Diary of a Turkey Hunt
by Al Seley
A lot of hunters don't realize the kind of persistence and dedication it takes to hunt the Wild Turkey. This is one mans hunt in a nut shell.
I had a week off of work and decided that I wanted to go Spring Turkey Hunting. This is how my week went.
Day #1.
It was raining all night long. When I got to the hunting spot at 3 am it turned to slow drizzle. Sat out all day and it was like the dead sea. Heard and saw nothing. Stayed in back of the truck all night.
Day #2
Clear and cloudy all night. About 1 hr into the morning I heard yelping at bottom of the mountain. Thought it was another hunter but I called back anyway. I got many responses, but only yelps, no gobbles. I decided it was real turkeys. Five minutes later they came walking up the hill right at me. There were three, they passed about 20 yards to my left, I got my gun up and was looking for beards. None found. The turkeys got to the edge of the field and started alarm putting when they saw my decoys. Then a deer was standing there too. The deer did not like decoys either, they all run away.
Day #3
Raining stayed home
Day #4
Raining stayed home
Day #5
Storm blowing out in the am. Dawn was clear cold and really windy. Sat in the same place, had three more hens in my decoys at sunrise. This time I left the Jake decoy at home, no alarm sounds. Still no beards. About ten o'clock the wind quit and turkeys started gobbling all over. It Figures. I have five days off and now two hours before I have to leave things start happening. I stood up to stretch my legs. I wondered to myself how to kill a turkey in two hours. I decided to sit down and shut up. Sat down and I heard a noise about 1 min. later. I turned my body to get ready, got my gun up and my eye on the sight. Had hen walk in about 15 feet away. She looked at me decided that the camo ball she saw was no threat, she then walked away. I was still aiming and still waiting for more, but I couldn't sit on my wallet any longer. I wiggled my butt and looked up and there was a turkey staring at me from 20 yards. I couldn't see a beard but it had lots of red on the head, I decide to blast it when I get a chance, but it has seen me and my gun was not ready, finally He turns and walks behind a tree, I got my gun up waiting for his head to come out on the other side of tree, but it never does. Then a squirrel came running from over there like he'd just been run over.Never got a shot!
That's hunting!Story contributed by Alan Seley. He is a veteran deer hunter and waterfowl hunter from St. Paul, Minnesota. He has hunted all over the Upper Midwest.
To subscribe to the SmartHunter.com monthly newsletter enter you email address below.
International
Fishing Banner Exchange
