Actually, the fishing was a fun add-on. This first was a wild stream largemouth. Pretty good size for this little creek and a lot of fun on ultralight gear.
This one was in a little pond that was stocked with Floriday strain fingerlings last spring. Pretty nice for a 1 year old minnow.
Oh yeah, the turkey hunt. I am an extreme novice when it comes to turkey hunting, but I watch TV shows and I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express, so I figured what the hell. It can't be that hard. First off, we know there are turkeys on this property because we see them all the time during deer hunting and all the rest of the year too. In fact, you can't throw a dead cat without hitting one of those pesky things. The first morning I set up off one corner of woods that stick out into a large hay field and had a couple decoys out in front. At sunrise, a lone gobbler entered the field from my left and across the field from where I expected him to come. After about 30 minutes, I notice movement off to my left. It was the gobbler with a couple hens right at the edge of the woods, but around the corner from me. It was also very foggy. I couldn't get the gobbler to come around the corner toward my decoys, but kept talking back to my calling. My ADHD kicked in, and I decided to try to make something happen. There was a ditch in the woods behind me, so I eased down the ditch and slipped over to where I could climb up the hill even with where the turkey was. I could see him out in the field just out of range. He kept strutting and gobbling to me until he finally drifted too far out in the field. I had an idea where he might exit the field, so I dropped back down into the ditch and hustled all the way around the field and carefully slipped up to the edge again. Sure enough, he was right in front of me about 120 yds out. I started calling again and he started strutting and dancing for me again. This went on for about 30 minutes and I was able to get him to about 60 yds, but no closer. He finally got tired of talking to me and headed out of the field and onto the neighbors property. No turkey, but well worth the price of admission just for the opportunity to talk to a turkey and have him react.
The next day was a total bust. Only one turkey responded, and he was across the creek and was in no mood to cross to my side. I think I'll watch more TV shows and maybe I'll be an expert by next season.
This one was in a little pond that was stocked with Floriday strain fingerlings last spring. Pretty nice for a 1 year old minnow.
Oh yeah, the turkey hunt. I am an extreme novice when it comes to turkey hunting, but I watch TV shows and I stayed at a Holiday Inn Express, so I figured what the hell. It can't be that hard. First off, we know there are turkeys on this property because we see them all the time during deer hunting and all the rest of the year too. In fact, you can't throw a dead cat without hitting one of those pesky things. The first morning I set up off one corner of woods that stick out into a large hay field and had a couple decoys out in front. At sunrise, a lone gobbler entered the field from my left and across the field from where I expected him to come. After about 30 minutes, I notice movement off to my left. It was the gobbler with a couple hens right at the edge of the woods, but around the corner from me. It was also very foggy. I couldn't get the gobbler to come around the corner toward my decoys, but kept talking back to my calling. My ADHD kicked in, and I decided to try to make something happen. There was a ditch in the woods behind me, so I eased down the ditch and slipped over to where I could climb up the hill even with where the turkey was. I could see him out in the field just out of range. He kept strutting and gobbling to me until he finally drifted too far out in the field. I had an idea where he might exit the field, so I dropped back down into the ditch and hustled all the way around the field and carefully slipped up to the edge again. Sure enough, he was right in front of me about 120 yds out. I started calling again and he started strutting and dancing for me again. This went on for about 30 minutes and I was able to get him to about 60 yds, but no closer. He finally got tired of talking to me and headed out of the field and onto the neighbors property. No turkey, but well worth the price of admission just for the opportunity to talk to a turkey and have him react.
The next day was a total bust. Only one turkey responded, and he was across the creek and was in no mood to cross to my side. I think I'll watch more TV shows and maybe I'll be an expert by next season.
FISH FISH!!