Maine Turkey hunt 2024

[davidlt89]

To say it's been a rough week with the turkey hunting over here in my parts would be an understatement!
Turkey were non responsive to calls right from day one and would just not leave the hens to save their lives.
I literally could not get these turkeys to give up their roost either.
I spent a lot of time, spotting, stalking, going to where I thought they might end up, etc..
Then last night I caught them across the road and actually watched them roost from my driveway. My "hopes" were to get close enough and maybe they would fly down by the decoys and I could get a pop at one.
I set up about 60 yards from where I figured the tom's roosted. It was not long after getting against the tree they sounded off and I was not all that far from them.
I heard at least two fly down, but it sounded like they headed to the other side of the woods and the field in the back.
I sat tight until 5:30, then I got up and took a good look down the field edge and the flock was about 150 yards from me.
So I sat back down and just figured I had nothing better to do and I would wait and see if they made their way down to me.
About 20 min later, this guy broke off and came to check out my decoys.
He was all puffed out and I honestly thought he was the big tom. He got within about 20 yards of my decoys, puffed down, and it looked like he was not buying it.
I pulled up the gun and shot him at about 25 yards.
He is a funny turkey, has the tail of tom, and the body of a jake. The beard is 2", and he weighs in a little under 15lbs.
This is a very young turkey so the tail is very confusing to me. The 4 middle feathers of a jake's tail are longer than all the rest of the feathers, one easy way to identify a jake. But that is not the case here.
So it looks like my string of 20+lb turkeys is now broken! But after the week I have had with these turkeys, I will gladly take what God gives me and be happy with it!

[gitano]

Congratulations!

Interesting bird!

Paul

[davidlt89]

Thank you Paul! God Bless.