Getting it done in Zone 7 during C week

[Bucksnbows]

After scoring on a nice tom on opening morning of A week myself, today I called for a buddy that just took up hunting last year that had yet to shoot his first game animal, and he really wanted a turkey.  We hunted together during B week on this property last spring to no avail, only hearing 2 distant gobbles from the roost and never seeing a bird all week.  Today was just the opposite.  We got ready a bit late as it was nearing time to fly off the roost.  We didn't hear gobbling on the roost this morning, but I knew we have birds around as we have sign everywhere.  So we set up in one of my clearcuts just into the woods and I set out a hen and jake decoy at 12 and 17 yards in a woods/logging trail.

 

I made a few calls on my trough call made by my buddy Jimmy Schaffer of Oak Ridge Custom Turkey Calls here in northwest NJ.  Almost immediately we had a hen come in on a rope and she clucked for at least 10 minutes, wandering around the clearing eating what she could.  I sat silently since she was doing ample talking and it was a quiet morning.  Our hen had other birds around her, but neither of us could see them although I think they were more hens.  She finally headed off and stopped clucking.  I waited about another 10 minutes and hit both the trough call and a really raspy aluminum call Jimmy made me that I have tons of confidence in.  I only hit each call briefly then shut up.  Two minutes later we heard a gobble down the hill maybe 150 yards off or more.  I told Bill to get ready and we sat silently for another couple of minutes until a second gobble thundered toward us at maybe 65 yards and closing and just over the hill from where we were set up, me against a log pile and Bill against a tree maybe 5 yards to my side and slightly in front of me.  

 

Sure enough, a minute later two mature toms came in and strutted their stuff in front of us, but at a range that was probably too far away.  I couldn't communicate with Bill then, so I was glad he held off shooting at that point.  A couple of minutes went by which seemed more like days (all I could hear was the "click", "click", "click" of my mechanical heart valve pounding away).  Finally both birds committed to the decoys and walked up to my jake and began to attack it when Bill shot at the big tom.  I quickly got a shot at the smaller bearded bird but missed the double.  But I didn't care one bit because I really wanted to get Bill excited about hunting, especially after he had a lousy spring last year hunting with me and another friend of his elsewhere.  Here are some pix of his bird from this morning:

 

Edited May 6, 2014 by Bucksnbows

[markbrit]

Way to go! Nice job lighting the fire

[BowTechExperience]

Congrats Bucks.... Nice bird

[Bucksnbows]

Thanks, guys.  

[Matty]

Really awesome!!! Congrats to both you guys!!! Sounds like a great hunt to get him hooked!!!

 

Making me wish I could be out there this week....Dang it. Haven't been out since A week. I'll be lucky if I get to do D week. So sad.  

Edited May 6, 2014 by Matty

[BowhunterNJ]

Sweet!!!  Trout guide, turkey guide, tree casting guide...man you do it all!

Congrats to your friend on knocking one down!  Very cool!

Great story and pictures too!

[TheGreek]

Congrats... Jimmy makes some nice calls

[Bucksnbows]

Sweet!!!  Trout guide, turkey guide, tree casting guide...man you do it all!

Congrats to your friend on knocking one down!  Very cool!

Great story and pictures too!

 

I still have no idea why you constantly refer to me, fly fishing and trees  

[BowhunterNJ]

:rofl:

 

 

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[redsquirrel]

Congrats! Great story!

[hunterbob1]

 

I called for a buddy that just took up hunting last year that had yet to shoot his first game animal, and he really wanted a turkey

Damn good stuff!!

[Hetley75]

Great job. Congrats.