# Eastern Kentucky Hunt



## oxmos (Apr 13, 2005)

After talking with some landowners and gaining access to another 400 acres on Friday down in Kentucky, my cousin made the trek from Arkansas over to hunt. He got in around 4am after a 12 hour drive and off we went. Up the ridge to the top where there were supposed to be 2 birds roosting in each of the hollers below. Set out the decoys and found a nice tree to sit by. We get set up and around 6:30 they start hammering. Only thing is, they're both in the same holler. After a few light yelps I hear clucking behind me. Here comes a hen pecking through. Came within 5' on my legs. After a few tense moments, she moved off I and I started talking to the big boys with a diaphram. They don't seem too interested so I switch to my slate. They must've fallen in love because all of the sudden they went from one ridge top to under 150 yards. Then my cuz whispers that he sees them and a second later I see not two, but three softball heads lock onto the decoys and start running as hard as they can. They get 5 yards from the dekes and all three blow up and start drumming. That's all I needed to see. Asked my cuz if he was ready as we'd already talked about which to shoot if we had a chance at a double. He said yes and we let loose. Two birds on the ground and it's only 7:00am. Mine was 20.5lbs, 10" beard and 1" spurs. Cuz's was 15lbs 7oz, 1" spurs and a 10" beard. Day one is done.

Day two brought us back to the same ridge, but 100 yards to the east. Figured there was at least one lonely bird that needed some lead in his diet. Thought dekes might scare him because of the day before, so they stayed in my vest. Round abouts 6:30 he starts again. After fly down and some sweet talking he slowly worked his way in. At 30 yards he got a face full. 16lbs, 11oz, .75" spurs, 10" beard, it's 7:30am. Now it's off to the 1200 acre farms to hunt. After giving the new landowner some turkey as a thank you for letting us hunt we were off for our last bird. Up to the ridge tops we go to a strutting zone we found last year. A couple yelps reveal a gobbler in the strut zone already. We work to within 200 yards of his last position and call. Nothing. Call again, nothing. We set up in case he's coming. After half an hour of nothing we slowly work towards the zone. We get there and set up thinking we may have spooked the bird when we hear a 4-wheeler within 1/4 mile of us. We thought maybe the quad had spooked it. We get set up and call every now and again for a couple hours with no response. Finally we decide to walk the ridge tops looking for a gobble. We get up and I've got one deke in my vest and have the other folded in my hands when I hear rustling behind us and my cuz tells me not to move. Here they come, 4 gobblers running full tilt down the hill at us. We're standing in the wide open, no face masks, no gloves and me with a deke in my hands. I hear the steps getting closer and closer and half expect a bird to peck me in the arse when I hear Terry click the safety off his 10 guage. He aims quickly at the bird who is now 10 yards away and misses! The bird takes flight, but it is too late. One more shot from 15 yards drops the big boy from the air. As he lay flopping the boss gobbler who was chasing him and the others stands looking at us 50 yards away. After they retreat we gather the unlucky bird. 22lbs, 1 1/8" spurs, 10" beard. It's now noon.
The three amigos








The unlucky track star


----------



## truck (Apr 12, 2004)

congrats looks like you had a great hunt  Can't wait till this weekend,will be my grandsons first time turkey hunting.Hope he gets one


----------



## CHOPIQ (Apr 6, 2004)

Congrats on the birds!


----------



## HCF (Apr 7, 2005)

congrats nice birds, can't wait fer opener in ohio


----------



## jiggin'fool (Dec 18, 2005)

sounds like I need to go to kentucky!!!!!! great job!!!! how much are licenses there! probably too much for my poor but to buy!!! oh well!


----------



## oxmos (Apr 13, 2005)

NR Lic was $115
Turkey Tag was $50 for 2 birds.


----------



## jiggin'fool (Dec 18, 2005)

wow that is pretty cheap..... we pay that for two turkey tags as residents in ohio... we are getting jipped!


----------



## Guest (Apr 20, 2006)

I dont mind paying the money as long as they put it back into wildlife.


----------



## jiggin'fool (Dec 18, 2005)

yeah I hear ya! I don't mind paying at all to do something that I love!


----------



## Pipeliner (Apr 5, 2004)

Hey Guys,

Nice Job on the Turkeys!!!! It's aways great to here about the hunt. I always hated to here "Don't Move"........ and you are in the middle of setting up,,,,, Great Pics, It brings back Old Times,,,,, Thanks for sharing!!!!!!
Stan


----------



## River Dweller20 (May 24, 2005)

Good job and a great story. I was thinking about giving it a try this year myself.


----------

