I had actually started hunting turkeys the year before with my old buddy Cal...Had a jake in front of me at about 20 yds...Just couldn't see his beard and eventually he ran away...It was the only turkey I had an opportunity at the rest of the year.
By the time 1996 rolled around, I was hooked on turkeys...Hunting nothing but public and not many turkeys yet, it was tough...One day, I saw an old baseball buddy that had property up in Mesa Grande...He told me that turkeys had moved into his area...So one afternoon, I headed for his place...Armed with my Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag, a single Lohman box call, and a Lohman crow call.
Walked around for awhile, then got down on the lower part of the property and I let out a crow call...Was that a gobble?...Tried it again, but nothin'...Walked a little ways and hit the box...Hmmmm...That sure sounded like a gobble...Hit it again, and this time, it was no doubt a gobble...Now, I'm getting nervous...What do I do, where do I go, sit down, call again, get closer?...Before I knew, a thunderous gobble lights me up...Dang...I just get behind the biggest oak that's close...I peek around the tree, and there they are at 30 yds, staring right at me...One longbeard and one jake...Now what?...Well, I decide to move around the tree for a better angle...In the process, I hear every turkey hunters worse sound...A loud PUTT!...Even early on, I knew want that meant...I look around the tree again, but this time, my Mossy is coming up with me...I don't see them, then there they are walking away looking back...I pick the closest bird and let loose...Federal 3 1/2" copper coated lead 4's...And we have a flopper!...It was the jake and I could've cared less...My heart was pumping like no other...
Little did I know, my passion for these birds would lead me to the hallows of Alabama, the big sky of Montana, land of Geronimo, mountains of Utah, Colorado, and to the plains of Kansas...Nowadays, it's mostly about watching others get that thrill...Bring on the youth hunts next week and our opener on the 27th...
1st turkey 1996 and few others over the years.
.
By the time 1996 rolled around, I was hooked on turkeys...Hunting nothing but public and not many turkeys yet, it was tough...One day, I saw an old baseball buddy that had property up in Mesa Grande...He told me that turkeys had moved into his area...So one afternoon, I headed for his place...Armed with my Mossberg 835 Ulti-Mag, a single Lohman box call, and a Lohman crow call.
Walked around for awhile, then got down on the lower part of the property and I let out a crow call...Was that a gobble?...Tried it again, but nothin'...Walked a little ways and hit the box...Hmmmm...That sure sounded like a gobble...Hit it again, and this time, it was no doubt a gobble...Now, I'm getting nervous...What do I do, where do I go, sit down, call again, get closer?...Before I knew, a thunderous gobble lights me up...Dang...I just get behind the biggest oak that's close...I peek around the tree, and there they are at 30 yds, staring right at me...One longbeard and one jake...Now what?...Well, I decide to move around the tree for a better angle...In the process, I hear every turkey hunters worse sound...A loud PUTT!...Even early on, I knew want that meant...I look around the tree again, but this time, my Mossy is coming up with me...I don't see them, then there they are walking away looking back...I pick the closest bird and let loose...Federal 3 1/2" copper coated lead 4's...And we have a flopper!...It was the jake and I could've cared less...My heart was pumping like no other...
Little did I know, my passion for these birds would lead me to the hallows of Alabama, the big sky of Montana, land of Geronimo, mountains of Utah, Colorado, and to the plains of Kansas...Nowadays, it's mostly about watching others get that thrill...Bring on the youth hunts next week and our opener on the 27th...
1st turkey 1996 and few others over the years.
.
