Saturday AM Check-in

[GhostBear]

I'm waiting for Rusty, hawk hunter. lol

FINE!!! Be that way!! LOL

[Matty]

Lightning was really bad this morning but pretty much missed us to the South. Anyone out in that is nuts!

 

I got to the parking area at about 4am and sat in the rain watching the lightning strikes in the distance all across the night sky. Was very cool to watch it from the mountain top because I could see the entire line of the storm. Tons of lightning strikes!

 

When Joe and his son arrived we started towards where I heard the gobble last night.

 

As it approached a little after 5, I broke out the barred owl call and gave him everything including chuckles. Never made a peep. That's when a loud jake brake rumbled on the highway in the near distance. GOBBLE!!!! Bastard bird.

 

Turns out I was hooting down the wrong draw. He was in an area where I've never roosted birds in 15+ years of hunting at this wma.

 

Quickly figured out best route to get above him and we did.

 

As we were approaching it was already getting pretty light out so I switched to the crow. He gobbled back. Kept tabs on him occasionally with the crow call until we could get the blind setup and Joe and his son settled inside.

 

I sat outside and back behind the blind to try and help draw him through.

 

We couldn't get too close because a 5 year old is not the quietest hunter yet (but he's learning). 

 

Started talking to him and had him pretty fired up. Gobbling on his own enough to be confident he'd peak up over the crest. I could hear him coming, coming, coming...then suddenly he decided to go dead silent when he was pretty close. I don't know what happened. Never heard hens. Gave it until about 7ish but never heard him again. As I was sitting there pondering a game plan...I heard faint gobbles way out near the powerlines. Decided to make a move. 

 

Not sure if it was the same bird, but we finally slipped to within about 150 yards (as close as a 5 year old can get)....Setup again and I started calling.

 

Same deal. Coming, coming, coming.....leaving, coming, leaving, coming....trying to make me follow. Not being able to slip around him the direction he wanted to go....I finally went quiet, so did he. Waited him out until 9am and then we had to leave so Hunter could go to baseball.

 

Spent the rest of the day watching my nephew since my niece had to go to the hospital. Just got home....I'm whooped....a 2 year old can really tire you out. lol

 

Good news is, Hunter is really good on his box call, so he'll be doing the calling next weekend since my hen sounds aren't cutting it.

 

No one scored today?

[Rusty]

Will that turn into this?

 

Sorry, I was outside talking to my woodpile.   That's a spotted salamander Nomad.   

[Buck154]

I just learned something new. In all my years of hunting I have never seen one before. They are pretty cool looking.

Tons of them up north. I think the last time I turkey hunted up north in the mountain area I bet I saw 100. Like Rusty said they are all over this time of year