Baldkrash said:
Just watch SCH's calendar section.....I post all turkey related stuff there.....You can also go to the NWTF website here in San Diego......sandiegoturkey.com
Sutherland
- Thread starter Cgruwell05
- Start date
Just watch SCH's calendar section.....I post all turkey related stuff there.....You can also go to the NWTF website here in San Diego......sandiegoturkey.com
Hunted the Bloomdale section today at Sutherland. What an amazing hunt this is, I didn't have a partner so I did it solo. This was also my first real turkey hunt. (besides drinking beer in the woods 'hunting' in south Georgia a few years ago)
I picked Bloomdale thinking that the turkey would have less pressure since it is a little tougher to get to because you need the boat and figured people would pick easier spots. It's basically two valleys, scattered with nice oak forest sections and some dry creek beds. I took the advise of the huntmaster and picked a nice clearing surrounded by two thickets of oak. I got there pre dawn and setup behind some brush where I had good visibility all around. I didn't have any decoys (mistake) so I figured once I heard something hopefully the tom would just rush in and I could try and get a good shot out. Well, I didn't hear anything except for when I first got there, a gobble from pretty far off and it could have been across the lake it was so far. Three nice sized deer came through the clearing early and there was a lot of life. Squirrels, what looked like meerkats, crows and a few weasels.
After a few hours I decided to do some walking and look for traces of birds and just move slow and hopefully come along on some. I started on a road that went around to a northern valley and some sparse oaks. Didn't hear or see anything so turned around and went the other way down a creek bed in to some thicker oak close to where I first setup. I got to a spot with a few large trees and something just felt right, I put down my pack, set against a tree and waited. No longer than 2 minutes later I see a head pop up (cluck cluck), then another. I froze and just remembered to look for the beard. At this point I had pulled my face mask off and didn't do much to conceal myself so that may have been a factor or maybe they heard my heart beating out of my chest because once they got within 30 yards, they turned and made a b-line out of there. Neither had beards, both were in easy range to take a shot. I waited about 12 minutes and gave a few calls, 12 more minutes more calls. Nothing. I figured it worked the first time, so might as well head up the hill and move slow slow slow. As you might guess, I didn't see or hear anything. I spent the last 2 hours walking the area looking for traces and maybe have some input for other hunters or even next year. Beautiful country, lots of life. I spotted 3 more deer.
Finally when I decided to pack it in and head back, I heard a gobble. Sounded like the same one and same distance as the first one I heard early when I first arrived. I tried getting closer but realized it was probably just way too far. Back at dock I asked if anyone had brought in any and he said no, I asked if he had heard the same gobbler and he said he had heard him but was probably on the hill behind the docks away from hunting area. Oh well.
Overall, It was a great first turkey hunt for me. Looking back I wish I had some decoys and had practiced my mouth call a little more. Also a little more patience would have let the two that I saw come into the clearing more away from me so I could have possibly called one in. Next year...
I picked Bloomdale thinking that the turkey would have less pressure since it is a little tougher to get to because you need the boat and figured people would pick easier spots. It's basically two valleys, scattered with nice oak forest sections and some dry creek beds. I took the advise of the huntmaster and picked a nice clearing surrounded by two thickets of oak. I got there pre dawn and setup behind some brush where I had good visibility all around. I didn't have any decoys (mistake) so I figured once I heard something hopefully the tom would just rush in and I could try and get a good shot out. Well, I didn't hear anything except for when I first got there, a gobble from pretty far off and it could have been across the lake it was so far. Three nice sized deer came through the clearing early and there was a lot of life. Squirrels, what looked like meerkats, crows and a few weasels.
After a few hours I decided to do some walking and look for traces of birds and just move slow and hopefully come along on some. I started on a road that went around to a northern valley and some sparse oaks. Didn't hear or see anything so turned around and went the other way down a creek bed in to some thicker oak close to where I first setup. I got to a spot with a few large trees and something just felt right, I put down my pack, set against a tree and waited. No longer than 2 minutes later I see a head pop up (cluck cluck), then another. I froze and just remembered to look for the beard. At this point I had pulled my face mask off and didn't do much to conceal myself so that may have been a factor or maybe they heard my heart beating out of my chest because once they got within 30 yards, they turned and made a b-line out of there. Neither had beards, both were in easy range to take a shot. I waited about 12 minutes and gave a few calls, 12 more minutes more calls. Nothing. I figured it worked the first time, so might as well head up the hill and move slow slow slow. As you might guess, I didn't see or hear anything. I spent the last 2 hours walking the area looking for traces and maybe have some input for other hunters or even next year. Beautiful country, lots of life. I spotted 3 more deer.
Finally when I decided to pack it in and head back, I heard a gobble. Sounded like the same one and same distance as the first one I heard early when I first arrived. I tried getting closer but realized it was probably just way too far. Back at dock I asked if anyone had brought in any and he said no, I asked if he had heard the same gobbler and he said he had heard him but was probably on the hill behind the docks away from hunting area. Oh well.
Overall, It was a great first turkey hunt for me. Looking back I wish I had some decoys and had practiced my mouth call a little more. Also a little more patience would have let the two that I saw come into the clearing more away from me so I could have possibly called one in. Next year...
