Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    Congratulations!  I'll be happy when (if) I get one with the shotgun.
    I'm leaving for NY on Thurs. to see if I can manage to get a shot.
    Where were you hunting?  Any tips for a novice?  I've been driving my
    wife nuts practicing with the calls.  I've got several diaphrams, a box
    call and a "push button" call.  I think that for the time being I'll
    use the box call 90% ot the time.  We have an area that has a good 
    population of birds.  As far as we can tell no one else hunts it as
    it is all private land. (We have sole permission, 900 acres).  This is
    the same area we deer hunt.  So how but some clues for a novice.
    
    Jeff

    
    
    Jeff,
    
    Know how to call a Turkey ?
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Here, Turkey, Turkey, Turkey !!!!!
    
    
    Works everytime.(Ha,Ha,He,He)
    
    Rick

    Wear camo all over. Paint your face or wear a mask. DO NOT move more
    then absolutely necessary. If you can use the diaphram you are much
    better off because it keeps your hands free.
    One tip for the box..... glue velcro to the bottom of the box and sew
    the matching peice on you trousers on the front of the thigh this is
    what I do to keep at least ONE hand free.
    I guess up there you will be hunting the Miriam subspecies whereas I
    hunt the Rio Grande subspecies here but it should be about the same.
    
    I forgot the details in the archery notes file also. I was hunting my
    farm in George West Texas. I have about 1/2 mile of riverbottom on the
    Nuesces river. Farm is about half way between San Antonio and Corpus
    Christi, Texas.
    
    Hope you get lucky, but most of all I hope you enjoy!!!
    
    Harvey

    re .0 Turkey season is just starting up north, Today in fact
    if you live in Vermont, next Monday in Massachusetts.
    I'm heading to the Green Mountains on the 11th for a 4-day
    weekend (damn scheduling conflicts will *kill* this sport :-) )

    re. .02.... Here in Mass., in fact from the Missippi East, we hunt the
    eastern wild turkey. Merriam's are located mid-west to western states.
    
    Anyway, did anyone score yet? I got my bird Friday morning at about
    6:15 a.m. Was really great as I had 2 friends with me who had never
    hunted the birds before, and they were within 50 yrds., or so when
    I made the shot.
    
    I was somewhat pessimistic initially, as the bird replied with a gobble
    across a brook from us. Those of you who have done any of this know how
    finicky they can be about crossing streams at times.
    
    But, as luck would have it he crossed a man made log bridge to get to me, 
    which I didn't even know was there when I got his reply. 
    
    He never new what hit him as he stepped into an opening about 20yds. away 
    from me.
    
    To make the adventure totally complete, I hunted the next morning with
    another first timer(different person).......only to call in a nice tom 
    for him for his first bird! 
    
    This one was a classic as the terrain was a beautiful, rolling
    hardwood ridge. The bird came in fanned out and strutted nice for
    him....before he dispatched it cleanly with a neck shot.
    
    I had guarenteed these boys that they'd get to hear a wild bird gobble
    .....but didn't anticipate that they'd all get to hear, see, witness,
    and experience first hand the thrill of the successful hunt!
    
    Something that none of us will probably ever forget.
    
    Wish deer season was this week, I'm on a roll!!!
    
    Barry

      Well I'm glad to see some of you had some luck already.  I spent
    the past two weeks (vacation) trying to tag one of those gobblers.
    I spent the first two days of the Vermont season in Wells Vt. but
    was unable to score.  There were birds but would not come in.
     Thursday May 3rd. I was in New Hampshire with a friend and we had
    two gobblers gobbling there fool heads off that morning.  I moved
    to under 100 yds of one still in his roost and threw everything
    I had at him.  Fly down cackle, rattled a paper bag to imitate wing
    beats, yelps, clucks and some cutting.  Well, eventually he did
    come out of his roost and landed behind a spruce tree where I could
    not see him.  All I saw was a flash of black as he came out of the
    roost.  After a couple of minutes of being as still as I can,  out
    he came in full strut draging his wings, what a sight.  He apeared
    to be just out of range so I held my fire in hopes of calling him
    in a little closer.  One little cluck while he stood on the cart
    road I was set up next to and he came out of his strut and stared
    right at me.  I don't thing he could see me, but he could not see
    the hen he was looking for either.  He went back to displaying and
    headed down the road away from me never to be seen again.
     In days to follow, all gobbling ceased. I've missed only three
    mornings since the saeson opened the first of May and have not given
    up yet.  The gobbling activity is bound to pick up again, and I'll
    be ready.  I'll tell you one thing, if I get another bird down on
    the ground just out of range, he won't hear me (no clucks), he'll
    have to find me.  
     After that gobbler left the area, I paced off the distance, 43
    paces.  Had he been 5 paces closer, this could have been a success
    story.  It may happen yet.
    Congratulations to the successfull hunters and good luck to the
    rest of us. 
    
    Bruce

      Well, I finally managed to get a turkey!  Two friends and myself 
    left Thurseday night for New York.  We started Friday morning by
    hunting an area where I had seen several birds during the first week of
    the season.  Around six we heard one gobble.  After closing the
    distance we started to work him.  He was real hot and came in on the
    run.  The problem was that he managed tocome in behind us and we never 
    got a shot.  He finally left after about ten minutes.  The good part
    was that he never new we were there.  Didn't hear another bird the rest
    of the day. Saturday we decided to hunt the same ridge again. Around 
    6:30, we ambled over to where we had worked the bird the previous day.
    After listening for awhile, we gave a few yelps.  He roared back! 
    Obviously he was excited that the hen he thought he heard the day
    before was back.  He cam running in.  We cut on him once and
    purred/yelped once.  Then we shut up.  My buddy dumped him at about
    thirty yards.  He weighed in at 19lbs, has 10.25 inch beard!, and 1"
    spurs.  A definted "boss" gobbler.
     Yesterday was my turn.  We started out on the eastern side of a steep
    ridge.  Around 6:30 we heard one and moved in on him.  He was a little
    reluctant to come in at first but after working him for about 45
    minutes he was around 50yds out in medium cover.  Finally he decided
    enough was enough and closed the distance.  Turns out there were three
    other birds with him.  There were three toms and a hen!  Managed to
    dump the lead tom, He weighs 18lbs, with an 8" beard and 5/8ths spurs.
    It was a great trip.
    
    Jeff

    Yo Jeff,
    
    		Congrats on the successful Turkey hunt.
    
    	Red