pointingdogsrule
Well-known member
Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of taking an 8 year old out on his first turkey hunt (previously posted). His name was Chase and he bagged a nice Jake. (see below).
His dad had told me that his sister, Isabell was practicing and might want to hunt also. The last week I've been getting out at 6 AM and driving the roads checking for birds. The last 4 mornings 4 to 7 birds were strutting around a blind that I had set up 2 weeks earlier. Literally within a few feet of the blind. I had these birds patterned well. I called her dad last night and arranged an early morning meet up. 4:30 we met and headed for the blind. I put dad and Isabell in the 180 surroundview blind and left. There was no room for me so I went and sat 150 yards across the just planted corn filed to watch. I wasn't going to miss this show.
Picture below is the field that we hunt. Birds roost on the far hillside and fly down into the planted field. Field is about 100 acres. This year birds have been consistently flying down and then traveling north (opposite from most years). If you look closely you can see the blind about 1/3 from the right. The blind is placed against a fence. No trees for 100 yards. I sat in the woods to the left and watched.
It wasn't long before the gobbling started.... and lots of gobbling. The first hens hit the field and then more hens. Next come the gobblers. They land about 150 yards from the blind. Some strutting and then 3 birds start chasing a Tom. The Tom is hobbled and they are attacking him. Which direction do they run..... YEP, right to the blind. The Toms (really Jakes) see the decoys and duck under the fence and start breeding the decoy. No, shots?? They were waiting for the hobbled Tom to present a shot and that never happened. The jakes left and then another jake entered the decoy field. Isabell and her dad decided that this was the shot, as the hobbled tom was not approaching for a clear shot. BANG, I see the bird flop over from my viewpoint across the field. Dead bird at exactly 6:00 AM. We stayed in the blind as there were many birds still in the area. Isabell could have shot 4 more birds within the next hour as birds keep coming in to the decoys.
So here is Isabell............................
. Isabell is 7 years old, about 3 foot nothing and I bet doesn't weigh 50 pounds soaking wet. What a treat for me.
Isabell and me
Isabell, her dad and me.
Here is one last photo of some toms crossing in front of the blind after Isabell had shot her turkey.
I AM SO BLESSED
.
"It's the hunt, not the kill"
His dad had told me that his sister, Isabell was practicing and might want to hunt also. The last week I've been getting out at 6 AM and driving the roads checking for birds. The last 4 mornings 4 to 7 birds were strutting around a blind that I had set up 2 weeks earlier. Literally within a few feet of the blind. I had these birds patterned well. I called her dad last night and arranged an early morning meet up. 4:30 we met and headed for the blind. I put dad and Isabell in the 180 surroundview blind and left. There was no room for me so I went and sat 150 yards across the just planted corn filed to watch. I wasn't going to miss this show.
Picture below is the field that we hunt. Birds roost on the far hillside and fly down into the planted field. Field is about 100 acres. This year birds have been consistently flying down and then traveling north (opposite from most years). If you look closely you can see the blind about 1/3 from the right. The blind is placed against a fence. No trees for 100 yards. I sat in the woods to the left and watched.
It wasn't long before the gobbling started.... and lots of gobbling. The first hens hit the field and then more hens. Next come the gobblers. They land about 150 yards from the blind. Some strutting and then 3 birds start chasing a Tom. The Tom is hobbled and they are attacking him. Which direction do they run..... YEP, right to the blind. The Toms (really Jakes) see the decoys and duck under the fence and start breeding the decoy. No, shots?? They were waiting for the hobbled Tom to present a shot and that never happened. The jakes left and then another jake entered the decoy field. Isabell and her dad decided that this was the shot, as the hobbled tom was not approaching for a clear shot. BANG, I see the bird flop over from my viewpoint across the field. Dead bird at exactly 6:00 AM. We stayed in the blind as there were many birds still in the area. Isabell could have shot 4 more birds within the next hour as birds keep coming in to the decoys.
So here is Isabell............................
. Isabell is 7 years old, about 3 foot nothing and I bet doesn't weigh 50 pounds soaking wet. What a treat for me.Isabell and me
Isabell, her dad and me.
Here is one last photo of some toms crossing in front of the blind after Isabell had shot her turkey.
I AM SO BLESSED
."It's the hunt, not the kill"
