PA Jake

Jake bird down at 7:30 this AM. He came in with 4 other Jakes and a hen. A little behind them was a good size adult tom with another hen.
I saw them at the top of a hill and let out a couple of soft yelps. At that, the Jakes came sprinting into the decoys bumping into and boucing off of each other. It was actually quite comical. I was going to let them pass by so my friend could take one since he has yet to take a spring bird and hopefully pull the mature bird in range.
But, as luck would have it, they became infatuated with the decoy in front of me and could only take "her" for so long before they got nervous. One of them alarm putted and started to back away so I swung on the one that gave me the best shot and shot him as he started to turn away.

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Congrats, I smell Turkey Nuggets Cooking.

Nice work Sam!

Well done!! I love me some turkey for sure. One of these years I need to get out and hunt them.

Thanks guys, the turkey nuggets are marinating in olive oil, soy, garlic and horseradish right now and will be going on the grill real soon.

I heard a rumor about somebody on this forum who shot a really great mature bird. I hope he posts it up.

Sam nice decoy what kind is that/

That is a Zink's Avian X Looker Hen. They also have a feeder hen and jake available. I was sold on them last year when I was hunting with John H. and he shot a real good mature gobbler over one.

I plan on getting a feeder also.

As a side note, I am not sold on the Avian X goose decoys yet.

thanks it looks real

Jim they are a bit pricy at around $80 but well worth it in my opinion. Last year, that mature bird that John H got just came into the field without hesitation and strutted right up to it. This years birds came running like fools from at least 100 yards away.

Indeed!! Worth a few buck for sure if you like using a decoy...or 4!

Finally killed the gobbler that's been living on borrowed time for the last 3 weeks! Yesterday was the day where he decided to come looking for a hen instead of waiting for them to come to him.
My buddy SWright (who killed a jake the first morning) and I set out at 4am yesterday morning. Arrived a little before 5 and started our pursuit. Sam was along in hopes he could video the kill for me. After using his Elk bugle (yep!) to locate where he was yesterday we got above him and set up. We placed 2 Avian X decs in an opening where we hoped he come for video purposes. He and another bird flew down a little after 6 and each went in opposite directions gobbling on the ridge below. With Sam using his glass call and me on the box he approached from my right coming up hill. I shifted to get the best angle on where I thought he'd come and waited. It didn't take long! He looked around some thick brush and when he saw the decs he started to fan. When he came out of fan he was looking at the decs wondering why they didn't come running to him and I whacked him at 30.5 yards with a load of #6 Fed Shok Struts with my Browning Cynergy O/U.
Dead bird! 9.25" beard, 1.25' spurs and wt of 19lbs. My other buddy Mark who couldn't get out with us heard the shot on his cell! The landowner had called him to tell him we had one really going then BOOM! Awesome, quick morning! Here's hoping Sam got some of it on video but, it happened pretty fast! Picture to follow!

Sorry, John, no luck on the video, I just got him into frame and was about to zoom in on him when you shot.

Here is the pic. We had quite the season this year. Maybe Mark can get free next weekend.

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Nice bird. Good story to go with it. Congrats!

buetiful birds guys!those decoys r smokin got 2 myself.there comin out with a strutter next year. congrats guys!

johnb wrote:there comin out with a strutter next year.

Thanks John, do you happen to know if the strutter will be a jake or not?

i dont no sam, wen i asked them they told me it was top secret.

I would guess it would be a jake. A longbeard would come in pissed if he saw a jake struttin' around some hens!

johnb wrote:i dont no sam, wen i asked them they told me it was top secret.

Bummer, I guess we will have to wait and see.

John H wrote:I would guess it would be a jake. A longbeard would come in pissed if he saw a jake struttin' around some hens!

Looks like whatever it is, it may be on our Harrisburg shopping list for next year's show.

Sam how do you like that sight setup you have on your gun. Reason being I wear glasses also ans some fiber sights just dont work to good for me.

Rick

Rick - Sam and I both have the same sight in a gun. Works nice for framing the bird and zeroing in. I think Sam would agree! However, Sam tried it while shoot sporting clays and it was a distraction. I might try it for geese this season though!

Rick,

Here is the link to that sight.

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Picked them up last year at the Outdoor Show in Harrisburg. They had quite the Sales pitch, very attractive women would hand you a gun with their sights on them as you walked by. You could not help but take a look at them. I figured to $20 I would give it a try. I liked it for the turkey thing, not sold on it for flying things so far.

Like John said, for the sporting clays it was a too busy for me. The clays were orange and everything just seemed to blob together.

Sam thanks for the link will check them out. Have you tried a large white front sight? I tried one and changes all my guns to that. Works pretty good in first light and for turkey hunting. I found with progressive lens the fiber sights would not be clear enough and I was moving my head/ eyes to much to shoot right. THat large white bead early light swinging pass a duck stands out. Was turned on to it by aguy who hunted Africa a lot and says almost all the PH's had them on the guns they shoot.

Rick

Rick,

I just picked up an over under for pheasant hunting and it just has a small gold bead. I was looking for a fiber optic bead for it. During my search, I came across the Hi-Viz Comp bead. It comes with multiple fiber optic inserts and a white one. After your suggestion, I think I'll probably go with that one, this way I can see what will work best for me.

Sam I think you'll be surprise how that white bead will work. The only thing I will say that is white are snow geese. I put the largest bead I could get. Early mornings that bead goes pass the duck or goose and stands out. The same for turkeys . Hope you finds it works. Even at the skeet/trap range it shows up as it passes a orange target.

Rick