Florida Spring Gobbler Season Report - #5 -Third Weekend!

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Saturday, Apr 2,2011-day #11

I had no choice but to go back and hunt the power line bird again. I had scouted Friday afternoon and found his track so I knew he was still alive. The question was how badly did the shooting effect him? Would he roost in the same place and more importantly, would he gobble?

I made my way down to the river swamp well before gobble time and waited to see what cards I would be dealt. I expected him to roost deeper in the river swamp but still gobble. Gobble time came and went with no sign of any turkeys. Finally, after it was time for a bird to be on the ground I had a turkey answer my calling with some course yelping and eventually started clucking sharply at me, over and over. The turkey was on the other side of the power line in a stand of burnt cabbage trees and it would not come any closer. All of the sudden I heard a real short gobble, maybe a quarter of a real gobble. He ended up doing this a total of three times. The bird did utter one full gobble that morning but it was muffled and quiet.

After about 30 minutes the turkeys quite calling and it was over. The shot had definitely effected him and he was not the same turkey.

Sunday hunt #12

Sunday's plan was basically the same as the previous day. I'd wait on the power line for gobble time and see if he'd gobble. Once again, gobble time came and went with no gobbling. A half an hour or so after fly down I eased down close to the river. It was really foggy. I made a loud, excited cut and I heard a bird gobble at it but he was across the river from me. I got him to answer me a couple more times and he was over it.

I prospected my way back up the power line without locating any turkeys and decided to call off the dogs.

I headed back for the camp from there to do a little scouting and see what the turkeys there were up to. It was a little slow but I did manage to find a few gobblers and one bit of strut sign. I saw one jake and two hens on the roads on up in the morning and it was time to head for home.

Good Huntin'
Larry S.