I’m Back Baby!

[idn713]

So after a 11 year hiatus from turkey hunting (due to not having a private access to turkey) I decided to put my nose to the grindstone, cut the pity party, and get after some birds on public in NY.
 

Started scouting the first week of April and found some birds. I worked them a bit this week with a close encounter on two big Toms. Those birds gobbled up a storm with hens yelping everywhere. Ultimately that set was busted due to a hen at 5 yards who didn’t like the set and set out away from me putting and leading the Toms off. 

 

I went back to the same area this morning and sat for a good 2 hours occasionally yelping and scouting around without a single gobble or yelp. Discouraged I headed back to the truck and decided that at 8 AM, the morning ain’t over and I should check out another public spot across the road.

 

Well I get on to a logging trail that is in the timber and I get to a private field where it meets public. Let out a few yelps and POW, I got a tom hammerin about 200 out in the field. I play a few soft sequences with him and I got him coming on a rope, I lift my head to see him sprinting to the field headed to the public timber, right to me. I kneel behind my big pine tree and get the red dot up, he doesn’t even hesitate charging through the hedge from the field and skirts behind a mound 30 yards away from me. He pops the head and neck over the mound, and I say “you’re done”. Pulled the trigger on the 410, and I got my first Tom in a long time and my first ever public land bird! 

 

18lbs, .75 spurs, 7.75 beard. Not the biggest, but a mature bird and one hell of a memory!

 

 

[fisherman21]

Love it 

[GAMBLER]

Congrats!

[whaler1]

Awesome!

[sandwick50]

Same for me, used to be turkey fanatic but just got out of it. Love my spring panfishing. After a 12 year absence went out this year & had success on the 5th day, 2 days after eye surgery. Blurry vision but made a good shot. This 71 year old geezer was pretty excited.

[Outdoor Lover]

Nice job man! You mind helping a brother out & PM'ing me what public land that was??