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October 19, 2009
Fall Turkeys: Strike One - 26
Fall turkeys are easy. Yeah, right. For the Maine shotgun opener, we stayed local. It was my dog Luna’s first in-season hunt. Some 20 turkeys had flooded this rainy field days before the weekend start-up, shaking off like black Labs after a retrieve. Game time broke frosty though, near freezing; sunny, breezy and cold. Geese wheeled in the sky, but we were after different game. Turkeys? They’d vanished somewhere in acorn-strewn woods. At 8:30 my buddy Marc and I broke for breakfast coffee and to hatch Plan B. Plan B: a bigger nearby farm. After a run to my house, we now had Luna along, my renegade English setter, age 1. She’d rather scatter birds than point them—good for this game. I’d found two flocks here: one with 4 turkeys; one with 9. The farmer offered his blessing, and we were off. Turkey dogs must run big, but check back. Find turkeys then scatter them. Barking helps note the flush location. Once set up at the break site, you hide the dog, and attempt to call the birds back. But first you have to find them. All bird dogs, especially pups, are a work in progress. As a handler, I lean toward quiet. I don’t like to give many verbal commands to avoid alerting game. This takes time; years. The silent approach is earned. With my setter Radar (7+) it’s all hand signals, stealth and the rare whistle. Like a sports parent from the sidelines, with Luna on her first hunt, I got way too chatty. Turkey scratchings? Everywhere. Luna was gone for stretches of time, but no barking. Her tendency to yip-yap at yard squirrels and doves hinted at possibilities. “I noticed you kept looking at your watch,” my buddy Marc said. Yep. The last thing I wanted to do was lose her on her first fall turkey hunt. My verbal commands likely scared the turkeys deeper into the woods: “Luna come,” followed by whistling, way more than I usually do. Was I eager to speed the day to "finished" dog, and impress my longtime bud who’d hunted with my best turkey dog ever, my Midge, now gone? Maybe. We hunted hard. By the end we were both carrying tags. Arriving home, my wife said: “You’ll never believe this!” One of her Facebook friends had just posted a short video of turkeys in his backyard 22 minutes before. Her FB friend, let’s call him B., didn’t hunt, but he had a fix on turkeys: out his window. “My” turkeys. He and his wife live on the other side of the woods we’d just hunted. “Nine turkeys?” I asked, almost knowing the answer. I watch the vid with her. Sure enough, there they were on the popular social networking site. My 9 birds. My buddy Marc’s joking jab: “They were just about as far away as scared turkeys would run if a guy in the woods yelled at his dog all morning!” Busted!
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Comments (26)
Funny stuff Steve....well it is a little! :) I also hunted hard Saturday, only to have that group of toms spot me on the way back out as I was headed to my truck around 10:00. I tried to bust them up, but they had spotted me too far away. I did pass on some hens first thing in the morning. The afternoon provided no turkey action.
I had planned to take today off from work just in case I was unsuccessful on Saturday. That proved to be a wise decision, as I took my first Fall longbeard this morning. The last two years I've taken hens with my bow. I've always had trouble finding longbeards in the Fall. This year was different, as I found two flocks. One flock of 8 are all two year olds or older with a couple of really big ones. I thought I was hunting them this morning, but he was a loner. Never heard or saw the others. They had given me the slip 3 times this week when I was bowhunting and again on Saturday. Took the Encore this morning as it was supposed to be windy, rainy/snowy. Turned out to be a beautiful morning, and wouldn't you know it........the best bow hunting opportunity I could've hoped for. The bird was all by himself and went behind many an oak tree where I could've easily drawn my bow undetected. But, the Encore sounded pretty sweet on that hardwood ridge this morning!
I know the others are still out there, and I think I may have talked my Dad into an afternoon hunt!
Good luck all!
James
I never knew maine had a turkey season. Is it state wide, or just the sourthern section of the state?
Hey guys,
Out this morning hunting a turkey flock I found while scouting yesterday afternoon on our no-hunt Sunday in the rain/wind/wet snow. Gorgeous morning. They apparently roosted over the property line, as I thought they might (& where I can't hunt), 'cause I heard two shots at daybreak, right after fly-down time. Taking a break in the action here at midday . . .
But enough about me. Way to go James! Fall turkey hunting IS easy for some guys! Sounds like one heckuva hunt. Did you post your pic on the OL site? Let me know if you want us to do that here @ The SZ . . . awesome turkey.
Hey bigjake. Since you asked, here's the information on Maine turkey hunting:
http://www.maine.gov/ifw/hunting_trapping/hunting/wild_turkey.htm
Stay tuned for more. -S.
wow,I had no idea turkeys were that abundant in maine, I have been through zones 10 and 11 quite a few times, and have some family in the Bar Harbour area.Maybe a spring visit is in order.$50 for a non resident tag, wow, I was looking into go to Ontario for a turkey hunt,but the price was kinda high.Thanks for the info, greatly appreciated.
i have turkeys in my yard every day no fall season here.that sucks real bad!
A very memorable day in the turkey woods. I scored on my first Fall longbeard this morning and talked my Dad into an afternoon hunt and he scored on his first Fall longbeard also at the exact same spot as mine.
As I posted above, I was hunting a spot I had bumped a flock of 8 longbeards several times in the past week. When the lone longbeard appeared this morning, I was actually stunned as I hadn't seen a lone longbeard in the area..........only the eight. I heard my bird cluck/yelping when I arrived at the ridge. I responded with cluck/yelping and he came right in cluck/yelping all the way. Prior to shooting him, I searched the woods behind him for the other longbeards but saw nor heard anything. Was he one of the 8 I had seen during previous hunts was the question on my mind. At any rate, I knew there were at least 7 others around somewhere, so I talked my Dad into an afternoon hunt.
We arrived at the same spot about 12:45 and I thought I heard a couple yelps towards the south side of the ridge. We set up on the same pine I was at in the morning and I cluck/yelped a few times.....no response. Waited about 10 minutes and cluck/yelped again. This time there was a resonse and not very far away. Soon we could hear footsteps in the leaves heading towards the stonewall about 30 yards from our setup. They were getting louder when suddenly turkeys started coming over the stonewall...all sporting beards! One, two, three four , five, six, seven, eight longbeards headed over the wall looking for the stranger who had infringed their territory. It was one of the most beautiful and exciting experiences I've had afield. My Dad had to move his gun for the shot and two of the longbeards spotted him and did not hesitate to vacate the area. They took to the air immediately and headed for the swamp through the tree tops. The others also decided to vacate but stayed on the ground heading down the ridge to the swamp, My Dad swung on them, picked out a bird and let the Encore sing! He made an amazing shot, dropping the longbeard in his tracks. I went from "this hunt is over" to "I can't believe this" in three seconds. What a great hunt!
Now, why would my bird be alone and the other 8 flocked together? Did he just appear in this area? Are some birds just loners and some "flockers"?
I know I haven't got Fall longbeards figured out, and luck played a big part in our success today, but it was a great day none the less. I'm glad my Dad got to share it with me!
Thanks for getting me interested in these Fall hunts Steve!
Good luck all!
JAmes
You're welcome. That is awesome! Must have been amazing to see.
My guess on the solo bird: pecking order, post-fight deal? I've watched groups harass single birds and run them off before, spring and fall. Or maybe he just got separated from the group?
What's everyone else think?
-Steve
Awesome day in the field James a memory you will not soon forget.
Maybe that lone gobbler was just looking to make it a 9 group or start his own. Join mix it up a little and get in the pecking order.
The fall hunt is a hoot, I am starting to like it more than the spring hunt. Not planning to stop hunting in the spring it is good too.
Heck if the activity has hunt in it - count me in.
Stike one!
Here I was considering a turkey dog for next year when WI makes it legal statewide. Thought a dog would make it "easier" to break up the flock and now you are telling me they put your turkeys on face book?!
How pray tell do you shoot them there?
Hey charlie elk,
We dog men like to make it harder! And easier! Depending. Plus I like the company on the road . . .
Seriously, Luna's just a pup, but full of promise. Work in progress. As Gerry Bethge & other guys can tell you,a dog definitely can make it easier to break up a fall flock.
Buried our Midge, likely my best turkey dog ever(you'll remember her from the fall & winter turkey book). It's all good in the turkey woods, even the butt kickings.
Keep us posted.
-S.
Agreed it is all good in the woods and the butt kickings are some the best. Sorry to hear about Midge.
I lost my best dog ever a decade or so ago. Never have gotten over him and probably made a mistake not getting another buddy soon after. Took up more deer huting then turkey hunting. Neither of which allow a dog in this area. Until next year fall turkey.
I am considering the addition of a comrade. Very seriously considering...
My son in OH has a collie golden retreiver mix, he absolutely loves her and she loves to chase birds. On OH opener she too chased his birds into the next county, but like you they had a blast.
It is all good out there.
May we all enjoy many happy hunts.
Congrats James, sounds like you had an awesome day in the fall woods. Didn't know if I was even going to get my permit this fall because I thought the birds had vacated my area. Ended up finding a group of toms still around feeding on a corn field near my house so I bought my permit yesterday and immediately tried hitting the field. Ended up getting the attention of the toms but they got close without me knowing it and I spooked them with my calling. Didn't see the toms today but I did pass on a group of hens in the morning. Maybe the big boys will be back for corn tomorrow. Good luck to everybody else.
charlie elk,
Nothing has given me quite as much pleasure as hunting fall turkeys with dogs, from my own, to going along w/ Gerry Bethge's Jake, to the fabled Byrne dogs of Lowry, VA, to Pete Clare's in Candor, NY @ Turkey Trot Acres, and others along the way. I love it. It flows in my veins. Can't do without it. The time in the off-season is also special. Grew up the son of a beagle/cottontail man (I'm a PA native as you likely know), and for decades that was also part of the deal. I strongly encourage you to follow your urge, but I also know the pain of losing the best dog of your life. You'll never replace that canine hunting buddy. We're all brothers in this tradition. Thanks.-S.
Josh N. Good to hear you're out there, and seeing some action! Keep us posted. Thx. -S.
Hey Josh! Hope you get into those toms again. One thing I think I did wrong while bowhunting was calling too much. With mine and my Dad's bird, I just called a couple times once they responded and kept my eyes peeled. My bird was vocal all the way in. The group of toms in my Dad's hunt were not very vocal when closing the distance but came in a hurry.
Charlie, I'd love to try a dog hunt myself. I did take Lucy (my parents dog during the week...mine on the weekends) out a few times while scouting. About a week before the season, we were scouting and she spotted a flock up ahead in the woods and let me know it. I had her sit and then told her "go get them". She broke the flock up real good. Birds were flying and running in every direction. I called her back and we sat and waited. In a matter of about 10 minutes, they were calling to each other and re-grouping. It was cool to listen to them. Maybe next year we'll do the real deal. Like Steve said, it's the comradarie between beast and man that makes it all special. Lost my best friend of 16 years 5 years ago and Lucy is filling that void now.
May have to take my parents to court for custody rights! :)
Thanks for the congrats guys!
Good luck!
James
Butt kicking? What about laughing your butt off? Late yesterday afternoon after sending an arrow through the sweet spot on a fat doe some close by alarm putts followed by excited yelping started. While the doe was doing the death scramble she must have scattered some nearby turkeys.
Out comes my trusty wingbone and the kee-keeing starts in earnest. As 2 turkey heads pop up and my long bow rises I grin thinking of the guillotine removing a head. Instead when 1 of them give me a profile----turkey Facebook enters my head and a laugh erupts...
your chasing turkeys onto Facebook is the funniest thing in a long time. I can't quit laughing.
Thanks.
As you say "it is all good"
later,
ce
OK, I will try on this one, Steve- I thought you would like my attempt at humor on your turkey quiz blog, OK so I am not McManus......... We start here on Sat.in VA and WV,and then it is hunt every day that I have leave for. On deck will be Rip, AKA, LC,or black dog (he has several names) a young black pointer showing some progress. I had to bury my little Gordon Setter (Scout) about a month ago. I mean to tell you she was becoming THE DOG, I am talking a 31/2 inch magnum extra full choke nose, never seen anything like it, even the Judge said so. I know I don't have to tell you how tough that was.
So here we go into another season, what will it hold? We shall see.........Larry
Mr. Case! Sorry to hear about Scout, man. I know the pain. Remember the good. Laid our old girl Jenny (13+ yrs.) in the ground August 31. She's the one who taught me everything about the deal. Midge not all that long before that, and after just 10 wonderful seasons. Luna (1) & Radar (7) are holding their own, though the white pup/dog is a work in progress, but full of promise (aren't we all!), and R. is rock solid. Keep us posted here at the SZ, and be sure to say hello to your long suffering wife for me! Hunt update: had a brood hen yacking at me (a young turkey in disguise) to get with the program through the damp woods this morning. There were 10+ other birds gathering 'round her, and that was that. You guys know that deal eh. Back now, catching up on work. -S.
Got my first fall turkey yesterday! It was the first turkey that I've never called as well. Never went out in the morning and I was working all day at the family farm when I realized how nice it was outside. So I put down the splitting maul and traded it for the shotgun. I headed out to the corn field behind my house and was slowly sneaking towards my designated spot when I saw a red head looking my way. I thought I had been busted but the tom put his head down and started feeding again with some others. Now I had a tough time ahead of me. The turkeys knew there was something up and they were still a good 100 yards away. So I would just take a few slow steps and then stop whenever they looked nervous. Luckily there was a line of trees between me and them to give me some good cover. After awhile I was able to move withing 40 yards of them. I wanted one of the bigger toms but decided to take a smaller one that was a few yards from the main group. I stood up and when they all raised their heads I sealed the deal. Not my biggest bird ever but I'm happy as can be that I was able to sneak up on a group of toms like that. Guess I know what I'm having for thanksgiving.
On a side note I was wondering as I was cleaning my bird what everybody else does to clean their birds. Pluck or skin? Oh and what about cooking?
Way to go Josh, congrats on your first. I'd trade in the splitting maul for shotgun any day even if I didn't hear or see any birds.
Skin my birds and disassemble the pieces to be cooked separately with different recipes for each part. Steak and fry the breast served with side of vegetable stir fry (celery, carrots, onions, golden raisins and toasted pecans or walnuts) and wild rice. Another favorite marinate the breast or if poult drums & thighs -grill on a cedar plank, slice and enjoy the planked turkey. All the other trimmings go into soup or stew.
Way to go Josh! As with charlie elk's suggestions, I use the entire bird too: breast meat & drumsticks, plus we parboil the remaining bird to pick out the rest for soups/stews. We've two shelves of cookbooks we put to good use, from the classic L.L. Bean offering to A.D. Livingston's "Wild Turkey Cookbook," now out of print I believe(Stackpole Books). Sylvia Bashline and Jim Casada both have wonderful cookbooks with with turkey recipes inside. You can find some online too. Enjoy! P.S. Got tight on roosted Maine birds this morning with a buddy (Friday, Oct. 23), and talked to them, but they didn't close the distance. Hit another farm later in the morning, and worked a small flock of just four turkeys (two brood hens; one large bird of the year; one little). We were looking for a different group of nine . . . had a limit of gray squirrels hanging out in the oaks and on the ground in front of our setup(s), but passed on the Brunswick stew option today. This is not the Bushytail Zone, and I digress. Later! -S.
Thanks for the tips guys. Yeah I skin mine and try to get all the meat off that I can but didn't think of boiling the carcass. I'll have to try that. I'll definitely have to try and find some game cookbooks. I couldn't believe the amount of corn in the crop of my bird. Must have been over a pound in there. Had a very unique fermented corn smell coming out of it as well. I'll be careful not to poke that with my knife again haha.
Good luck if you hit the woods tomorrow Steve and bring an umbrella. Heard there is quite the storm coming.
Congratulations Josh! Happy for ya! Sneaking up on one them birds is not an easy task. Great hunt!
As for eating, all the above is great. I've also cooked the whole bird (thanksgiving style). It's best to pluck them for this, leaving the skin on. They are actually easy plucking if you get to it soon enough. I roast them in a bag with seasonings. Another favorite of mine is a turkey pie. My mom makes that for me!. I've also marinated the breasts,coat them with "shake-n-bake" and bake in the oven.
Dang..........I'm hungry again!
Congrats again Josh!
James
2 more tags filled. Moving along a woodland trail stopped next to an unseen hunkered down flock, they couldn't stay put and flew to the north with 2 running, hopping, flying to the east. Set up immediately figured the 2 easterners would be responsive. Kee kee'd twice, one comes running back to the gun, kee kee'd again second one comes running back. Uploaded a picture. This year's birds 11 & 14 pounds.
Bought more tags. Check out all the remaining OTC tags. I hunt units 1 & 4. http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/cs/fallturkey/
So many tags, so little time. ;-)
Later,
charlie
Just finished the local Sunday paper and there was a page long article about wild turkey reintroduction to my home province of NB, if enough interest in generated in starting a local WTF office.Seems we are getting a few birds migrating in from northern Maine and they have been under a local DNR Biologists watchful eye and seem to be holding steady producing chicks in the spring and having decent poult survival rates throughout the winter, at least in the gentler southern half of the province.The winters are so harsh in Northern NB that the Whitetail deer hunting season has been closed for over 10 years to try and allow a near extinct deer herd to recover, which it isnt doing so well.The rugged countryside is best suited to growing scary sized blackbear and big bull moose.
If we can get a Wild Turkey Federation started around here I will most definately be signing up, I'd love to have the option of a turkey hunt here.
Thank Steve, those must the birds he chases only one way north and the birds have forgotten their way home. ;-)
Hope they prosper up there not much better than an expanding wild turkey population. WTF is a great organization, trult top notch.
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I never knew maine had a turkey season. Is it state wide, or just the sourthern section of the state?
A very memorable day in the turkey woods. I scored on my first Fall longbeard this morning and talked my Dad into an afternoon hunt and he scored on his first Fall longbeard also at the exact same spot as mine.
As I posted above, I was hunting a spot I had bumped a flock of 8 longbeards several times in the past week. When the lone longbeard appeared this morning, I was actually stunned as I hadn't seen a lone longbeard in the area..........only the eight. I heard my bird cluck/yelping when I arrived at the ridge. I responded with cluck/yelping and he came right in cluck/yelping all the way. Prior to shooting him, I searched the woods behind him for the other longbeards but saw nor heard anything. Was he one of the 8 I had seen during previous hunts was the question on my mind. At any rate, I knew there were at least 7 others around somewhere, so I talked my Dad into an afternoon hunt.
We arrived at the same spot about 12:45 and I thought I heard a couple yelps towards the south side of the ridge. We set up on the same pine I was at in the morning and I cluck/yelped a few times.....no response. Waited about 10 minutes and cluck/yelped again. This time there was a resonse and not very far away. Soon we could hear footsteps in the leaves heading towards the stonewall about 30 yards from our setup. They were getting louder when suddenly turkeys started coming over the stonewall...all sporting beards! One, two, three four , five, six, seven, eight longbeards headed over the wall looking for the stranger who had infringed their territory. It was one of the most beautiful and exciting experiences I've had afield. My Dad had to move his gun for the shot and two of the longbeards spotted him and did not hesitate to vacate the area. They took to the air immediately and headed for the swamp through the tree tops. The others also decided to vacate but stayed on the ground heading down the ridge to the swamp, My Dad swung on them, picked out a bird and let the Encore sing! He made an amazing shot, dropping the longbeard in his tracks. I went from "this hunt is over" to "I can't believe this" in three seconds. What a great hunt!
Now, why would my bird be alone and the other 8 flocked together? Did he just appear in this area? Are some birds just loners and some "flockers"?
I know I haven't got Fall longbeards figured out, and luck played a big part in our success today, but it was a great day none the less. I'm glad my Dad got to share it with me!
Thanks for getting me interested in these Fall hunts Steve!
Good luck all!
JAmes
Hey Josh! Hope you get into those toms again. One thing I think I did wrong while bowhunting was calling too much. With mine and my Dad's bird, I just called a couple times once they responded and kept my eyes peeled. My bird was vocal all the way in. The group of toms in my Dad's hunt were not very vocal when closing the distance but came in a hurry.
Charlie, I'd love to try a dog hunt myself. I did take Lucy (my parents dog during the week...mine on the weekends) out a few times while scouting. About a week before the season, we were scouting and she spotted a flock up ahead in the woods and let me know it. I had her sit and then told her "go get them". She broke the flock up real good. Birds were flying and running in every direction. I called her back and we sat and waited. In a matter of about 10 minutes, they were calling to each other and re-grouping. It was cool to listen to them. Maybe next year we'll do the real deal. Like Steve said, it's the comradarie between beast and man that makes it all special. Lost my best friend of 16 years 5 years ago and Lucy is filling that void now.
May have to take my parents to court for custody rights! :)
Thanks for the congrats guys!
Good luck!
James
Way to go Josh, congrats on your first. I'd trade in the splitting maul for shotgun any day even if I didn't hear or see any birds.
Skin my birds and disassemble the pieces to be cooked separately with different recipes for each part. Steak and fry the breast served with side of vegetable stir fry (celery, carrots, onions, golden raisins and toasted pecans or walnuts) and wild rice. Another favorite marinate the breast or if poult drums & thighs -grill on a cedar plank, slice and enjoy the planked turkey. All the other trimmings go into soup or stew.
Way to go Josh! As with charlie elk's suggestions, I use the entire bird too: breast meat & drumsticks, plus we parboil the remaining bird to pick out the rest for soups/stews. We've two shelves of cookbooks we put to good use, from the classic L.L. Bean offering to A.D. Livingston's "Wild Turkey Cookbook," now out of print I believe(Stackpole Books). Sylvia Bashline and Jim Casada both have wonderful cookbooks with with turkey recipes inside. You can find some online too. Enjoy! P.S. Got tight on roosted Maine birds this morning with a buddy (Friday, Oct. 23), and talked to them, but they didn't close the distance. Hit another farm later in the morning, and worked a small flock of just four turkeys (two brood hens; one large bird of the year; one little). We were looking for a different group of nine . . . had a limit of gray squirrels hanging out in the oaks and on the ground in front of our setup(s), but passed on the Brunswick stew option today. This is not the Bushytail Zone, and I digress. Later! -S.
Congratulations Josh! Happy for ya! Sneaking up on one them birds is not an easy task. Great hunt!
As for eating, all the above is great. I've also cooked the whole bird (thanksgiving style). It's best to pluck them for this, leaving the skin on. They are actually easy plucking if you get to it soon enough. I roast them in a bag with seasonings. Another favorite of mine is a turkey pie. My mom makes that for me!. I've also marinated the breasts,coat them with "shake-n-bake" and bake in the oven.
Dang..........I'm hungry again!
Congrats again Josh!
James
Just finished the local Sunday paper and there was a page long article about wild turkey reintroduction to my home province of NB, if enough interest in generated in starting a local WTF office.Seems we are getting a few birds migrating in from northern Maine and they have been under a local DNR Biologists watchful eye and seem to be holding steady producing chicks in the spring and having decent poult survival rates throughout the winter, at least in the gentler southern half of the province.The winters are so harsh in Northern NB that the Whitetail deer hunting season has been closed for over 10 years to try and allow a near extinct deer herd to recover, which it isnt doing so well.The rugged countryside is best suited to growing scary sized blackbear and big bull moose.
If we can get a Wild Turkey Federation started around here I will most definately be signing up, I'd love to have the option of a turkey hunt here.
Funny stuff Steve....well it is a little! :) I also hunted hard Saturday, only to have that group of toms spot me on the way back out as I was headed to my truck around 10:00. I tried to bust them up, but they had spotted me too far away. I did pass on some hens first thing in the morning. The afternoon provided no turkey action.
I had planned to take today off from work just in case I was unsuccessful on Saturday. That proved to be a wise decision, as I took my first Fall longbeard this morning. The last two years I've taken hens with my bow. I've always had trouble finding longbeards in the Fall. This year was different, as I found two flocks. One flock of 8 are all two year olds or older with a couple of really big ones. I thought I was hunting them this morning, but he was a loner. Never heard or saw the others. They had given me the slip 3 times this week when I was bowhunting and again on Saturday. Took the Encore this morning as it was supposed to be windy, rainy/snowy. Turned out to be a beautiful morning, and wouldn't you know it........the best bow hunting opportunity I could've hoped for. The bird was all by himself and went behind many an oak tree where I could've easily drawn my bow undetected. But, the Encore sounded pretty sweet on that hardwood ridge this morning!
I know the others are still out there, and I think I may have talked my Dad into an afternoon hunt!
Good luck all!
James
wow,I had no idea turkeys were that abundant in maine, I have been through zones 10 and 11 quite a few times, and have some family in the Bar Harbour area.Maybe a spring visit is in order.$50 for a non resident tag, wow, I was looking into go to Ontario for a turkey hunt,but the price was kinda high.Thanks for the info, greatly appreciated.
i have turkeys in my yard every day no fall season here.that sucks real bad!
You're welcome. That is awesome! Must have been amazing to see.
My guess on the solo bird: pecking order, post-fight deal? I've watched groups harass single birds and run them off before, spring and fall. Or maybe he just got separated from the group?
What's everyone else think?
-Steve
Agreed it is all good in the woods and the butt kickings are some the best. Sorry to hear about Midge.
I lost my best dog ever a decade or so ago. Never have gotten over him and probably made a mistake not getting another buddy soon after. Took up more deer huting then turkey hunting. Neither of which allow a dog in this area. Until next year fall turkey.
I am considering the addition of a comrade. Very seriously considering...
My son in OH has a collie golden retreiver mix, he absolutely loves her and she loves to chase birds. On OH opener she too chased his birds into the next county, but like you they had a blast.
It is all good out there.
May we all enjoy many happy hunts.
Congrats James, sounds like you had an awesome day in the fall woods. Didn't know if I was even going to get my permit this fall because I thought the birds had vacated my area. Ended up finding a group of toms still around feeding on a corn field near my house so I bought my permit yesterday and immediately tried hitting the field. Ended up getting the attention of the toms but they got close without me knowing it and I spooked them with my calling. Didn't see the toms today but I did pass on a group of hens in the morning. Maybe the big boys will be back for corn tomorrow. Good luck to everybody else.
charlie elk,
Nothing has given me quite as much pleasure as hunting fall turkeys with dogs, from my own, to going along w/ Gerry Bethge's Jake, to the fabled Byrne dogs of Lowry, VA, to Pete Clare's in Candor, NY @ Turkey Trot Acres, and others along the way. I love it. It flows in my veins. Can't do without it. The time in the off-season is also special. Grew up the son of a beagle/cottontail man (I'm a PA native as you likely know), and for decades that was also part of the deal. I strongly encourage you to follow your urge, but I also know the pain of losing the best dog of your life. You'll never replace that canine hunting buddy. We're all brothers in this tradition. Thanks.-S.
Josh N. Good to hear you're out there, and seeing some action! Keep us posted. Thx. -S.
Butt kicking? What about laughing your butt off? Late yesterday afternoon after sending an arrow through the sweet spot on a fat doe some close by alarm putts followed by excited yelping started. While the doe was doing the death scramble she must have scattered some nearby turkeys.
Out comes my trusty wingbone and the kee-keeing starts in earnest. As 2 turkey heads pop up and my long bow rises I grin thinking of the guillotine removing a head. Instead when 1 of them give me a profile----turkey Facebook enters my head and a laugh erupts...
your chasing turkeys onto Facebook is the funniest thing in a long time. I can't quit laughing.
Thanks.
As you say "it is all good"
later,
ce
OK, I will try on this one, Steve- I thought you would like my attempt at humor on your turkey quiz blog, OK so I am not McManus......... We start here on Sat.in VA and WV,and then it is hunt every day that I have leave for. On deck will be Rip, AKA, LC,or black dog (he has several names) a young black pointer showing some progress. I had to bury my little Gordon Setter (Scout) about a month ago. I mean to tell you she was becoming THE DOG, I am talking a 31/2 inch magnum extra full choke nose, never seen anything like it, even the Judge said so. I know I don't have to tell you how tough that was.
So here we go into another season, what will it hold? We shall see.........Larry
Mr. Case! Sorry to hear about Scout, man. I know the pain. Remember the good. Laid our old girl Jenny (13+ yrs.) in the ground August 31. She's the one who taught me everything about the deal. Midge not all that long before that, and after just 10 wonderful seasons. Luna (1) & Radar (7) are holding their own, though the white pup/dog is a work in progress, but full of promise (aren't we all!), and R. is rock solid. Keep us posted here at the SZ, and be sure to say hello to your long suffering wife for me! Hunt update: had a brood hen yacking at me (a young turkey in disguise) to get with the program through the damp woods this morning. There were 10+ other birds gathering 'round her, and that was that. You guys know that deal eh. Back now, catching up on work. -S.
Got my first fall turkey yesterday! It was the first turkey that I've never called as well. Never went out in the morning and I was working all day at the family farm when I realized how nice it was outside. So I put down the splitting maul and traded it for the shotgun. I headed out to the corn field behind my house and was slowly sneaking towards my designated spot when I saw a red head looking my way. I thought I had been busted but the tom put his head down and started feeding again with some others. Now I had a tough time ahead of me. The turkeys knew there was something up and they were still a good 100 yards away. So I would just take a few slow steps and then stop whenever they looked nervous. Luckily there was a line of trees between me and them to give me some good cover. After awhile I was able to move withing 40 yards of them. I wanted one of the bigger toms but decided to take a smaller one that was a few yards from the main group. I stood up and when they all raised their heads I sealed the deal. Not my biggest bird ever but I'm happy as can be that I was able to sneak up on a group of toms like that. Guess I know what I'm having for thanksgiving.
On a side note I was wondering as I was cleaning my bird what everybody else does to clean their birds. Pluck or skin? Oh and what about cooking?
Thanks for the tips guys. Yeah I skin mine and try to get all the meat off that I can but didn't think of boiling the carcass. I'll have to try that. I'll definitely have to try and find some game cookbooks. I couldn't believe the amount of corn in the crop of my bird. Must have been over a pound in there. Had a very unique fermented corn smell coming out of it as well. I'll be careful not to poke that with my knife again haha.
Good luck if you hit the woods tomorrow Steve and bring an umbrella. Heard there is quite the storm coming.
2 more tags filled. Moving along a woodland trail stopped next to an unseen hunkered down flock, they couldn't stay put and flew to the north with 2 running, hopping, flying to the east. Set up immediately figured the 2 easterners would be responsive. Kee kee'd twice, one comes running back to the gun, kee kee'd again second one comes running back. Uploaded a picture. This year's birds 11 & 14 pounds.
Bought more tags. Check out all the remaining OTC tags. I hunt units 1 & 4. http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/cs/fallturkey/
So many tags, so little time. ;-)
Later,
charlie
Hey guys,
Out this morning hunting a turkey flock I found while scouting yesterday afternoon on our no-hunt Sunday in the rain/wind/wet snow. Gorgeous morning. They apparently roosted over the property line, as I thought they might (& where I can't hunt), 'cause I heard two shots at daybreak, right after fly-down time. Taking a break in the action here at midday . . .
But enough about me. Way to go James! Fall turkey hunting IS easy for some guys! Sounds like one heckuva hunt. Did you post your pic on the OL site? Let me know if you want us to do that here @ The SZ . . . awesome turkey.
Hey bigjake. Since you asked, here's the information on Maine turkey hunting:
http://www.maine.gov/ifw/hunting_trapping/hunting/wild_turkey.htm
Stay tuned for more. -S.
Awesome day in the field James a memory you will not soon forget.
Maybe that lone gobbler was just looking to make it a 9 group or start his own. Join mix it up a little and get in the pecking order.
The fall hunt is a hoot, I am starting to like it more than the spring hunt. Not planning to stop hunting in the spring it is good too.
Heck if the activity has hunt in it - count me in.
Stike one!
Here I was considering a turkey dog for next year when WI makes it legal statewide. Thought a dog would make it "easier" to break up the flock and now you are telling me they put your turkeys on face book?!
How pray tell do you shoot them there?
Hey charlie elk,
We dog men like to make it harder! And easier! Depending. Plus I like the company on the road . . .
Seriously, Luna's just a pup, but full of promise. Work in progress. As Gerry Bethge & other guys can tell you,a dog definitely can make it easier to break up a fall flock.
Buried our Midge, likely my best turkey dog ever(you'll remember her from the fall & winter turkey book). It's all good in the turkey woods, even the butt kickings.
Keep us posted.
-S.
Thank Steve, those must the birds he chases only one way north and the birds have forgotten their way home. ;-)
Hope they prosper up there not much better than an expanding wild turkey population. WTF is a great organization, trult top notch.
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