Tough season?

Well, another spring turkey season has come and gone. We had an article in our local paper stating how this 2010 season was going to be the best due to the high number of two year old birds in our state. I will say this, I don't have the first clue of the total number of turkeys that was harvested in Kentucky. I do know that it wasn't the best for me! The first week of hunting had me second guessing everything I did. I had more birds to hang up me, fly down from the roost and gooble away from me and my personal favorite "calling contests" between each other. I had a bird gobbling his head off the whole time while on the roost. After he flew down to the edge of the wood line he would not step out into the field for nothing. He stood there 5 yards inside the woods for 45 minutes gobbling and waiting for my decoys to come running to his side. He finally came out and walked across the open ridge straight into the woods. I finally got the turkey "gods" to shine on me. I harvested a turkey in the second week of the season. I got back on this open ridge with woods in each side so I sat in the wood line and hit a mouth call. Nothing! I grabed my box call and gave it a hit. BOOM! BOOM! Game on! He came in to my right in full strut. I had a limb that was between us so I had to wait for him to pass the limb and when he did he received major head trama from my 3 1/2" mag. I stepped off the shot which turned out to be 10 steps. It was a hunt that I live for. There is nothing any better than a mature tom coming in strutting, drumming and gobbling. Just putting on a show that you called in. The turkey weighed 23 pounds with a 10.5" Beard and 1 1/4" Spurs. A few a days after that turkey hunting became impossible. We were hit with cooler weather, thunder storms, 30+- mph winds and Flooding. In my neck of the woods we got 12 inches of rain in less than two day! Even though it was a tough season I am thankful that I did get to harvest a bird. I know several hunters ate 2 tags compared to my one. If you have any questions about the recipe that was used for my second tag feel free to email me your questions. Maybe we can share "Turkey Tag Receipes." I will say this. I saved my second tag until I got my camera issues in order. When I got my camera back in hand I hit the woods. I sat out for a couple of days just because I had no camera and I wanted to get a hunt on film. Well, lets gather up our fishing gear and start shooting our bows. Its the only thing left to do!

Is everybody in? The ceremony is about to begin!

Turkey season is now on us and the thunderchickens haven't looked better! Turkeys are in every field I see. Mainly strutting but I have seen a few walking about. I was worried that the 2010 season was going to be a slow one but the stage is set. I am hearing birds late in the afternoon at the roost. I can't wait until Saturday because if I can put one to bed I have increased my chances of giving a turkey a ride in my bed. I must remind myself of that beautiful morning while turkey hunting I was working my way toward the roosted bird. I had him gobbling to where I could almost pick him out at the precise tree. Instead he saw me first and flew off into that lovely morning. I should have known better but I got gready. So everytime I am setting up on a long beard I give the turkey its space. Trying to set up close can be sickening if seen and there is no quick getting over it. I try to learn from my mistakes so hopefully I will stay in check. I am pumped and I hope "everybody is in, the ceremony is about to begin" here in Southern Kentucky. Lets get it on!

Sowing Seeds

Here in Southern Kentucky most of the land that I hunt is very hilly. Everywhere is a hill and valley. So its hard to plant food plots for the wild life but I have found the solution to bring turkeys in and stay awhile. About 2 months before turkey season starts I am "Sowing Seeds" everywhere I hunt. The seeds that I throw out are wheat seeds. I go through the woods throwing hand fulls of seeds everywhere. Once the thunder chickens find the seeds it is show time. The forest floor will look as if someone dragged a rake across it. It is amazing what a flock of turkeys can do to the ground. I can't guarantee this will fill your tag but I can guarantee that it will increase your odds of harvesting a bird. Before one does this you need to check the laws and regulations for your state. It may be illegal to bait wildlife in some states but in Kentucky you can bait turkeys until one month before the season opens and all bait must be eaten. You can not hunt a freshly baited area that's why I start months in advance. Try this the next time you prepare for a hunt it can make things very interesting.