Quiet Turkey season
 

This Turkey season has been a quiet one for me. I scouted 5 times, starting at daylight each time and hunted opening lottery day at Clear Creek and never heard a gobble. I did see turkey several times along the roads and saw a fair amount of signs that turkey were in the areas I checked.

After hunting 12+ hours on opening day, my years of turkey hunting enthusiasm were starting to dwindle. With CC closed for me until Apr. 1, I decided to make a trip to Sherburne. After reading that people hunting there were not hearing much gobbling, I opted to wait until Wednesday [the last day] to go.

The winds were calm but the temperature was cold……~ 35 F that morning. Just as it was getting light, I heard the first faint gobble of my season a good ways off. As I got ready to walk, he gobbled again. This time I got a better idea of his location and he was not that far away. I knew these woods well and knew about where the Tom was and headed that direction. To the north of his location it was fairly open so I opted to set up to his northeast. There was some fairly thick brush between me and the turkey which allowed me to set up unseen about 150 yards away in a nice clearing next to a large oak tree.

By the time I got ready to make my first call, the Tom had gobbled 6 or 8 times. When I made the first yelps, he gobbled back. OK…….he knew where I was so the waiting game started. In the next 10 minutes he gobbled several more times while staying in the same spot. Because I was walking during his first several gobbles I was not sure if he was still in a tree or was on the ground.

I made one more short series of calls and he gobbled back from the same spot. Then several minutes later the gobble came more from the south of me and maybe a little closer. I think he just had flown down from the roost. Another gobble confirmed that he was indeed closer so I turned a little to the left to have the gun ready.
While frozen in position waiting to see what he would do, I heard some noise coming from my right. I very slowly turned to look and saw 3 deer running toward the south, 30 yards away. I think it was 2 does and a yearling. The last deer stopped for a second to look back. I then turned back towards the right and here come a 4 pt. buck chasing the does. This is March 27…..and the buck is in rut!!!!!!!!!!

Back to the gobbling Tom. Where the deer were headed would take them 50 yards [or less] from where the Tom last gobbled. What would the Tom do after the deer ran past him???? I got the answer a couple minutes later when he gobbled again back near where he started gobbling at daylight. By then I figured I needed to remind him that a “love” hen was still calling to him. He gobbled back. This time he had moved to the north some. Another gobble told me that he was still headed north staying 150+ yards away.

I sat waiting, wondering……..could he be with hens? Would he keep moving north? If so, should I make a move to try to get in front of where I thought they might be headed? The next gobble told me what I needed to do. Stay put…….he had come closer.

As I waited……..I was excited as if this was my first ever Tom, when in fact I have kill several in this general area. This is why I love to hunt turkey. The rush, knowing one wrong movement could mean the Tom might win this encounter. Then a couple minutes later, I catch a glimpse of his red head coming through the “Yellow” flowers about 50 yards away. I had already picked out several trees to estimate when he would be in range. I would make a 40 yards shot if he stopped coming in but I really like shooting under 35 yards. I passed on taking the shot at the first opening because he was steadily come closer. He stopped about 30 yards out……but no shot. He stood there for what seemed like 5 minutes [really just 30+ seconds] before he took a couple more steps and stopped again to look for the hen.

There was a small branch from a fallen limb partially blocking his neck but not enough to prevent a good shot……BOOM. Flop, Flop, bird down.

The Tom was a Jake that weighted 14 lbs. and had a 4” beard, killed at 7:30 AM. My Tom was the 9 bird killed at Sherburne this season. Two of the kills were mature birds and 7 were Jakes.

I hope I never get tired of Turkey hunting.

I went this week also and didn't hear a thing

Nice bird and great story

alot of hunters checking in and out of Ft Polk. 4 birds killed here that are counted for as of this morning per Game Warden. I've been on a group since opening day, but other there are "potlickers" in the woods that follow you to your "spot" and follow u in and try to take "your" birds from you.... makes no sense as there an estimated 400,000 birds (fish and game biologist told me this #) on Ft. Polk. Average, 1-300 people hunt here weekly total.

Maybe 4 thousand and that would still be a big stretch for Fort Polk. There must be some confusion on what he said?:confused:
Not sure the acreage of Ft Polk but if its 100,000 acres that would mean four birds per acre:eek: There wouldn't be a grasshopper on the entire base:spineyes:


The whole state of Louisiana is estimated to have 80 thousand turkeys

http://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/hunting/program/turkey

apparently he isnt that much of a reliable source then. He said four hundred thousand...... hmmmm makes me wonder as i've head only a few flocks.

Yeah, no way that number is accurate. Even in prime Turkey habitat, you wont have 4 turkeys to an acre. I don't care who you are, cause I know some people that will argue it is possible. My parents live on an acre, and I can tell you, there ain't no way 4 turkeys could live on an acre unless it was Turkey heaven. In a perfect world, I think a couple hundred acres would suffice.

I would bet 4000 is even a bit of a stretch.

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like i said.... i didnt believe it, just relaying his information... maybe 4,000 between Kisatche and Ft. Polk ??

That would make sense to me. Still seems like it may be a little high, but that is very good Turkey range and produces top 5 harvests just about every year. Vernon parish period is one of the best Turkey ranges in the state. Lot of good timber management goes on there.

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Nice kill ray!! I went and checked out a new spot today I've never been too. Heard one gobble way off one time. And then went riding around checking out the woods. Saw one hen a couple deer and found some beautiful woods. Anxious to get back and have a hunt instead of a scout!

I mean Gerald lol

There is nothing like Turkey hunting!