sbhooper
Well-known member
That is a good bird and good pics. I thought for a minute that I was looking at the same field where I shot mine. It was too cold and windy for me to go to sleep under my cedar tree, though! Good job.
Kansas Turkey 2014
- Thread starter kansasdad
- Start date
putm2sleep
New member
Congrats on your successes!!!! permethin : sounds like good stuff. tick free is key!
I remember coming home from Nebraska spring turkey many years ago, I was pulling ticks off the whole ride home - still makes me itch.
Appreciate the tip fellas.
I remember coming home from Nebraska spring turkey many years ago, I was pulling ticks off the whole ride home - still makes me itch.
Appreciate the tip fellas.
sbhooper
Well-known member
Due to the cold spring, they are not too bad, YET, but I did pull one off of me after five hours under the cedar tree!
Hell, they don't eat much anyway!
Southwind
New member
Permethrin is the real deal, I have been using for it for years and wouldn't go to the woods without it. I normally buy Sawyer brand but there are several mfgs. out there.
You do not apply topically but saturate your clothes and let them dry completely. One treatment will last several weeks and through several washings as well.
The alarm clock that woke me up Saturday was not the 4 a.m. time to wake up, but the 6:18 a.m. cell phone one-minute-warning to legal shooting time! I threw my phone down on to the pillow, and had a pointless discussion go on in my head.....why didn't it go off, who turned it off, why didn't I wake up a few minutes before the alarm goes like I usually do when I get to go hunting?? I ran upstairs to wake up Katie, college sophomore, newest hunter safety holder in the family, and downstairs to waken Aaron (kansasson on HuntTalk) to see if they still wanted to go. We decided that yes, we ought give it a try.
We arrived at exactly one hour after the sunrise, and while loading shotguns,http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/drmarkes1/media/019_zps14ddf150.jpg.html we were hearing gobbling up and down the watershed. A woman walking her black lab came by and asked if we were "after deer or turkeys?" I think I did a fine job of nicely answering "turkeys", and hiding my grin at her clueless-ness of the hunting seasons. She was talking in a rather loud voice, while I was whispering, as I knew of several roosting/strutting zones within earshot of where we had parked our van. She told me that if we saw a big black/white hounddog, that was her dog, and he would surely make it home just fine. (If this was a movie, there would be ominous foreshadowing music playing as she stated this).
We scooted up the incline (can you say that it is a hill in Kansas? ) and when we got to the top, peeked into the hayfield of last Saturday's fame. No birds noted, and just then another volley of gobbles drifted north with the south wind. We three looked at each other, and decided to try to call Mr Lonesome Talker towards us. We set up on the face of the watershed dam. http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/drmarkes1/media/022_zpse1da2538.jpg.html Teal were playing in the shallows as we set up the decoys. I called, heard some gobbles, but I thought it questionable that it was in direct response to my calling. I called and tried to will the image of a blue head working its way into my field of view. I called, and then there was an answering gobble. Time wore on, I called, no answer. Just maybe he was coming, but was going stealth mode on us.
I was certain than any moment we would see a bird, and then (ominous music crescendoing) the hound let loose with full voice. He started at what would have been the most likely spot for a turkey to be hiding out north of us, and proceeded over the next two minutes to run down to the bottom of the hill, and run along the road, full throated baying, to which I was certain would have run any approaching turkeys far far away. We three camo'd hunters looked at each other, shrugged, and decided it was time to move.
Once again peeking out into the hayfield, seeing nothing, I thought maybe we could get lightning to strike twice. We walked to the exact cedar tree I had sat next to last Saturday and we set out our decoys. The sun was warmer today than last week, only this time it was the kids doing all the dozing. We had commitments back in town that were going to make this a short hunt, and so with five minutes to go before we had to pick up the decoys, I had some time to reflect on what great adults my kids have become: Great character, Hard workers, Faithful in friendship and matters of Faith.
When the five minutes were up, I got up to go pick up the decoys. I was going to get the full strut one first as that was the furthest one away from the snoozing college kids, and as I approached the decoy I was paying attention to the far treeline as we couldn't see it from our downhill ambush site. Male turkey stepping through the hedgerow! Ducking down, duck walking back to the seat cushions in the tall grass, I snapped the kids to attention, as said, "I am really going to lay it on thick with the call, lets see if I can reel him in". I told them that likely the first and only thing we would see would be a blue head or the tips of his fan feathers as he approached our decoys from the other side of the crown in the field.
He evidently hadn't see me, or didn't care that he did see me, as withing three minutes I spot the little blue head on the horizon. He was further to our right than I had anticipated. He was a big jake turkey, with a proud fan on display.http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/drmarkes1/media/028_zps11512a46.jpg.html Fortunately for us, he picked a pathway of approach that put a decoy right in line of sight to Katie. She had never taken a turkey, and it had been agreed that she got first shot. As he closed from 80 to 70 yards Katie was able to shift her shooting stick and body to line him up. I called, he gobbled, but the ever increasing wind (its Kansas!!) made it nearly impossible to hear him even from that short distance. It seemed like he was nervous to come join the group of unmoving strangers on the crest of this little hill. He slowly continued his advance towards us. He would turn his face into the wind, gobble, wing feathers dragging, head tucked up into his puffed up chest. I called, and he stretched out his neck to gobble. At 40 yards I whispered to Katie that he was now in range, and whispered to Aaron to be ready to back her up if necessary. As it worked out, he did keep slowly coming, Katie kept her nerve, and when he again turned to his left into the wind and stretched out to respond to my yelp, Katie took her first turkey.
I remember the taking of my first turkey through watching my oldest daughter. Hands shaking, huge smile on her face, wondering if that really happened. http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/drmarkes1/media/030_zps437bc0d6.jpg.html
We walked out to the bird, and admired the sun on his feathers. Katie leaned down to stroke the feathers, and he started to flap his wings. My boots were fast on his neck, and I instructed Katie on the fine art of neck pressure, trading her boot for mine. http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/drmarkes1/media/033_zps266d1365.jpg.html?sort=2&o=64
I showed her how to fill out her big game tag, and zipstriped it to his leg. The turkey sling got to give a second turkey from this Kansas hayfield. She commented that the turkey sling weighed less than the purse she brought home from college. Girls!!http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/drmarkes1/media/046_zps8df6b35f.jpg.html?sort=2&o=77
We arrived at exactly one hour after the sunrise, and while loading shotguns,http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/drmarkes1/media/019_zps14ddf150.jpg.html we were hearing gobbling up and down the watershed. A woman walking her black lab came by and asked if we were "after deer or turkeys?" I think I did a fine job of nicely answering "turkeys", and hiding my grin at her clueless-ness of the hunting seasons. She was talking in a rather loud voice, while I was whispering, as I knew of several roosting/strutting zones within earshot of where we had parked our van. She told me that if we saw a big black/white hounddog, that was her dog, and he would surely make it home just fine. (If this was a movie, there would be ominous foreshadowing music playing as she stated this).
We scooted up the incline (can you say that it is a hill in Kansas?
) and when we got to the top, peeked into the hayfield of last Saturday's fame. No birds noted, and just then another volley of gobbles drifted north with the south wind. We three looked at each other, and decided to try to call Mr Lonesome Talker towards us. We set up on the face of the watershed dam. http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/drmarkes1/media/022_zpse1da2538.jpg.html Teal were playing in the shallows as we set up the decoys. I called, heard some gobbles, but I thought it questionable that it was in direct response to my calling. I called and tried to will the image of a blue head working its way into my field of view. I called, and then there was an answering gobble. Time wore on, I called, no answer. Just maybe he was coming, but was going stealth mode on us.I was certain than any moment we would see a bird, and then (ominous music crescendoing) the hound let loose with full voice. He started at what would have been the most likely spot for a turkey to be hiding out north of us, and proceeded over the next two minutes to run down to the bottom of the hill, and run along the road, full throated baying, to which I was certain would have run any approaching turkeys far far away. We three camo'd hunters looked at each other, shrugged, and decided it was time to move.
Once again peeking out into the hayfield, seeing nothing, I thought maybe we could get lightning to strike twice. We walked to the exact cedar tree I had sat next to last Saturday and we set out our decoys. The sun was warmer today than last week, only this time it was the kids doing all the dozing. We had commitments back in town that were going to make this a short hunt, and so with five minutes to go before we had to pick up the decoys, I had some time to reflect on what great adults my kids have become: Great character, Hard workers, Faithful in friendship and matters of Faith.
When the five minutes were up, I got up to go pick up the decoys. I was going to get the full strut one first as that was the furthest one away from the snoozing college kids, and as I approached the decoy I was paying attention to the far treeline as we couldn't see it from our downhill ambush site. Male turkey stepping through the hedgerow! Ducking down, duck walking back to the seat cushions in the tall grass, I snapped the kids to attention, as said, "I am really going to lay it on thick with the call, lets see if I can reel him in". I told them that likely the first and only thing we would see would be a blue head or the tips of his fan feathers as he approached our decoys from the other side of the crown in the field.
He evidently hadn't see me, or didn't care that he did see me, as withing three minutes I spot the little blue head on the horizon. He was further to our right than I had anticipated. He was a big jake turkey, with a proud fan on display.http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/drmarkes1/media/028_zps11512a46.jpg.html Fortunately for us, he picked a pathway of approach that put a decoy right in line of sight to Katie. She had never taken a turkey, and it had been agreed that she got first shot. As he closed from 80 to 70 yards Katie was able to shift her shooting stick and body to line him up. I called, he gobbled, but the ever increasing wind (its Kansas!!) made it nearly impossible to hear him even from that short distance. It seemed like he was nervous to come join the group of unmoving strangers on the crest of this little hill. He slowly continued his advance towards us. He would turn his face into the wind, gobble, wing feathers dragging, head tucked up into his puffed up chest. I called, and he stretched out his neck to gobble. At 40 yards I whispered to Katie that he was now in range, and whispered to Aaron to be ready to back her up if necessary. As it worked out, he did keep slowly coming, Katie kept her nerve, and when he again turned to his left into the wind and stretched out to respond to my yelp, Katie took her first turkey.
I remember the taking of my first turkey through watching my oldest daughter. Hands shaking, huge smile on her face, wondering if that really happened. http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/drmarkes1/media/030_zps437bc0d6.jpg.html
We walked out to the bird, and admired the sun on his feathers. Katie leaned down to stroke the feathers, and he started to flap his wings. My boots were fast on his neck, and I instructed Katie on the fine art of neck pressure, trading her boot for mine. http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/drmarkes1/media/033_zps266d1365.jpg.html?sort=2&o=64
I showed her how to fill out her big game tag, and zipstriped it to his leg. The turkey sling got to give a second turkey from this Kansas hayfield. She commented that the turkey sling weighed less than the purse she brought home from college. Girls!!http://s1375.photobucket.com/user/drmarkes1/media/046_zps8df6b35f.jpg.html?sort=2&o=77
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noharleyyet
Well-known member
Enjoyed the chronicle and smiles....awesome hunt share.
B
big28hunter
Guest
Congrats on a great bird! Got to get me one of those straps. Good huntin'
Southwind
New member
Congrats to Katie and you!!
So today I had the privilege of taking a newb turkey hunter out for his first turkey hunt. Kansas has an "apprentice" license available for those who are over 15 and have not yet taken a hunters safety course. These apprentice licenses are good for the year in which it is purchased, and requires the apprentice to hunt unde the direct supervision of a regularly licensed hunter.
We headed back to the hayfield of my two previous entries in this thread. Gobbling seemed to be just off of our property boundary. At fly down time we were treated to the longest and most vociferous dominance fight I have ever heard. Cutting, purring and cackling mixed with jake gobbling and tom gobbling and a general ruckus.
I was expecting to see a small group of birds heading our way quick as you'd like, but the turkeys had other plans. Deer playing in the far hedgerow were a welcome diversion......and then the Starship Enterprise once again worked there teleportation magic. 200 yards away from where we sat there were two big toms, headed our way. Silent as church mice, and only one popping his fan and puffing out his chest, in they came to tell my newly jaked-out B-mobile decoy who the bosses of this field were, and it wasn't my decoy.
We had agreed that the main option today was for Phillip to bring home his first bird, so instead of trying to pull off a simultaneous double, he would shoot first, I would back up on that bird if needed, and them take a crack at the other bird if possible. The strutter put on a wonderful show, his wingman looking like he wanted to pop his fan, but just couldn't pull it off. I whispered to him that we were now in range, but thought that there was more distance to be closed. The strutter kept moving along, I was getting ready to go, and BOOM, Phillip scores his first bird. Sadly no double as my bird "jumped the string" and I missed the Hail Mary follow up attempt as he took wing for parts unknown.
We went out to his bird, snapped a boatload of photos, and them went back to our hiding place on the field edge. As it was still before 8:30, we again sat down and began to see if we could get a delayed double. 15 minutes later Philip says, "one bird, no two, no three, I mean five!" Binoculars up, I determined that five jakes were headed our way. Once again, not one peep is uttered by these young turkeys. They came all the way into our decoy set. I had imagined that they were spoiling for a fight five on one (my decoy) but there is no beating up the decoy today. These five jakes were within 20 yards for multiple minutes, and then they drifted away, only to return twice more. I wrestled with taking one of these tasty young tender birds, but the plan was for me to take my daughter Julia out for her first bird, and I held off. The last time they came by, they were FOUR yards away. I had told Phillip if they came close enough I was planning on hand dipping me a jake.
The turkey sling once again made easy work of a twenty-ish pound turkey back to the van.
I really enjoyed helping Phillip get his first turkey, and then enjoyed showing him how to break down a turkey. I did one side, and watched him expertly carve out the breast and leg/thigh on the other side. Beard and legs in borax, meat on ice, he is now a full fledged successful newb turkey hunter.
We headed back to the hayfield of my two previous entries in this thread. Gobbling seemed to be just off of our property boundary. At fly down time we were treated to the longest and most vociferous dominance fight I have ever heard. Cutting, purring and cackling mixed with jake gobbling and tom gobbling and a general ruckus.
I was expecting to see a small group of birds heading our way quick as you'd like, but the turkeys had other plans. Deer playing in the far hedgerow were a welcome diversion......and then the Starship Enterprise once again worked there teleportation magic. 200 yards away from where we sat there were two big toms, headed our way. Silent as church mice, and only one popping his fan and puffing out his chest, in they came to tell my newly jaked-out B-mobile decoy who the bosses of this field were, and it wasn't my decoy.
We had agreed that the main option today was for Phillip to bring home his first bird, so instead of trying to pull off a simultaneous double, he would shoot first, I would back up on that bird if needed, and them take a crack at the other bird if possible. The strutter put on a wonderful show, his wingman looking like he wanted to pop his fan, but just couldn't pull it off. I whispered to him that we were now in range, but thought that there was more distance to be closed. The strutter kept moving along, I was getting ready to go, and BOOM, Phillip scores his first bird. Sadly no double as my bird "jumped the string" and I missed the Hail Mary follow up attempt as he took wing for parts unknown.
We went out to his bird, snapped a boatload of photos, and them went back to our hiding place on the field edge. As it was still before 8:30, we again sat down and began to see if we could get a delayed double. 15 minutes later Philip says, "one bird, no two, no three, I mean five!" Binoculars up, I determined that five jakes were headed our way. Once again, not one peep is uttered by these young turkeys. They came all the way into our decoy set. I had imagined that they were spoiling for a fight five on one (my decoy) but there is no beating up the decoy today. These five jakes were within 20 yards for multiple minutes, and then they drifted away, only to return twice more. I wrestled with taking one of these tasty young tender birds, but the plan was for me to take my daughter Julia out for her first bird, and I held off. The last time they came by, they were FOUR yards away. I had told Phillip if they came close enough I was planning on hand dipping me a jake.
The turkey sling once again made easy work of a twenty-ish pound turkey back to the van.
I really enjoyed helping Phillip get his first turkey, and then enjoyed showing him how to break down a turkey. I did one side, and watched him expertly carve out the breast and leg/thigh on the other side. Beard and legs in borax, meat on ice, he is now a full fledged successful newb turkey hunter.
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Finally was able to get Julia, (my soon to be high schooler) to sync her schedule with mine to make a go of it in the pursuit of her first turkey. One major problem......102 degree temps in south central Kansas this afternoon. The first four months total precipitation is the second lowest recorded, only beaten by the worst dust bowl year of 1936. The pastures are barely greening, the wheat is stressed and not much hope of major rain episodes.
With the exception of the temperature it was a delightful outing with the youngest kid. Thanks to our season continuing through the month of May, we can still get her her first bird.
With the exception of the temperature it was a delightful outing with the youngest kid. Thanks to our season continuing through the month of May, we can still get her her first bird.
"Thanks for taking me dad"
So it was Katie's last chance to get a turkey this spring as she was leaving for her summer job at Kanakuk camp as a councillor and kitchen staff. We made an afternoon run up to the promised land, getting como'd up and heading up the Kansas "mountain" to the upper hayfield. Seeing no birds on the field, we moved behind a screen of hedgerow trees and set up in the sweet spot that had seen my opening weekend success followed by her first turkey.
On these trips with the kids I enjoy lots of moments....talking about their lives, friends, and plans for the future. Katie is learning the business of dance and dance performance, and is heavily involved with her sorority. She has exhibited great administrative skills throughout high school and college,
Once the decoys were out we were hoping that we would see turkeys sometime soon. This hayfield is a sure thing to have turkeys on it some time every day. It is large enough and irregular enough that the birds on the field could be totally out of view. I soft called, loud called, clucked, yelped, cut up a storm and then decided to shut up for awhile. My next yelps were met with a hen locator call (non panic putt) behind us. Earlier a coon or possum had moved through with hedgerow making enough noise that we heard it moving through the newly leafed out low growth. At first Katie almost didn't believe me that I was hearing a turkey. Then when she heard the hen, she didn't believe me that the hen was behind us. The vibration of the fence line being plucked announced the presence of something of size behind us. Katie's eyes were huge inside her face mask. I had guessed wrong as to where the bird would cut through the hedgerow so I was turned the wrong way. I could tell where the hen was by watching Katie's eyes trace the progress through the undergrowth as the hen weaved her way towards the inanimate turkeys in the field.
The hen squirted through the thick stuff into the open only 8 yards away. She went over to the nearest decoy to pay her respects, felt the decoys cold shoulder, and so she moved on to the next hen decoy. My hope was that she would be dragging a silent "sneaky Pete" tom turkey after her, but no dice, no smitten boy bird to be found.
Time went along, and we had commitments back in at the house. Katie's college paraphernalia was scattered about the dining room needing to be sorted and either stuffed into her bedroom, or stacked up in the storeroom. Walking back down the hill, Katie said some magical words to this kansasdad father, " thanks for taking me dad, I had a good time with you today".
So it was Katie's last chance to get a turkey this spring as she was leaving for her summer job at Kanakuk camp as a councillor and kitchen staff. We made an afternoon run up to the promised land, getting como'd up and heading up the Kansas "mountain" to the upper hayfield. Seeing no birds on the field, we moved behind a screen of hedgerow trees and set up in the sweet spot that had seen my opening weekend success followed by her first turkey.
On these trips with the kids I enjoy lots of moments....talking about their lives, friends, and plans for the future. Katie is learning the business of dance and dance performance, and is heavily involved with her sorority. She has exhibited great administrative skills throughout high school and college,
Once the decoys were out we were hoping that we would see turkeys sometime soon. This hayfield is a sure thing to have turkeys on it some time every day. It is large enough and irregular enough that the birds on the field could be totally out of view. I soft called, loud called, clucked, yelped, cut up a storm and then decided to shut up for awhile. My next yelps were met with a hen locator call (non panic putt) behind us. Earlier a coon or possum had moved through with hedgerow making enough noise that we heard it moving through the newly leafed out low growth. At first Katie almost didn't believe me that I was hearing a turkey. Then when she heard the hen, she didn't believe me that the hen was behind us. The vibration of the fence line being plucked announced the presence of something of size behind us. Katie's eyes were huge inside her face mask. I had guessed wrong as to where the bird would cut through the hedgerow so I was turned the wrong way. I could tell where the hen was by watching Katie's eyes trace the progress through the undergrowth as the hen weaved her way towards the inanimate turkeys in the field.
The hen squirted through the thick stuff into the open only 8 yards away. She went over to the nearest decoy to pay her respects, felt the decoys cold shoulder, and so she moved on to the next hen decoy. My hope was that she would be dragging a silent "sneaky Pete" tom turkey after her, but no dice, no smitten boy bird to be found.
Time went along, and we had commitments back in at the house. Katie's college paraphernalia was scattered about the dining room needing to be sorted and either stuffed into her bedroom, or stacked up in the storeroom. Walking back down the hill, Katie said some magical words to this kansasdad father, " thanks for taking me dad, I had a good time with you today"
.
RUT JUNKEY
Well-known member
Sounds like a great season to me. Great job Dad, time in the field with the kids is awesome, regardless of the outcome. I took my youngest to the river yesterday and we waded and held hands the whole time and filled my pockets with all sorts of "treasure" that amounted to a ton of Indian beads and pretty rocks. She/they grow up too fast for sure! Loved the pics and story my friend.
Southwind
New member
KD, nice work, glad you had such great times with your family in the field this spring.
I took a 21-1/2 lb 2 yr old early and then never really got back after it serious except a couple of random hunts where I was covered up by wandering hordes of Jakes. I had planned on some late season hunting but the weekends got too busy.
Again, congrats to all for a fine rewarding and fruitful season with great memories,
I took a 21-1/2 lb 2 yr old early and then never really got back after it serious except a couple of random hunts where I was covered up by wandering hordes of Jakes. I had planned on some late season hunting but the weekends got too busy.
Again, congrats to all for a fine rewarding and fruitful season with great memories,
As i was driving home that first weekend with a turkey laying on the floor I made a conscious decision that I would only go after turkeys the rest of the season if I was going with one of my kids, or as it turned out, Phillip the Newb turkey hunter. I kept to my pledge, which I think surprised my wife on several occasions, as she asked if I was going hunting, I said "no, Julia decided she didn't want to go today". She said why not go by myself, and I reminded her of the pledge.
Aaron (kansasson on HuntTalk) graduated with honors from KState in the middle of May with a degree in chemical engineering. We went through graduation weekend and helped him move one last time out of the dorm. The next weekend Aaron, "Luke" (his friend from China who was staying with us for a few days before heading out for his summer trip) and Julia went out with two purposes. Of course we were hoping some turkeys would be coming home with us, but we wanted to show Luke some of the beauty of Kansas as well.
Storms were finally popping up in south central Kansas and there was a faint hope that the drought pattern might be breaking. My hope to go early in the morning was foiled by Julia's dance rehearsal schedule, so off we went in the afternoon. We arrived at the hayfield to find that the warming days and recent rains had started the prairie hay growing, and had also activated the poison ivy in the hedgerows.
On the trip up to our spot, I had a few words for Luke regarding the need for safety around firearms, and the need for remaining quiet and still once we were set up in front of our decoys. Remaining still and quiet are skills that are learned over time, it seems, as all of us who have taken inexperienced hunters (and kids!!) into the woods have learned.
We had a beautiful whitetail doe come around to try to figure out what was going on along the edge of the field, and after hanging around for a little bit, she headed back into the creek bottom. No turkeys were seen or heard on the afternoon jaunt, but a good time was had by all.
Aaron (kansasson on HuntTalk) graduated with honors from KState in the middle of May with a degree in chemical engineering. We went through graduation weekend and helped him move one last time out of the dorm. The next weekend Aaron, "Luke" (his friend from China who was staying with us for a few days before heading out for his summer trip) and Julia went out with two purposes. Of course we were hoping some turkeys would be coming home with us, but we wanted to show Luke some of the beauty of Kansas as well.
Storms were finally popping up in south central Kansas and there was a faint hope that the drought pattern might be breaking. My hope to go early in the morning was foiled by Julia's dance rehearsal schedule, so off we went in the afternoon. We arrived at the hayfield to find that the warming days and recent rains had started the prairie hay growing, and had also activated the poison ivy in the hedgerows.
On the trip up to our spot, I had a few words for Luke regarding the need for safety around firearms, and the need for remaining quiet and still once we were set up in front of our decoys. Remaining still and quiet are skills that are learned over time, it seems, as all of us who have taken inexperienced hunters (and kids!!) into the woods have learned.
We had a beautiful whitetail doe come around to try to figure out what was going on along the edge of the field, and after hanging around for a little bit, she headed back into the creek bottom. No turkeys were seen or heard on the afternoon jaunt, but a good time was had by all.
