Home Forums Birds & Dogs Turkey Hunting Perhaps I've failed

Our on Folically Challenged visited us at Turkey Camp earlier in the week. In three mornings, I was able to get him on two birds. One went the other way, following unseen hens. The other, we had to travel over a half-mile, and got into position. I made my call and the bird poked his head up in the tall grass once and disappeared. We could not even call it a bust.


As you can see from this picture in the blind on the last morning, I'm not sure he had yet grasped the utter futility of hunting gobblers in the spring. He looks way too happy.

More thoughts on FC's soul-suck here:
Humiliated by Turkeys

I've been back at the house, regrouping my poop for another assault on the birds starting Saturday morning with my sons.

best of luck to you

Been out twice myself. Yesterday I discovered the birds I thought were my little secret were also being hunted by a young man in my absence, and he beat me to the good spot yesterday. He’s had no luck, so I’m going back and positioning myself down the line from where he’s been trying to kill them. He overtook me on the trail, an easy task considering my current traveling speed, so I yielded the spot without question.

Have yet to hear a shot, but have heard a lot of gobbling, though it was cold yesterday, so they gobbled less, and shut up early. Running and gunning is out for me, so I just have to pick a spot and hope.

Yesterday I did harvest a lot of bird calls with my phone and the Merlin app, including a new one and a red-headed woodpecker, somewhat rare hereabouts.

As difficult as connecting can be, it's a wonder a LOT more jake's don't pay the price for a hunter's frustration! LOL!

I'm back from round #2 with FC and the birds. I can report that FC is properly humiliated, at least enough to get him back next year. We had 2 great days out. Weather was warm. The gobs treated us with utter disdain.

Yeah-- but FC shot a whopper of a buck with you.

For sure.

FC doesn’t feel slighted one bit for the experience. The birds were wild, and we gave it the ol’ college try.

There are worse things than watching a sunrise in the forest, with a belly full o’ coffee, warm weather & good companionship.

FC

He is modest.

A lesser man would have taken this as either a meaningless exercise or a failure of the guide. Gentlemen, I think we have a turkey hunter here. Next season, he'll be ready to go without the training wheels.

He did get a decent exposure to birds in the pre-season. They put on a floor show for him about a month before The Opener, and I got it documented in one of my podcasts.

As to the buck, it easily made #2 on the camp record book. I'd hunted the stand the day before and was surprised there was so little action. All the signs pointed to much better. The Forest smiled and coughed up a good one for him. That is certain.