Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    The date should be on the application - you know, that card at the
    bottom of yoru license.

    
    
    
       Thanks anyway, but I havent bought a license yet for 1992..

    Well, then, better hurry. ;-)

    The application must be postmarked no later than March 25th.
    
    Barry

    Ahhhh! Just had 3 cross the road in front of me this morning while on
    my way in to work....and they stood on the roadside watching the
    traffic...With a quarter mile of road ahead of me, I was out of sight
    before they were !!!

    Can anyone tell me the dates of the long week.
    Sent in my application and went for the long week.
    I can't recall the exact dates though.
    Need to schedule a couple days off so I can get out there as 
    much as possible.
    I think it was May 11-20th
    
                                             Thanks, Scott. 
    
    

    
    The first period for the spring hunt is May 4-9.
    
    The second (and longer) period is May 11-23.
    
    You must select which period you wish to hunt for Spring season.
    
    All who recieve a spring permit for either period also get a fall
    permit for Nov 9-14. Fall season you can take either sex, and you
    can hunt all day, opposed to Spring which is gobblers only and no
    hunting after 11 am.
    
    BE CAREFUL
    
    
    

    Thanks for the info. When I sent in the application I checked
    off the 11-23.
    Can't wait to get out there!!!
    I didn't get one last year, which was my first Gobbler hunting year,
    but I plan on an early Turkey feast this year.
    
                                                     SCOTT.

    I've been going for 4 years now, and dont have one YET! I've seen a
    ton of'em though! 
    
    My first two years were mostly learning experiences. My buddy did get
    one his first time out! But that was cause we were hunting as a
    group(3), my brother was doing the calling and the damn thing woke my
    friend up so he could shoot it. The gobbler just decided to walk his
    way and let him know he was there. My friend hasn't seen one since. And
    we now hunt seperately (one of the lessons learned).
    
    As I said I have seen a lot of birds, 25 - 30 over the last 3 years.
    Most of them durring off shooting hours, figures! Beautiful birds. Man
    you should see them fly! I've never seen a bird take to flight so
    easily or quickly. He just opens up his wings, jumps, and he's gone!
    
    Can't Wait Either!
    Don

    
    Yeah, they are explosive on take-off aren't they?
    
    This will be my 4th year out. Haven't shot a gobbler yet but
    
    I did get a hen last fall. I've been seeing plenty of them in the
    
    woods too, both in and out of season. My best sighting (other than
    
    the one I got) was 2 years ago in the fall. Me and a buddy had hunted
    
    the fall season in one of our favorite area's all week and came
    
    up with nothing as the week ended. The following week was deer season
    
    and I was out on opening day in the same area I had been the week
    
    before for turkeys. As I broke off the dirt road and headed up the
    
    trail towards the top of the ridge, I saw one bird croos the trail
    
    about 40 yards ahead af me. I followed him to the top of the hill
    
    and I stopped just short of the top. I could hear him just over
    
    the knoll at the top and I knelt down imitating his leaf scraching
    
    so as not to alarm him. It seemed to work as I could still hear
    
    after 5 minutes or so. Finally I stood up and slowly walked around
    
    the hump at the top of the hill. I almost shit. I was in the middle
    
    of a flock of an easy 40 birds, 20 yards around me in all directions.
    
    Some ran, most flew. They were taking off in groups of 3 or 4 in
    
    different directions. Some landed immediately in the trees, then
    
    took off again, some  took off and never looked back. It seemed
    
    like 5 minutes went by before they were all gone. I stood there
    
    completely awed. Just as I thought it ended The Monster of gobblers
    
    took off last. He was so huge I didn't think he'd get airborne but
    
    he surely did, taking down some good size branches on his way up.
    
    That's the irony of hunting. One week no birds, following week bird
    
    density greater than freezer at stop-n-shop a week before Thanksgiving.
    
    I didn't shoot but definately on of my better hunting memories.
    
    Good luck this May. Don't shoot ME........
    
                                               Capp
    
    

      Anyone else been out scouting yet?  Went out yesterday to look
    around.  The very first place we checked we first tried with the box
    call and nothing happened.  Then I tried a mouth call.  Had one answer
    and then two others chimed in!  We left them alone and went to another 
    spot where we got another bird to sound off.  We ended up hearing 7
    different gobblers and seeing one hen from about 10:00 till 3:00.  Hope 
    this continues.
    
    Jeff

                     < Received mine >
      
     I just received mine 4-21 mail for the week of 5-4 to 5-9, Is
       there a note on how to hunt them, Is the mouth call better
       then the box caller,.. WIZzard

    RE: .12
    
    Many hunters use a combination. One is not necessarily better than
    another. We got a bird last year with one soft 'yup' from a box caller.
    He responded and came into a field. My suggestion is to attend a turkey
    hunting seminar prior to hunting. They discuss safety and they
    demonstrate various calls. Good luck

    Got my Mass. permit yesterday, 4/21, also.
    
    You might want to check out an issue of 'Turkey and Turkey Hunting'
    magazine. Or any of the excellent tapes of videos on the subject.

    Got my permit last week for 5/4-9/92 season....
    
    One problem....I was supposed to go with my brother-in-law on his land.
    Only thing is he never bought a license...Sooo I'm off by myslef!!!
    First time hunting ever!!! Should be an experience. Any pointers???
    
    A friend let me borrow his 20 Gauge, but I've been told this isn't the
    right gun to use. I should use a 12 Guage. Is this true? I can probably
    get one if needed.
    
    I've read most of the Turkey notes here, but am at a disadvantage
    seeing I was counting on the in-law who knew where they were and the
    lay of the land. Guess I have to depend on luck!!!
    
    I think my strongest drive to get one know is so that I can stick it in
    his face and laugh!!!
    
    
    Thanks,
    
    Steve

 I'd try to get him to scout with you on Saturday or Sunday so you have an
idea of where the birds might be.

 I'd definitely get a 12 gauge. 

 Have you been practising your calling? Do you have a full camo suit? Can
you tell the difference between hens and toms?

 It doesn't sound like you are exceptionally well prepared for this, but maybe
I'm reading your note wrong...

    I have Turkey calls and have practiced...Whether or not I'm good enough
    to sucker a tom..Well I'll see. I will be haeding down Friday to scout
    Sat/Sun morning. Hopefully this will be sufficient. He has a stream
    running through hi property on which one side is a steep enbankment. In
    all the reading I've done this should be a good area. I have some camo
    and am working on getting the rest. But I still have one question...
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    
    Where do you place the dynamite charges???
    
    
    
    Thanks,
    
    Steve

    A 20 will do the trick if you use a heavy load (like a 3" load of
    number 4's) and don't shoot too far. A 12 is preferable. If you locate
    the birds, _don't_ put the stream between you and the bird you're
    calling. 

    Does the weather effect the the Turkeys? If it rains will it be a
    worthless effort to go out? Any signs to look for. I know
    scratches...leaf piles. Any helpful tidbits would be appreciated.
    
    Thanks,
    
    Steve 

    Steve,
    
      Weather definitely affects turkeys.  If there is a light rain I think
    it makes for great huntng.  Most other hunters stay out of the woods.
    When it is raining your more apt to see birds out in the middle of
    fields.  Turkeys rely alot on there hearing and eyesight to warn them
    of danger.  When it is raining they can't hear very well do to the
    noise of the rain.  So they go out in the middle of the fields so that
    they can see anything that might be approaching. 
    
    Jeff (who leaves thursday to meet TOM in PA. then stops in NY on Monday
          for a return engagment with TOMs brother)    

    From what I've read, on a rainy day the birds are less likely to
    fly down from their roosts at first light. You may get tree calls
    'til 9 AM.

    Well I found out yesterday that you could still pick up a turkey
    permit. Only if you went to the F&W Headquarters in Westboro. So I
    picked my brother-in-law up a sportsmans license and turkey permit.
    Before he daid there was no way he could take Mon & Tues off...I 
    wonder if things will change now that he can hunt too???!!!
    
    
    Steve

    Sooo...If I should be so lucky to get a turkey...How do you clean/dress 	
    one? Is this covered somewhere? I could not find it in any of the
    Turkey notes.
    
    Thanks
    
    Steve

    
    
       Can you say pluck? that s one way to do it, or you can skin the bird
    also, skinning being the easiest and fastest way to do the job. 
    
       One hint on cooking the bird baste it ALOT if you dont the meat
    ussually turns out very dry.
    
                                          Lee
    

    I think he means 'field dressing' as opposed to getting the feathers
    off. 
    
    re. basting - try pinning on several strips of bacon. 
     

    
       Field dressing would be done the same as most folks do other upland
    small game birds.
    
                                                   Lee
    

    re.26 I dunno, I don't think the 'stand on the wings' technique
    would work well on an 18 pound gobbler! (Which, BTW, is the only 
    way I know, not being a devout bird-hunter.)

    
    
       I have used the wing tech. ever since it was taught to me by a WV
    mountain man that we ran into during a grouse hunt in WV. I have used
    that tech. for birds as big as ringnecks, there is a big difference in
    the amount of force it takes to complete the process between a grouse
    and a necker',  I have not ever tried the stand on the wing tech on a
    turkey but I would venture to guess that it would require alot of
    pulling force, it would probably work the only thing that you would
    need to do is watch that the chest cavity doesnt split.
    
                                                  Lee
    

    Although I haven't bagged one yet, I ve had the pleasure of helping my
    brother and a friend eat two. Field dressing is easier than a ringneck
    because there is more room to work with in the chest. They both plucked
    theirs, bitch of a job but the skin kept the meat very moist while
    baking. Best turkey I ve ever eaten!
    
    Don

    Here is a quick and easy lesson in how to piss off a landwoner!
    
     We recently went to PA. at the invitation of a friend who owns a farm
    there.  He comes out every winter to our area to hunt geese.  This was
    the first time we visited him to hunt turkeys.  Dave owns 700 acres in
    PA and leases 1500 more.  He raises cattle.  About 75% of the land is 
    fields and pasteur.  Any way he was real psyched that we were comin out
    to hunt with him.  We spent the first full day scouting for birds.  We 
    managed to locate one field that had at least one good tom nearby. 
    Opening morning we were all wired for the hunt.  We had to drop Dave
    off at the barn for chores and we went out to try and get the bird we
    had located.  When we got to the field there was a car already parked 
    there!  Since it had PA. plates we figured Dave knew the guy.  We went
    to hunt another area.  We saw a bird but didn't get a shot.  When 11:00
    rolled around we went back down the barn to check in with Dave and let
    him know how we made out.  We told him about the car in the field.
    At this time here comes the car down the road and pulls into the barn
    area.  Turns out that he is a friend of Daves.  Dave asked him what he
    was doing in the field.  The guy pulled out a 20lb tom with a 9" beard
    that he shot.  He said "I didn't think you would mind if I hunted the 
    field".  Dave was pissed.  He explained to the guy that he had invited 
    us up from MA. and we had planned to hunt that area.  All he asks from
    his friends is that they let him know where they will hunt so that he
    doesn't have too many folks in the same area.  This guy knew that rule.
    Bottom line is the guy just lost the privalage to hunt 2200 acres of
    prime turkey, deer, and woodchuck habitat.  Moral ofthe story is to 
    follow the landowners rules.
    
    Jeff
    Jeff

Well, I think I'll make this long so I'll put the important part first:

My first time hunting ever...I nailed one...

		11.8 lbs gutted
		5.5" Beard
		.25" Spurs

Now for the trip details...

	I left for the hunting area Friday after work. I got to the land
around 6:30 - 7:00. Tried getting a response owl calling but no luck... I was 
camping at the area where I was hunting...What great weather for it!!! Friday,
Saturday and Sunday it rained. Luckily most of the storms came at night. 
Saturday morning I got up around 4 AM to try and find a roost. Walked the ridge
above the stream making owl calls then hen yelps etc with no luck. Must have 
walked mega miles on the land all day trying to find the turkeys. I'd get to 
a spot, sit down under cover and try for ~20+ min. If I got no response I'd move
to another location. Finally, after about 7 hrs of this and getting a bit 
discouraged I decided to head down to the chek in station to pick up a crow 
call. On my way to the place I saw a tom and 2 hens off the side of the road. 
It was a little irratating after spending so much time trudging through the
woods with no luck. But I know had some idea where they might be and that they 
did indeed exist!!! Sunday morning I started out about the same time. I went to 
the area where I saw the turkeeys on Saturday and nice cover near a tree to hide
in.  I tried using owl calls and later crow calls to get a response. NO LUCK!!!
Then as the sun was more than on the rise I tried using the turkey calls...again
wit no luck. It did not show any promise for Monday. I stayed in the woods 
trying various locations until about 3:00. Then like Fri/Sat at about dusk I 
tried again. I met a few other callers up there that said they had been real 
quiet the last week. Probably due to all the rain and windy weather. So A little
more discouraged I sacked out setting my alarm clock for 3 am. HOWEVER, at 2 am
I was woken up by a turkey gobbling. It happened so quick I was not able to tell
where it came from. I got up and headed to the ridge where I saw them on Sat.
I used owl calls and crow calls for ~1 hr with no luck....THEN...I got a 
response. It was in the total opposite direction as to where I saw them Sat. In
fact it was near my camp. I headed there keeping them gobbling with a periodic
crow call to get a fix on them. When I got a fix on them I found myself on a 
ridge that was cleared for construction and no cover. I had to go over brush 
piles to reach a pine area. I tried to be as quiet as possible but was dificult.
When I was able to get behind a tree I started calling with a box call. The 
turkeys did not budge. I'll I could hear were 2 toms gobbling at each other. 
After about 30 min I tried to move closer to them. As I walked towards the
gobbling I saw them. Two toms jumping at each other and 5 hens. I hid as best I
could behind a tree. The fattest one I could find was ~ 6" in diam, so I put
my shoulder sideways against it and raised the shot gun with one arm and rested
it in a somewhat level position on my knee. Then I proceeded to cluck, putt and
yelp away. This BIG 'OL Tom started in my direction gobbling back at me. He then
stopped, turned around and watched the hens proceed down the ridge ignoring all
my efforts. I then tried using my brandy new $30.00 Knight and Hale Fighting
Purr calls. He turned around took a couple of steps forward...and then.......
The stupid glass striker on the call box broke off making a god awfull scraping
noise then rattle as it hit the bottom of the box. The tom looked in my direc-
tion then took off down the ridge. Knight and Hale Co. is going to get a nasty 
letter from me!!! After using another box call for awhile I kept him gobbling,
but he still was heading down the ridge. After awhile of trying I walked into 
the area where he was to get a bearing as to exactly its location so that I 
could easily find it again. I also scoped out some good cover areas. The fun-
niest part was I looked up hill and I could barely see my camper. I walked
down the creek and along another part of the ridge again with no luck. So I 
took a round about direction back to the same area I saw them, this time going
in from the other side. I hid behind a tree and stone wall and started using 
some soft yelps and clucks. About 20 min later I heard a loud gobble. I kept
answering with yelps every time he gobbled to get another response and bring
him closer. The blood was rushing through my veins. I can see how people get 
hooked. For awhile he did not appear to come any closer. I was worried that he
was on the other side of a lengthy pine brush pile and would not venture around
it expecting the hen to make the effort. Whenever, he would not answer I'd wait
awhile then cluck(?) real sharp and loud followed a couple of seconds later with
yelps this always seemed to get him going again. Then all of a sudden I saw him.
His head was a bright flourecent red he was gobbling and making a sharp cluck
sound as if he was mad that the hen was not coming. I lifted my shotgun then 
using a push call box. I could see his head but he was between 2 "V" shaped 
trees moving his head back and forth behind the tree. I did not want to risk a 
miss so I tried bringing him closer...my arm was getting real tired trying to 
hold the shotgun up with one arm pointed in his direction. I now know why 
people use diaphram calls!!! This went on for about 20 min and he would not
move from around the tree. Then all of a sudden his head turned pale, he turned 
arond and took off down the hill. I still regret not risking the shot. Comparing
his size to a stuffed one in the store this tom was at least 20+ pounds. I'll
never forget that tom and the rush!!! After that I could get no other responses
right up to 11:00. 
	Now the final day...victory day!!! Monday night I kept them gobbling 
until 8:05pm with crow and owl calling to make sure they would still be roosting
there next morning. I headed down to the roost area about 3am. At first I did 
not use a flashlight because I did not want any notice of me...BUT...I lost my
bearing and had to turn it on. I did not know in which direction I strayed so I 
picked one and went on my way...only to find out that I had walked right into 
the center of the roost area, flashlight and all. So I said what the hell, 
found a place to hide and hoped that they'd forget about the intrusion by sun-
rise. I waited about 45 min to an hr than started using owl calls periodically
with no luck. I then started with the crow calls. After about 15 min I got a 
response. I looked in the direction of the gobble and I saw him in the tree. I 
then started with light yelps keeping him gobbling. He only moved his head at 
first looking around. The when he could not see any hen he flew up to a higher
branch and looked around. After about 10 minutes he flew down. He flew up hill
instead of straight down. Opposite of the direction of my barrel. This normally
would not matter but the cover I was in did not allow easy mobility of the 
direction of the barrel. I kept him gobbling for about 20 min as he worked his 
way back down the hill. Worrying I would spook him each time I had to move my 
shotgun. Finally he gotin my sights. I tried to call him in a little closer
but with no luck. He then looked down the hill and I said the hell with it...
I put the bead on his neck/head and let him have it!!! Down he went!!! 

OK I know this is long but this is the funny part... His leg was still twitching
so I stuck a knife in his neck and sliced it. No twitching then...Dead Right!!!

WRONG!!! This bird startled the sh@t out of me. It jumped up and flew right at
my head. I was totally taken by surprise. I knocked it down with the shotgun and
from about a foot away blasted him in the head again. About 5 minutes later, he
started twitching again. OK thoughts of Jason coming back for vengence were now
in my mind. I took out the knife again and stuck him in the scull. Once again!!!
Dead Right!!! Agian he got up and flew. The hell with this...I took a rope tied 
up his legs, tied him to a tree and went back to the brush pile for my calls. He
did not seem to be moving anymore, but I carried him by the rope away from me
back to camp!!! Now I know where the expression "Running around like a chicken
with its head cut off" comes from.

Needles to say...gutting!!! him and plucking him was a real pleasureable first
time experience. But well worth it.

Thanks to all who wrote in advice to me.


By the way..I nailed him at 5:45 and called my brother-in-law by 7:00am to 
gloat and rub it in. I even stopped by his work to show it off!!! 


Thanks,

Steve


 
    

    
    re .31
    
    If you haven't shown me anything else, you showed me persistence pays
    off...Congratulations.
    
    Kevin

	Great story, Steve! Just what we needed during these
	rather slow HUNTING times... Well done on the hunt!

							- Mike

Steve,
    Congrats on you first bird, and on your first time out. My friend Scott also
shot a tom his first time turkey hunting. He has not seen or heard gobble since,
and it has been 3 years since then. I hope this does not happen to you! On
the other hand, its taken me 4 years (4 spring hunts, and 2 fall hunts) to bag
one, yet I've seen 20+ birds. Go figure...

My sympathy to the Dudley man's family and friends who was killed turkey hunting
the other day. Be safe out there guys/gals. Pack out what you pack in to keep 
our forests clean.

Below is the account of my successful hunt.

We arrived Sunday afternoon and packed in our gear. We had made camp and rested
for a while before our first excursion to locate roosting toms. My brother, 
Damon, went south and I north.  Nothin' that night, so on opening day we were
out winging it. I went to a spot I know that turkeys do visit and set up. I 
waited about two hours and had no responses. So till 11:00 I walked some trails
calling. Nothin'!

The rest of the day was spent gathering more firewood and taking a short nap. A
third member of our party showed up at noon. He was supposed to meet us Monday
morning at 03:00 but over slept. At 17:00 we headed out in different directions
to find birds. This time Damon heard some gobbles but could not pinpoint a 
roosting tom. Back at camp we discussed our options, which weren't much. In the
morning I would go with Damon to the area where he heard some gobbles, Scott 
was on his own.

Up at 03:30, had a quick breakfast and out of the camp by 04:00. As we all were
hiking along a trail, we spooked about 4 white tails and sent them crashing 
through the forest. Damon and I cut off the trail and wished Scott luck in his
hunt. Just before 05:00 we arrived at the area we wanted and set up. 

Damon and I were set up about 10 yds apart under a couple of pines. I like
setting up under pines as it tends to cast a shadow, and hopefully helps hide us
more. After some waiting, we started calling. Just before 06:00 a tom finally
responded. Not even two minutes after he gobbled there he was, about 100 yds off
and coming right at us. Now all that I know about these birds, limited as it is,
says that in the spring you'll see toms alone. But not this guy, he decided to
bring two of his buddies along, and they are all coming right in and in a hurry.
They came in so fast that I really didn't have time to raise my gun and get in
a good shooting position. Either that or the excitement was just too much and I
didn't think of it in time. So now they are all right in front of us about 25yds
away. Damon is waiting for me to take the first shot cause he has already taken
a bird (last year) and wants me to get one. I had to calm myself down several
times during this, I thought my heart was going to beat out of my chest, and
my breathing sounded like a steam train. I'm waiting for the birds to go behind
a tree so I can take aim, cause thats what you should do with one bird coming in
but with three, I had eyes on me all the time, and I was sure they could see me.
I could see clearly they were all toms (bearded). They were moving from our left
to right, and now were starting to get out of the shooting window. Damon gave a
few soft yelps to get them back, and I knew he was saying "what are you waiting 
for!?!?" to me. I decided to move even though they were in full view. I slowly
brought my gun up and swung it to the right. I fired and dropped my tom in his
tracks. After my shot Damon took aim fired and missed, as he chambered another
round the tom that was furthest to the right decided to come back and chase the
tom Damon had missed, he came right into view and Damon took him. It all 
happened in about 2 seconds, once I saw Damon's bird go down I jumped up and we
went running to our birds. As I passed mine I could tell he was not going any-
where, so I ran to the other bird. I couldnt see him at first and thought "I was
sure Damon hit him, where is he"? He was about 5 yds away from where I was look-
ing and hidden between two rocks.

Now we start the celebration! My first tom, a double shared with my brother. It
was great! We gave each other a bear hug and ended up falling down. It was 
snowing lightly, and I didn't even know when it started. We took tons of pictures
and surveyed the scene to pace off the distances. My bird was taken at about
22 yds and Damon's was at 35 yds, thank goodness for that 30" goose gun he uses.

We head back to camp and wait for Scott. When he arrives he flips when he sees
the two toms hanging there. His first words are "when are you gonna cook'em"?
Carrying that bird made me think the thing weighed about 25 lbs. but when we had
them checked in I was a little shocked by the weights, but a great hunt none the
less.

	Don's First Tom				Damon's Bird

	12 lbs  4 ozs				13 lbs  7 ozs
	5.25" beard				5" beard
	 .25" spurs				7/16" spurs


Shots of Wild Turkey for the house!
Don

    Congrats, guys. 
    
    Went out yeaterday for the opener of Mass. 'second season'. We had a
    bird gobbling early, worked him for about thirty minutes, but he
    finally decided to clam up and headed away. Couldn't raise him 
    again. Located another bird at an alternate spot, but he went silent,
    and again, nothing. 
    
    Still a damn fine morning when you hear the birds going off. Looking
    forward to Saturday.
    
    dana
    

    Went out yesterday (Tuesday) to western MA.  Originally had planned on
    hunting the central part of the state but after hearing a couple of 
    horror stories we decided to get up real early and hit our 'other"
    spots.  So I was out the door at 2:00 AM to pickup my buddy in Boylston
    and on the road.  We were in the woods by 20 past 5:00  Beautiful
    morning.  As the sun came up we had at least three owls hooting all
    around us.  At first I thought it might be other hunters but when we 
    actually saw one of the birds it confirmed they were the real thing.
    Saw three deer during the day. At about 7:30 we had heard no gobblers
    and decided to do some walking.  The area we were in is loaded with
    sign so we knew there were birds in the area.  Around nine, we decided
    to take a ride to another stretch of woods where my buddy shot a bird 
    two years ago.  We were getting out of the vehicle when I let go with a 
    yelp.  "Gobble gobble gobble!"  We almost died.  The mad scramble was
    on to get our guns, headnets, gloves, etc.  The bird sounded like he
    was about 200 yds away.  We got into the woods at what we figure was
    a good 150yds from the bird.  I let go with one yelp and he answered at
    what sounded like about 40yds away.  I couldn't believe we hadn't
    spoked him.  He came trotting in I dumped him at about 25yds.  A
    definitely horney bird!  He weighed around 14+ his beard was 4.5"
    Not a record bird, but it was a great time. 
    
    Jeff                                             

    Way to go, Jeff!

    
    
    well this morning I left home at 2:30 to drive down to corning NY  I
    figured I could get ina couple hours hunting before work, I went to the
    same area that I bowhunted last year.
        it was starting to crack daylight at 5 am, I yelped fairly soft,
    no response, 20 minutes later I yelped again, no response, I did 2 more
    series of yelps each time alittle higher in volume to no avail. so I
    figured I could get out of the woods in plenty of time to make it on
    time to work.
      I returned to the truck changed clothes, hop in the truck drive down
    over the hill and whats standing along the road a huge hen turkey with
    a even bigger tom turkey standing right behind her! and if that wasnt
    good enough they stood right there as if to say what @%#$ are you doing 
    in our teritory! and then even worse they ran right down into the piece
    of wood I had been in not 20 minutes earlier.
    
       Oh well it was just great to get out in the woods, and it was an
    excellent morning to be out, I saw 8 deer on the trip down here, 3 deer
    in the woods, 2 grouse (1 drumming + a female watching him) squirrels,
    a numerous amount of various birds and 2 turkeys, I had one bird
    (junco) hit me in the shoulder just after daylight, I dont know who was
    scared worse him or me, and the skeeters were terrible.
    
                                             Lee
    
     congrats to those that have scored so far
    

    	Congratulations to all the successful hunters.  I just got back
    from vacation and don't have much time to tell the stories but I have
    time to tell the results.
    
     Started hunting Fri. May 1st in Vermont.  Located 4 Jakes that evening
    and roosted them. Sat. morning 5:45 took two of them with one shot, 13
    & 19.5 lbs. 4.5" beards, 1/4" spurs.
    
    New Hampshire opened Mon. May 4th, took a 14.5 lb Jake 3/8" spurs,
    4.25" beard. (Took this bird May 6th)
    
    Bruce

    RE: .40
    
    Congrats to us?!?!   Congratulations to YOU!    47 lbs! I was bumm'in
    big time thinking my bird was all gone (eaten), wishing he were bigger.
    You have a few good meals left I presume...   :^)
    
    Don
    
    Dont they taste goooood!

     In my wildest dreams I would never of believed I'd fill all my spring
    turkey tags.  A definite first for me.  The bruses are still visible
    from all the times I pinched myself to make sure I was awake.
     I still have quite a few meals left.  The only thing I've done so far
    is make some turkey soup. It was great !!!
     I'd list a few of the new names my hunting partner called me after the 
    third bird went down but I'd be hearing form the Moderator if I put
    them in here.
    
    #@!%*@  (I think thats how they spell one of my new names)