Post by corncob on Apr 24, 2005 23:56:23 GMT -5
Third season in Iowa ends 4/25, but today was my last day. For the last two days, I hunted public ground in Davis County - part of Stephens Forest west of Ottumwa. We can hunt from about 6 AM - 8PM. The Saturday hunt started at 2 AM with 112 miles of driving. It was brisk - 33 degrees and the moon was full and bright - really bright! In other years, I heard multiple gobblers on the ridge I started on. That morning it was barren. After a time one fired up and I decided to work to him. At about 8:30 a shot rang out and someone else filled their tag. I decided to move to another nearby piece. The state bought it a couple years ago and it is still not marked. Nothing cooking there either and by late morning I was tuckered. Checked in to a sleep cheap in Ottumwa and slept a few hours. At 4 PM, I was back out. It was too windy. The only thing I accomplished was putting together a game plan for this morning - 4/24.
Yesterday was brisk - today was downright cold. There was heavy frost. I had a .25 mile walk at 5 AM to get to my starting point and have learned to wait until I get where I'm going before putting on the jackets etc. The moon was shadow-casting bright. I set up on a trashed fence line with state-owned timber east of me and private ground pasture (15-20 acres) west of me. The decoys may have been a couple of feet on the private ground. There was no gobbling on the state ground, but at 6:40 there were several birds west - across the pasture in private ground timber. It is tough to judge distance, but it was easy to know they were not close. When I called with the box call, I really cranked it - in hopes that it would carry that far. At 8 AM, I was cold and needed to move. I was curious to see if there was anything going on in the pasture. I took about 30 minutes to make a horseshoe shaped trek to cover about 75 yards. Just as I came to that same fence, I saw a turkey's head and had the good fortune to have the perfect tree right next to me. (If I'm moving, it's not often that I will see the turkey before he sees me.)
All turkey stories can get long, so it's time to cut to the chase. A hen that was with him veered to my right, but tom kept coming straight at me. At 12 yards out, he extended his neck - to check out my decoys I think. It was time to pull the trigger and I did. Usually they'll flap and thrash a bit, but not this one. I'm going to pattern my gun at twelve yards to see CSI version of what smacked him. One thing is certain - there was not one pellet in it's breast - and that's a good thing.
4th season starts 4/26 and runs through 5/15. I can fill another tag and Ol'Dick wants to give it another go. My problem is now work. I've got some government inspectors coming to check out the cob pile, plant and warehouse on 5/11. It's going to be tough to focus on that intrusion during turkey time. It will probably force me into a 4 day marathon when the timber is real greened up.
Best regards from the cob pile and good luck to you!
Yesterday was brisk - today was downright cold. There was heavy frost. I had a .25 mile walk at 5 AM to get to my starting point and have learned to wait until I get where I'm going before putting on the jackets etc. The moon was shadow-casting bright. I set up on a trashed fence line with state-owned timber east of me and private ground pasture (15-20 acres) west of me. The decoys may have been a couple of feet on the private ground. There was no gobbling on the state ground, but at 6:40 there were several birds west - across the pasture in private ground timber. It is tough to judge distance, but it was easy to know they were not close. When I called with the box call, I really cranked it - in hopes that it would carry that far. At 8 AM, I was cold and needed to move. I was curious to see if there was anything going on in the pasture. I took about 30 minutes to make a horseshoe shaped trek to cover about 75 yards. Just as I came to that same fence, I saw a turkey's head and had the good fortune to have the perfect tree right next to me. (If I'm moving, it's not often that I will see the turkey before he sees me.)
All turkey stories can get long, so it's time to cut to the chase. A hen that was with him veered to my right, but tom kept coming straight at me. At 12 yards out, he extended his neck - to check out my decoys I think. It was time to pull the trigger and I did. Usually they'll flap and thrash a bit, but not this one. I'm going to pattern my gun at twelve yards to see CSI version of what smacked him. One thing is certain - there was not one pellet in it's breast - and that's a good thing.
4th season starts 4/26 and runs through 5/15. I can fill another tag and Ol'Dick wants to give it another go. My problem is now work. I've got some government inspectors coming to check out the cob pile, plant and warehouse on 5/11. It's going to be tough to focus on that intrusion during turkey time. It will probably force me into a 4 day marathon when the timber is real greened up.
Best regards from the cob pile and good luck to you!