woods road and into the woods to a spot I thought might be reasonable (seeing a lot of activity had been going on there from the leaves raked up). I sat and had just gotten my face mask on (no hat, no glasses, no gloves, no shell in cannon, and no calls out yet) when I saw them walk by in the woods at a fairly brisk pace (they should have seen me messing around but didn't vocalize it). I called a few times without any response and no knowing for sure if they had seen me I ended up backing out of the place and headed further up the woods road as quiet as I could to where they seemed to be headed. Went back into woods (could have picked a better spot but didn't want to get busted moving around). Called a bit (soft yelps and a few clicks) waited and called again. I spotted them walking again from far away to my right and angling a little closer to my left. I watched as they went by one big tree and behind some short stuff (still in leaf) and put the call down and got gun in hand to wait for them to emerge from behind another big tree. Didn't happen. As I waited I didn't know if they had just stopped or had moved away so I put the gun down and called again. I saw movement through the brushy stuff as one came closer to me and the other 2 moved past the big tree but moved back. I could only see the 2 briefly now and then as they walked around and the one loner when he periscoped his head up. The loaner spotted something he didn't like (perhaps the sunlight glittering of my glasses) and loudly alarm putted and briskly walked off putting.
The other 2 didn't seem overly concerned and just slowly walked up generaly following the putter (who continued to putt ).

I figured my chances of getting them closer were pretty slim so when what I thought was the biggest bird picked his head up looking around I put the bead on him and dropped him. WIth the exception of the alarm putts they never made a peep.
Better bird then I usually settle for in the fall and not a bad hunt.

IP: 170.202.22.1

Posts: 166
From:w.Suffield,CT
Registered: Nov 99

posted October 20, 2008 05:25 PM            

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IP: 205.188.117.7

Posts: 137
From:N.E. Missouri
Registered: Mar 2000

posted October 22, 2008 10:14 AM         

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Ray,

real nice fall bird.

I don't hunt turkeys in the fall, but many around my part of the country do, and some use dogs to break-up the early-morning bunches. I don't know if that's really legal here, or not.

Good picture also,

Jim

IP: 70.130.212.205