May 10th, 2008
By Arthur

I am pretty proud of this one. This is only the second video I have ever put together for the site, and I had honestly forgot how much time and effort goes into making one of these things. Despite all the work though, I think it is way worth it considering we will be able to look back on this video for years to come.

The video covers a few different hunts, and while it has no kills on it (Jeff’s camera was dead when he shot his bird), it still captures a lot of the things that make hunting memorable; laughing, animal sightings, etc. It is a little long, but I hope all of you take the time to watch it. Enjoy!

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May 01st, 2008
By Arthur

I guess I’m a little uneducated when it comes to Turkey hunting. I will readily admit that I’m still learning how to hunt these wary birds, but what I was also not to well-informed about is the shear amount of gear that you have to take along in order to kill these X-ray vision gobblers.

Heading to my hunting spot of choice the other night, I realized this fact as I was loading up and heading out. I had a pop-up blind on my back, a side pack connected to my belt, a gun in my hand, and a turkey decoy occupying the other hand. Pop-up blind, turkey call, the Thermacell, binoculars, a different kind of call, a knife, shells, gun, decoy, another different kind of call. The list goes on and on to hunt these thunderchickens. How many different calls are there? The choices are endless.

I think deer hunting is much simpler. I know that a lot of you will disagree with that, but I don’t think I carry nearly the same amount of stuff into the woods when I’m hunting whitetails as opposed to the number of items I have in my possession for one turkey hunt. I started to realize why they make those neat little turkey vests and started to think that I need to invest in one for next year. I also think it helps my argument that they don’t make a “deer vest”! See what I mean?

I’m truly going to consider a turkey vest purchase next year. Maybe it can keep me from resembling the Micheline man when I head into the woods. Talk about bulk!!!:)

Popularity: 29% [?]

April 30th, 2008
By Arthur

Jeff and I had a friendly brotherly bet about who would shoot the first turkey for the family, and in true family spirit he wins.  Now I have to buy him lunch at some point, which if tradition holds true, he will hold onto until some point when I least suspect it, and then spring it on me that I have to buy the lunch he just ate.

He hunted pretty much the whole day today and ended up connecting with this thunderchicken at about 6:15 this evening.  He has 1 inch spurs, a 9 inch beard, and weighs right around 21 1/2 pounds.  We’re not real sure about the weight, because the only one he had available to him was a bathroom scale.  We question the accuracy of that weight, but it is the best we got at this point.

Jeff had saw this bird come through this particular area a couple of times, and made the decision to set up on him this evening.  Low and behold Mr. Tom came walking up over the hill almost right on schedule, and after a couple little yelps, and a return gobble from him,  Jeff ended his night at 52yds!  We knew the guns patterned really well at 40, so Jeff figured it was now or never and one shot put him on the ground.

The first bird for the family and one Jeff will never forget I’m sure.  We are on the board!

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April 24th, 2008
By Arthur

I think most of you, who read this blog regularly, know that I am fairly new to turkey hunting and have yet to kill my first bird. I have only been actively hunting these wary birds for the last couple of years, and even after two years I am still learning. The evidence of that was in full force last night.

After some thought, and not being able to hunt in the mornings at all this week, I figured I would setup on a travel route that I know the birds use to head back to their roost. I got in a little later then I wanted because of a variety of things, and because of that I decided not to use my pop-up blind. That was my first mistake.

I picked a good tree in the area, that has some good natural cover around it, and got settled in. I fired up the Thermacell and waited for what the evening had in store. I wasn’t expecting any birds until after 7, because after hunting here the previous couple of years, they hadn’t shown up until after then. I also had evidence on the trailcam a week ago that backed up my theory as well. My second mistake.

I’m sitting on the ground, admiring the surroundings, and really appreciating how well these little Thermacell devices work (no I’m not advertising or receiving any compensation-I’m just simply telling the truth) when I catch some movement off to my left. There, just inside the woodlot, is this single tom trying to make his way through the brush. I already had my gun up in the ready position, but I needed to bring up the stock of the gun just a touch in order to get comfortable for the shot. I moved that gun about 2 inches and this little bugger picked me off through the brush and everything at 30yds. I could not believe it. I was so suddle and careful and yet this wide-eyed little booger picked me off. No whitetail in history would have seen my movement, but turkeys my friends, are a different story.

The encounter only lasted about 30 seconds and he scurried his way back down the hill and out of sight. I was almost sick. To think after two years and all this work, and in one little movement, I blew my first real good chance. They are some sharp-eyed birds that is for sure.

So next time I’m taking the pop-up blind and setting up in the same spot. Hopefully the blind will help shelter my movements and Mr. tom will take the same route. They may be goofy looking, but they’re definitely not stupid or blind.

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