Pheroze
AH ambassador
Turkey season opened here on April 25 and I was supposed to go with my youngest boy. That didn’t work out but I was able to get to the field today.
I have permission to hunt on a friend’s property about an hour or so from where I live. This plot is a small 50 acre family farm that was abandoned in the 1920s or 30's. The family moved to the city and the property was passed down eventually to my friend and his brother. The land has been allowed to grow wild and it is made up of dense forest, bounded by a farm field on the north and the west side. On the east is a strip of crown land and it is bounded by the road on the south. The remnants of the old laneway that went up to the farmhouse can still be seen and forms a central passage up the middle of the property, extending about halfway. All the structures are long gone, with only a large divot disclosing where the house stood.
Last week I got out and put up two blinds thinking that my son and I would hunt from these. However, when I got there today I was running a bit late and I could hear the Toms were already out of the roost. I stopped the truck at the end of the old driveway and crept in as quietly as I could intending to make my way towards the closest of the two blinds. About midway up the old path I stopped when I heard a Tom off to my right and I cut in towards him. I approached as close as I dared to before I sat up against a very large tree. With my hands and face covered I waited for a moment in silence before using a box call. Immediately the Tom I was targeting responded as well as another one that seemed to be very close from where I cut in. The one on my left surprised me as he seemed to be so close to where I was walking previously. The targeted one was on my right at about 2 o’clock but was farther away. Over the next 30 to 40 minutes I called a few times, each time receiving a chorus in return from both Tom’s. It was a really amazing experience. Interestingly, the one on my left started to let out a warning cluck but he didn’t move much from where he was positioned. In fact neither Tom seemed too interested in getting closer.
After a little while of this game the Tom that was at about 2 o’clock became impatient, or it was a third Tom that I didn’t hear before. A sudden flap of wings alerted me to his movements and I heard it come down and land at about 3 o'clock. It strutted fairly directly towards me, weaving around trees and whatnot, getting to about 15 yards. I didn’t move a muscle until it wandered behind a tree and that allowed me to bring up my shotgun. When he came out the other side I was able to put him down.
All in all, it was one of the most enjoyable turkey hunts I have done. A bonus that I got home quite early. I really enjoy hunting turkeys because they give me the opportunity to spot and stalk, but they are small enough to make it easy to field dress and get into the freezer. I like to slow cook the legs and make a spicy taco. The last couple of birds I have smoked the breasts but I’m going to look for other ideas this time around. I will probably still smoke one of these very large breasts but try a new recipe with the other. This Tom was quite a fatty!
I have permission to hunt on a friend’s property about an hour or so from where I live. This plot is a small 50 acre family farm that was abandoned in the 1920s or 30's. The family moved to the city and the property was passed down eventually to my friend and his brother. The land has been allowed to grow wild and it is made up of dense forest, bounded by a farm field on the north and the west side. On the east is a strip of crown land and it is bounded by the road on the south. The remnants of the old laneway that went up to the farmhouse can still be seen and forms a central passage up the middle of the property, extending about halfway. All the structures are long gone, with only a large divot disclosing where the house stood.
Last week I got out and put up two blinds thinking that my son and I would hunt from these. However, when I got there today I was running a bit late and I could hear the Toms were already out of the roost. I stopped the truck at the end of the old driveway and crept in as quietly as I could intending to make my way towards the closest of the two blinds. About midway up the old path I stopped when I heard a Tom off to my right and I cut in towards him. I approached as close as I dared to before I sat up against a very large tree. With my hands and face covered I waited for a moment in silence before using a box call. Immediately the Tom I was targeting responded as well as another one that seemed to be very close from where I cut in. The one on my left surprised me as he seemed to be so close to where I was walking previously. The targeted one was on my right at about 2 o’clock but was farther away. Over the next 30 to 40 minutes I called a few times, each time receiving a chorus in return from both Tom’s. It was a really amazing experience. Interestingly, the one on my left started to let out a warning cluck but he didn’t move much from where he was positioned. In fact neither Tom seemed too interested in getting closer.
After a little while of this game the Tom that was at about 2 o’clock became impatient, or it was a third Tom that I didn’t hear before. A sudden flap of wings alerted me to his movements and I heard it come down and land at about 3 o'clock. It strutted fairly directly towards me, weaving around trees and whatnot, getting to about 15 yards. I didn’t move a muscle until it wandered behind a tree and that allowed me to bring up my shotgun. When he came out the other side I was able to put him down.
All in all, it was one of the most enjoyable turkey hunts I have done. A bonus that I got home quite early. I really enjoy hunting turkeys because they give me the opportunity to spot and stalk, but they are small enough to make it easy to field dress and get into the freezer. I like to slow cook the legs and make a spicy taco. The last couple of birds I have smoked the breasts but I’m going to look for other ideas this time around. I will probably still smoke one of these very large breasts but try a new recipe with the other. This Tom was quite a fatty!
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