Two In One!

[Ashley]

Well, this turkey season was successful. My dad and I packed up on Friday morning and got ready to go, (and left a little late), but hey, I had to talk to Shaun before I left! =) It looked like a really nice day.

After about four hours of taking turns driving, we arrived at the cabin that our friends let us stay at. It was about eighty degrees! (Because of the heat, all the toms were henned up already, which made it hard to find any that will respond to the calls.) It was too late to hunt, but we set up my blind for the next morning and talked with the farmer whose land we would be hunting on. We took a little drive to see if the turkeys were moving, and turned in about 9:00 PM.

I was all nice and warm under the covers with my relaxing music CD in my CD player and then I was poked in the shoulder and I heard, "Ashley ... Ash, we have to get moving." Haha. Well, I moved ... over on my other side. Then, the lights and the TV were turned on, so, I really had no choice.

We had a little breakfasts of Poptarts, loaded up our vests, and went out. My dad went out to the farmers land we were allowed to hunt on, and I went out to my blind, and after about a half hour, I fell asleep.

Pretty soon, I got a radio call from my dad that woke me up. I didn't hear what he said at first. All I made out was, "..... jake." I radioed back and asked him to repeat what he said, and he said he got a 20 pound jake and would be up to the cabin in a few minutes.

We hung that up on the porch, and we decided to go back out hunting on the backside of the farmers property. We set up, and within about ten minutes, we heard a tom gobbling on a ridge adjacent to where we were. He started to head away over the hill, so we sat patiently. Meanwhile, the farmer was spreading a load of fresh manure, (right upwind of us ... ewe), and we heard the tom coming up the other side of the hill. So, we decided ... it was time to run and gun!

The hill gradually comes to a plateau, so we decided to go as far as we could without being noticed, and got set up. My dad started calling with a diaphragm, and everytime, the tom would answer, getting closer and closer.

Soon, a jake came over the hill, followed by the tom and a hen. The tom was coming down the trail we were set up on and didn't even see us! He was within ten yards from us, and we didn't think he was going to stop!! Finally, he did, and when he stretched out his neck, I wasted no time. =) He was about a good 24 pound bird with a 9 inch beard, and 1.25 inch spurrs.

I went back to the blind afterwards to get all the stuff I had brought out there that morning, like my blanket and my backpack with my books and magazines in it, and I looked at the blanket, and there were about five or six grass spiders ALL over it! The kind that jump!!!! And then I looked at the walls, and they were ALL OVER. I shook out the blanket and the spiders went flying. *lol*

We got all packed up, went to the local bar where they register turkies, and headed on home. It was nice to be done in just one day!

I hope everyone else had a great turkey season and good luck to those who haven't gotten out there yet! Happy Easter and Happy Hunting!! =)

- Lil' Blonde and Oneida Man

I forgot to spread the wings open on my turkey in the last picture so it looks really small. *lol* Oops.

[VermontHunter]

CONGRATS to you and Martin on a nice outing...

Sounds like you topped dad this year...

[turkeygirl]

Wow, way to go! Congrats to you two, what a hunt! You go girl!:-)

[snapper]

Congrats on two fine birds and pics!

[Gus]

Congrats to yall on the birds

[Squirrelhunter91]

Congrats on the birds!!!

One thing I noticed though, in Wisconsin, do you guys have two different sub-species of turkeys out there? Your dad's looks to be a Rio and yours looks to be an Eastern. I am judging by the tail fans.

[GobblerBuster618]

Congrats to both of you.. Nothing like hunting in an abercrombie shirt lol! Good work

[Colorado Bob]

Good job--nice birds. CB

[M00N]

Congratulations!

[IADEERDUDE]

congrats to you

[huntinguide]

nice

[dartonman]

Nice birds guys, great job on the run and gun.....have a great Easter............al

[Mathews XT Man]

Joe, all I can say is the jakes fan was not yet complete as a mature bird....since I never ate a fan all I know is he had one..LOL PLUS being a 20# jake...he wasnt gettin away!! 35 yards he dropped on the spot!
[quote...Sounds like you topped dad this year... qoute].....You know what?? I wouldnt have it any other way!!

[Chrud]

Congrats to you both!

[HuntnMa]

that is awesome, congrats to you both.......