Turkeys have been scarce, Filled one tag and I might call it quits

Early morning was quite the hunt.

Got up to a full moon, which was so bright I could see all the way down the street. You would’ve thought it was legal shooting light and it was only 4:30 AM.

Got to my spot about 15 minutes before legal shooting light and it was already so bright I could see across two farm fields.

Set up my decoys as quiet as I could, and I already had gobbles in the bush. It was only one Tom gobbling. This single Tom has been on this property since opener and there hasn’t been a single other Tom around. There has been one Jake in the first week of the season but he was getting his butt kicked by the Tom and I think he left. After watching this Tom henned up with three hens for the last week, I knew they were going to start breaking off from him.
After setting up my decoys, I sat down in my blind and waited for about a half an hour very quietly.
I heard that Tom gobble a couple of more times and I think he had flown down from the roost. I just purred lightly with the odd cluck. Suddenly, I got the shock of my hunting life. Turns out a hen had roosted directly behind my blind, and I didn’t see it coming in. When she came down from the roost, she literally crashed into the top of my blind, and then coasted down in front of me. At first, I didn’t know what happened until I saw her land about 20 feet between me and the decoys. Needless to say, I might’ve crap my pants a bit. (Not literally mind you).
After that, another hen came walking in from the left from the hardwood bush. I heard that Tom gobbling behind her and was fully expecting him to come walking out right behind the second hen. He’s been a smart bird all season and that continued this morning as he didn’t follow the second hen out. Instead ended up behind my blind in another field. From the field that the Tom was in, he would have to reach the middle of the field before he could see through an opening to see my Jake decoy and my hen decoy. I had him gobbling at 80 yards in the field behind me and he continued to walk staying at 80 yards on a 45° angle through the field. I just kept a purr cluck going intermittently. When he reached the middle of the field, he turned, saw my Jake decoy and made a mad sprint right through the opening. Stopped to Strutt one time and then ran over to my decoy again and beat the daylights out of it. He hit it so hard on the first impact he actually tore the wing off my decoy with his spur. After the initial attack, he stuck his head straight up and it was all over. With the shortage of birds this year I feel like I am going to be more than happy with this hunt and settle on not taking a second bird. I will still get out with my future son-in-law to help him get his first bird. Of course, this means I will be buying a second tag as I can’t help him hunt if I don’t have a tag in hand. It’ll be tag soup for the second tag.
First pic is the Tom on my game camera right in the small gap between fields. I got him right as he stopped to strut just before the attack.

#2 with the decoy wing removed.

Back at the truck.
Waited for the sun to get up to take this.

Well done Disco. Great looking bird and a fantastic story.


I agree there are fewer birds this year. I don’t know if it was winter or coyote predation or both but there are fewer birds in our areas.

Congrats and enjoy your feast.

Nice catch. Have to agree with you on the low numbers. Fields that were loaded with birds in the past are far and few between, maybe they have moved elsewhere because of the encroaching population or maybe a bad winter, who knows.

I know a bunch of people that hunt. I believe the harsh winter really killed off a ton of Turkeys. Hard to get foot under sever feet of snow. Also snow doesn’t slow down the coyotes much. I bet they pick off the weak starving Turkeys no problem.

I don’t think it hurts any hunters who feel the numbers are down to just forgo their second tag.

A good looking bird Jerry.

Arnie

Congratulations, very nice bird

FYI you don't need to buy a second tag if only you intend to sit with your SIL. You can call and help him all you want on your filled tag just don't bring your gun. Good time to hold the camera and record the event if you feel getting a second bird is not an option.

I know I can sit with him but I can’t call for him without a valid tag.

It’s not that big of a deal to buy another tag and not use it as it all goes back into the sport we love.

100% you can call turkeys for another hunter with no tag. Only stipulation is you can't have a firearm.

Yes it’s technically true. I just looked it up.

However that technicality only applies if I have filled my own tags according to the MNR.

Since I only bought and filled one tag I could still buy another and would have to fill that one also before being able to assist and call for a friend while not having a tag or firearm.

Thanks for the correction.

Turkey numbers took a beating where I hunt at the bottom of Algonquin Park. There was 3 ft. of snow for a few weeks. Cheers

A great read and nice bird Disco

Thanks for the kind word on the write up guys. The hunt is going to be one I never forget. Having a Turkey pitch out of the roof and hit the top of your blind is not a moment you forget.