LampLighter
04-19-2009, 09:21 AM
I went up 4 days in advance of the opener. I scouted several days and learned alot by observing with my new Leupold binoculars. I watched several gobblers strutting around hens, and learned where they frequented at different times. The last scouting morning, I actually got trapped by the one I killed two days later. I used a 4 wheeler trail to ride my mountain bike back there, and they never got off of it all day. He was gobbling his head off, strutting on the trail, and I had to jump in the bushes, and take the long way around through a beaver flooded area, and up an overgrown road through the woods just to avoid him. ( Scouting, you do not want to be seen- just learn and get out undetected).
Opening morning, I had him in the scope, but he was moving and presented a bad shot. But I learned about the hen. I watched him and another one the rest of that day. 2nd morning, I knew where to set up. There was an old non-maintained road that jetted off the 4 wheeler road. Right where he strutted. I got back on it the proper distance, and built a blind. At 8 am, I got curious and eased out to the edge of the 4 wheeler trail. He was 40 yards away strutting with his hen. :eek: I quietly got back in my blind. I called low one time. I wanted the hen to turn and come down my road. 20 minutes later, the hen appeared in my scope. She turned and came down my road ;) . He appeared and turned. She came all the way to my blind and I could have reached out and grabbed her. She never saw me. I was head-to-toe in Mossy Oak Obsession. Gun and all. She circled around me and saw my back pack. He had by then came on in. She sounded an alarm putt at the back pack. He stuck his head high to see what she was alarming at. Boom! ;)
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm148/manygobbles/turkey09015.jpg
Opening morning, I had him in the scope, but he was moving and presented a bad shot. But I learned about the hen. I watched him and another one the rest of that day. 2nd morning, I knew where to set up. There was an old non-maintained road that jetted off the 4 wheeler road. Right where he strutted. I got back on it the proper distance, and built a blind. At 8 am, I got curious and eased out to the edge of the 4 wheeler trail. He was 40 yards away strutting with his hen. :eek: I quietly got back in my blind. I called low one time. I wanted the hen to turn and come down my road. 20 minutes later, the hen appeared in my scope. She turned and came down my road ;) . He appeared and turned. She came all the way to my blind and I could have reached out and grabbed her. She never saw me. I was head-to-toe in Mossy Oak Obsession. Gun and all. She circled around me and saw my back pack. He had by then came on in. She sounded an alarm putt at the back pack. He stuck his head high to see what she was alarming at. Boom! ;)
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/mm148/manygobbles/turkey09015.jpg