Spring Turkey’s

Spent some quality time w/ my Mother over the weekend. We were back out Tuesday, guiding Mark and Steve from Stafford, Va.. The day was long ….. Turkeys were very tight lipped. Never heard a gobble. We made many sets - worked every call we owned. Changed up on our plans, and made an afternoon set. Put one jake decoy out along a field edge where we could see that the birds were “bugging” and dusting.  Had Mark up in the woods about 5 feet from the edge watching the decoy, and the fields edges leading up to the decoy. Put his pal; Steve on another set, using 3 decoys ( jake, hen, and a strutting Tom). Mark made his harvest 45 minutes into his afternoon hunt - nice Tom weighing 20 lbs, w/ 11 inch beard and 1-1/2 spurs. Two hours later, Steve made his harvest …. a young Tom w/ 4 inch beard. Great hunt!!!

Went back out this morning w/ my guest; Cody, from Virginia Beach. We set out a hen and a jake decoy along a field edge, next to a swamp. By 6:45am we had 3 hens and a jake that was too young to harvest (no beard). They worked that field around the decoy for awhile, then moved on to the woods. We moved, made 3 more sets … no luck. Made our way into some big oaks, with a good running creek. No decoys - hit the call once …. and we got a gobble!!! Worked this Tom for about 15 to 20 minutes … he wanted us. Got him in at 30 yards, 8 inch+/- beard. Gave Cody the go-ahead. Cody fired one shot. The whole load connected with a tree branch, and both him and the Tom got an education.  Great hunt …. good hunters, good weather, and sly Turkeys. Time to plant food plots for fall - take care.