It was the Fitch household’s last ever youth weekend and we closed it out with opportunity but no bang.
Up Saturday at 5:15 and on the hill just as it was starting to get light. Both kids heard one sounding off the roost, when we reached the top of the meadow I let out a few yelps on the Lynch box and had an immediate response. We set up against the trees and gave it a few minutes before calling again and having him answer once more. The Kid got in on the calling hearing the bird gobble on the ground. He came close enough that I heard him again once but then he shut up. It wasn’t long and we started hearing clucks up behind us. Next thing five hens are 30 yards out looking for us.
Not seeing what they’re expecting the hens decide to start scratching their way back from where they came. Within minutes we hear a loud gobble coming from down below. It isn’t long and three jakes are running it straight up at us from our left. I hit the box and they stop to synchronize gobble, actually pulling it off like mature toms. They’re on a string and I tell the girl to get the gun up and safety off as they’re almost in range. She does and they keep coming, turning slightly to cross right in front of us. I tell her to make sure one is clear of the others, they separate almost on cue and I wait for it. And wait, and wait… I ask why she didn’t shoot and she answers she wasn’t ready and doesn’t want to shoot the first thing that walks by..
??????
The birds circle up behind us still looking. After about 10-15 minutes they keep heading up in the direction the first birds did. We throw out some calls and get responses but I can’t see anything. Eventually I see one and pull up the binos, it’s the long beard in full strut about 50 yards out. Later on the Kid tells me he was there most of the time strutting for the hens and keeping the jakes at bay. Like typical turkeys the hens keep feeding along until they drift off deeper in the woods. We decide to take a break and head down for breakfast.
Continued….
533CBF1E-8443-400F-94A9-82512B624FBA.jpg
37FDAC31-DB91-44D2-ABFC-3ADA9A2211AA.jpg
10793F7F-5FB6-4AD3-B599-B2967B6AD00C.jpg
Up Saturday at 5:15 and on the hill just as it was starting to get light. Both kids heard one sounding off the roost, when we reached the top of the meadow I let out a few yelps on the Lynch box and had an immediate response. We set up against the trees and gave it a few minutes before calling again and having him answer once more. The Kid got in on the calling hearing the bird gobble on the ground. He came close enough that I heard him again once but then he shut up. It wasn’t long and we started hearing clucks up behind us. Next thing five hens are 30 yards out looking for us.
Not seeing what they’re expecting the hens decide to start scratching their way back from where they came. Within minutes we hear a loud gobble coming from down below. It isn’t long and three jakes are running it straight up at us from our left. I hit the box and they stop to synchronize gobble, actually pulling it off like mature toms. They’re on a string and I tell the girl to get the gun up and safety off as they’re almost in range. She does and they keep coming, turning slightly to cross right in front of us. I tell her to make sure one is clear of the others, they separate almost on cue and I wait for it. And wait, and wait… I ask why she didn’t shoot and she answers she wasn’t ready and doesn’t want to shoot the first thing that walks by..
??????
The birds circle up behind us still looking. After about 10-15 minutes they keep heading up in the direction the first birds did. We throw out some calls and get responses but I can’t see anything. Eventually I see one and pull up the binos, it’s the long beard in full strut about 50 yards out. Later on the Kid tells me he was there most of the time strutting for the hens and keeping the jakes at bay. Like typical turkeys the hens keep feeding along until they drift off deeper in the woods. We decide to take a break and head down for breakfast.
Continued….
533CBF1E-8443-400F-94A9-82512B624FBA.jpg
37FDAC31-DB91-44D2-ABFC-3ADA9A2211AA.jpg
10793F7F-5FB6-4AD3-B599-B2967B6AD00C.jpg
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