4-16-2011

4-16-2011 Sat
6:00AM- 7:00AM and 5:00PM - 7:00PM

Weather: (AM) NW 14, light snow, 33 degrees//(PM) W 18 G 26, overcast, 39 degrees


Location: (AM) La Crosse Experimental Forest (turkey hunting)//(PM) Bice Forest

Caught: Tom turkey 20lb 7oz, 9 inch beard

Partners: None

Comments

I worked today, but I did get out for an hour before work. The morning was awful, it was windy and snowy. When I left the woods at 7:00 AM alot of the ground was covered with snow. I never did hear or see a turkey. I have hunted in the snow before and I find that the snow causes the birds to become silent and pretty much inactive.
The afternoon after work I started out at Hoeth Forest. I did not see or hear any turkeys, but there was some tracks in the snow, at least something was around. I gave this area about an hour and then I decided to check out another area that Tom had suggested.
I got to Bice forest around six o'clock. After about an hour of walking and looking for tracks in the snow and not seeing or hearing anything I decided I would not be back in the morning. I had one last idea for the area. I headed towards the back of the property and a very large agricultural field.
As soon as I came out in the open I spotted a turkey about one hundred yards out and moving towards the woods. I had no idea if it was a tom or a hen, but I was going to make a play on it. I put my face mask on, laid behind a tree and began to yelp. After several minutes and no vocal response from the bird, I was quickly losing hope. I decided to give it a few more minutes before I would get up and see where the bird had gone. I was getting impatient because the light was quickly disappearing.
After just a couple more series of calls I see this bird running along the woods edge and making its way towards me. I scrambled to get the gun up and ready. I managed to get the scope on it and all I could see was a black chested bird on a full out trot coming straight at me. I was able to confirm it was a tom and when it stopped twenty yards out I put him down. I did not realize it till after I shot, but the bird had another tom following right behind him.
This was one of the latest birds I had shot and by the time I made the two mile hike back to the truck it was dark!