Being relatively new to turkey hunting I went up to my camp in Lycoming County Pa to give it a try. Last Friday was warm and had ground fog. Visibility was about 75 yards at times.
I walked out the door at about 0645 hr. Looked around and gave a call 5 yards off the porch. They were on fire ! One was gobbling approx 70 yards behnd the camp with another to my left at about 100 or better. Being so close, I sat down under a hemlock. I gave a soft call and had the close one walking left and right now about 50 yards. The brush was thick from where this bird was sounding. The other turkey to my left was coming too. This went on for about 5 minute and I was watching for the light blue head to emerge from the brush. The one to my left let out a gobble and I looked catching two shaddows pop up to my extreme left at 50 yards, not a peep out of them. I could see both of these birds were gobbles. The gobbler stopped on a old logging path and stuck his head up looking around and the 1187 turkey choked 3" rang out. He went down and did the flutter then wobbled away. The other one hit high gear and was gone. I walked up and started looking for him, nutt'n. My buddy came down and we looked for 20 minutes, nutt'in. The old guys (75+) arrived about 20 minutes later. They said go back up and look again that turkeys sometimes will dig themselves up under logs or or fallen limbs. Determined and fuel with this new hope back out we went. Another 20 minutes and my buddy says, I don't *^)(** believe this. The turkey had done just that. He almost could not be seen other than a wing feather sticking out of the leaves. We pulled him out and found a gobbler with 10.5" beard and 1.5" spurs. I swear he had a "screw you" look the way his eyes appeared. All an All the bird had 4 in the neck, one hit to the side of his head, body shots and leg shots. He made it all of 12 yards before piled up.
Learn something new everyday, maybe you all know their little hide trick but though it was interesting.
Tacksmacker
