Garner's 2nd bird

[Rafe Hollister]

Last year we hunted about a half hour and brought in 3 strutting gobblers. This season was tougher, but Sunday afternoon we got 4 jakes to 8 yards and The G-Man took this one. He only needs one more to tie his brother at 3.

[RB]

Congrats to the G man. My buddy and his son went out for the better part of Saturday and no birds were talking but we know they are out there and they could not find them. I hope that shotgun is not loaded. Never was a big fan of the gun leaning toward the hunter pics.

[Warmouth]

Congrats Rafe, it looks like he put a good shot on that bird.

[PoisonSnake]

Congrats.

[SAMCRO]

Bird would go good with a mulberry pie.

[Rafe Hollister]

I took Garner out Sunday to try to tag out. He was really eager to get out and hunt. This kid is eaten up with turkey hunting and I couldn't be happier about that.

We sat in a blind for a few hours and heard and saw nothing. We decided to move to a different blind close to 9:00.This is a blind my F.I.L. made of straw bales and brushed it in with cedar and hickory limbs. This blind is on the north edge of his property. It sits on a small lane, with a barbed wire fence and the neighbor's wheat field immediately on the other side. To the south of the blind is his property. For about 100 yds is semi-open timber, then begins some brushiness and it goes downhill about 400 yd to a little wet weather stream.

We hadn't even gotten settled in yet when I called and had a reply about 100 yd. to the southwest. He got pointed in that direction and I called again, this time I was answered by that same gobbler and also a hen to our south. She would have been close to where the property starts to go downhill. I told G that we'd use that to our advantage and try to call in the hen and get her mad, which would also help fire up the gobbler. Every time I'd call, she would get closer. After a few minutes, I saw her head sticking over the buckbrush. She stood there and yelped and it echoed through the timber.

Poor Garner was all jacked up and couldn't see her from where he was, but I was telling him what I could see. She was really loud and made that final 60 yards or so at a dead run. I was trying not to laugh as I told G that she may run right into us. She stood at about 6 yards, yelping, clucking and purring. Garner was just amazed at what he was seeing. I told him to sit still and keep watching for the gobbler. I was able to watch the hen walk right past the blind, within 3 yards, crossing the lane and entering the wheat field. I kept telling him what she was doing.

A couple minutes later I could see the tail fan of a strutter coming right up where she had been. I said, "There's the gobbler!" Garner said, "I know. I just saw him!" He was about 50 yd to the south and was coming at us in full strut. I told him to get the gun up when he goes behind a tree. He did that just fine and asked to take off the safety. I gave him the green light to do that. I told him that I would yelp at him and get his head up and for him to take the shot.

When the bird stuck it's head up, I expected the shot to come any second. G whispered to me, "I can't get pointed at him. The limbs are in the way." Those limbs my FIL put up to brush in the blind were blocking G from moving the gun. He was aimed to the south and the bird had gone a little west by now and the barrel of the gun was sticking out through the branches. I told him that he really had no choice but to lean back, moving the gun to a better angle. As you can imagine, a mature gobbler on full alert picked out the movement immediately and he took off.

The shot would have been 20-25 yd and the bird was probably 22-24 lb and the beard was approaching 11". Garner and I had a lot of fun and saw some other birds during the day. Even with no shots taken, we had an awesome time. We've decided that the last day of turkey season is the worst day of the year since it's the longest possible time before next turkey season.

[RB]

Great story and memories for you and the G man.

[Warmouth]

Great job again Rafe.

[PoisonSnake]

Good story.

[lonepine]

RAFE , You had me on the edge of my seat, goood job

[Tigerhaze]

Good story- I'm sure he won't soon forget it.

[RB]

We are seeing some big flocks roaming around our place. They are still in the deep woods on acorns. Anybody know why several tom's are hanging with the large group of hens? Happens at our place every year. Maybe they are just getting a jump on spring. Samcro, do you know anything about turkeys?

[Limbshot]

Are you kidding? You even need to ask. Killers like Samcro know everything about killing everything and are the only ones who can do it. He has probably killed "truck loads" of turkeys in Alaska!!! He watches you and will kill you in your sleep for even asking, or maybe he'll shave your sack. I get confused.

[RB]

Are you kidding? You even need to ask. Killers like Samcro know everything about killing everything and are the only ones who can do it. He has probably killed "truck loads" of turkeys in Alaska!!! He watches you and will kill you in your sleep for even asking, or maybe he'll shave your sack. I get confused.

your post doesn't even sound right on that dealio. YUK

[SAMCRO]

We are seeing some big flocks roaming around our place. They are still in the deep woods on acorns. Anybody know why several tom's are hanging with the large group of hens? Happens at our place every year. Maybe they are just getting a jump on spring. Samcro, do you know anything about turkeys?

SAMCRO is the killer of all things. A being with so much as a hint of life's breath fear's the very whisper of SAMRO's name. SAMCRO watches, and SAMCRO waits, hoping one day to find an animal that makes SAMCRO work in order to snuff it's life. That will be a fine day, but who are we kidding. That creature doesn't exist.

RB, what you have on your place are a few rare Eastern/Homo hybrids. Those turkeys suck boatloads of mean turkey dick, and they do it all day, every day in your backyard. To kill such a beast, you must learn to yelp and putt with a lisp.