# first bird



## saugeyeslayer (Jul 6, 2004)

harvested my first turkey after 4 years of missing, and spooking birds. i was hunting a piece of land we own and the surrounding propertys in Hocking county. had birds gobbling all around me from about 615(one on roost) to 845 when i killed him. sat below a rock ledge along a gas line for the better part of the morning with my hen decoy out about 30 yards. i expected the birds to be coming from the northeast of me where they had been roosting in a pine grove. gave a few agressive loud yelps and had responses continually getting closer. watched where i thought they might come from (3 or so birds) and all the sudden i heard a gobble and a bunch of yelps right near me. i slowly turned around and saw a hen to my left. as far as i know SHE HAD A FREAKIN BEARD. unless it was a yelping jake(which i know they can do) it was being followed by two boss toms.scince im a left handed shooter, i couldnt get a shot. the birds wouldnt show themselves. then i had two toms just 65 yards away go putting across the hillside, which alarmed this "hen" and she/he led the gobblers up the hill. after they were gone, i picked up my stuff, and boogied down the gas line in the direction those birds had gone. i was trying to intercept them, above a huge cave they like to strut above. i got to a good spot and looked up and there was a gobbler lookin at me. he dissapeared. i hiked back to my morning spot, but this time ABOVE the rock ledge. put out my decoy and called...i began to hear approaching gobbles. finnaly after 15 or 20 mins i saw his white head strutting through the woods. in full strut during the whole time. he worked his was looking all around, anot able to spot my decoy. finnaly i couldnt get him any closer, as he was angling down the hill. so i sat up real high and all i could see was his head and neck. drew a bead and shot. he did a backflip and i got up and ran to make sure he was down. 50+ yard shot, 16-18 pound foothill tom 2yrs old. 1inch spurs, 10 inch beard. i tagged him with landowners, so i hope to get out and get another with my regular tag. good luck to all. i will post pics .


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## jiggin'fool (Dec 18, 2005)

great job on bagging your first one! sound like an exciting hectic day! I have had those days! next time when you use decoys.... take a hen and put it real low on the ground and take the jake and put it right above here like he is mounting her.... ooooooohh buddy does that piss em off! and that bird with a beard yelping could have been a jake! I called one in that I thought was a hen until I saw all the red in his head and the small 2 inch beard.... the yelps were real course too and he usually only did one or 2 at a time! but he did cluck as well so who knows! congratulations though!


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## oufisherman (Apr 10, 2004)

Congrats on the success!


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## saugeyeslayer (Jul 6, 2004)

yeah, thanks guys! that Jake/hen. was being followed...i have also heard toms yelp real raspy like, but this one was a sweet as any little lady. exactly like a push button call...i mean at first, i thought it was like my dad sneakin up or somthin...i turned around and there she/he was. it did have somewhat of a reddish head, but dull enought to resemble a hen. mabye those gobblers mistook him/her as a hen...when really, it was a jake. who knows. 

good luck to all.
Casey


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