# Am I Really the First?



## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

I gave you all a whole week to post up your turkey hunting stories, and I haven't seen a thing! I guess it's my turn. I'm hoping others will share as well.

I burned 7 points to draw a Central Region LE turkey tag this year. My dad and I have spent that time hunting a flock along the Wasatch Front during the general season that receives a lot of pressure and tends to be pretty difficult to hunt. We've debated switching locations, but we have enjoyed the challenge and the ability we have to hunt them frequently. Dad managed to harvest his first tom a few years ago, but leading up to this year I hadn't been successful despite a few close calls.

We took a scouting trip the week before opening day and identified about where they were hanging out. We made a plan and hiked up in the dark to our chosen location on opening morning. We had some company at the parking area, but hiked farther than anyone else and ended up with a large area of the mountain to ourselves.

It soon became apparent that we may have hiked too far. Most of the gobbling we heard was down-canyon and closer to where we'd parked. We got a few responses to our calls, but they seemed to be together for the morning and not interested in coming our way.

A few hours after sunrise, the gobblers seemed to get a second wind. We soon had a hot gobbler answering our calls and coming our way. He closed some distance, gobbled quite a few times, and then went totally quiet. We were worried he had hung up on us. It wouldn't be the first time that happened. We heard nothing for what I suspect was about an hour.

Just as we were losing hope, we heard a gobble behind us, and it was CLOSE! I turned around and readied myself for a shot. We gave him one more call and then went quiet in hopes that he would close the remaining distance. A minute or so later, he stepped out from behind some brush at about 40 yards. I was hoping he'd come on in to the decoy, but he appeared suspicious. I thought it best to let him have it before he decided to run away. One shot later, my first turkey was down. A nice tom, 18 pounds and most likely two years old based on the length of his spurs.










We'll never know for sure, but we assume he was the same bird that had been talking to us earlier. It was a good lesson in patience - it can take them a while to work into the call or decoys. I think this is especially true in high-pressure areas, where they like to sneak through the brush and stay out of sight as much as they can.

It was a sweet victory after a lot of years of learning by trial and error. The only downside was that my season was over less than 4 hours after it started. I actually had a few vacation days scheduled during the hunt that I ended up cancelling. Oh well - I'm sure I can find use for them during the fall.

We had an impromptu Thanksgiving-style dinner that night, with fresh roasted wild turkey as the centerpiece. A fantastic reminder of the many things I have to be grateful for.

I can't wait to head back out with Dad when the general season opens. Wishing you all a safe and enjoyable season!


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

Congratulations!


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## MooseMeat (Dec 27, 2017)

Looks like a great bird!

my dad burned 6 points, I burned 5 and both drew a central tag as well. We both shot 2 toms full strut from the same group at 7:45 opening morning. I wished it would have lasted a little longer, but you can’t pass opportunities when they present themselves perfectly


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## CHIEF_10_BEERS (Mar 24, 2021)

Nice job Clarq. I think you got a little carried away with the face paint though.


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## colorcountrygunner (Oct 6, 2009)

He's a beaut, Clarq!


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## CPAjeff (Dec 20, 2014)

Great job Clarq and MM on the birds!


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## one4fishing (Jul 2, 2015)

Good job fellas. Thanks fer sharing. I’ve decided to boycott the turkey hint this year unless my boy begs to go.


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## Moezer (Aug 27, 2021)

Congrats to you both and thank you for sharing! Fingers crossed I'll add to the thread when GS opens


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## weaversamuel76 (Feb 16, 2017)

Hard work pays off again

Sent from my SM-G996U using Tapatalk


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## DIRTYS6X6 (May 19, 2021)

congrats to the 2 of you


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## Chebato1950 (May 17, 2017)

havent posted in a while so i thought i would post my turkey from this year. i have been watching this particular bird for a couple of weeks but for some reason he was alone on this day after getting ahead of him i called to him a couple of time to see if i could a response he called back once than went silent but keep working towards me i made a hasty set up and kept the hen calls every so often about that time i had 5 jacks come by at around 40 yards and they had no idea i was there a bit later 3 hens came in on the same trail as the jacks again they paid no attention nothing else showed for about 5 minutes than i notice a large fan slowly coming in so i raised the shot gun a minute later he raised his head and i let go a charge of #6, he never knew what hit him and as to date he is my best bird 10 and 1/2 inch beard, 1 and 1/16 inch spurs and over 18 lbs weghts


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## Chebato1950 (May 17, 2017)




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## Moezer (Aug 27, 2021)

Great bird Chebato & well done! Looks like a fine set of feathers and some good eatin' to me!


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## MrShane (Jul 21, 2019)

Clarq said:


> I gave you all a whole week to post up your turkey hunting stories, and I haven't seen a thing! I guess it's my turn. I'm hoping others will share as well.
> 
> I burned 7 points to draw a Central Region LE turkey tag this year. My dad and I have spent that time hunting a flock along the Wasatch Front during the general season that receives a lot of pressure and tends to be pretty difficult to hunt. We've debated switching locations, but we have enjoyed the challenge and the ability we have to hunt them frequently. Dad managed to harvest his first tom a few years ago, but leading up to this year I hadn't been successful despite a few close calls.
> 
> ...


Clarq,
That looks like a fantastic bird!
It does not appear you used your new shotty on that bird?


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## Clarq (Jul 21, 2011)

MrShane said:


> Clarq,
> That looks like a fantastic bird!
> It does not appear you used your new shotty on that bird?


Nope... probably just excessive paranoia on my part, but I wanted to get some good practice in with it before using it in a "high-pressure" type situation. It will get plenty of use come autumn.


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## DreadedBowHunter (Sep 22, 2021)

I actually hope I don’t get a bird a few hours of opening day 😆 That would make my whole month of May boring 🤣 I’ve had opening day jacked from me from another guy that had a quad get up the hill before me walking and I actually had a lot of fun going up way further than I expected due to the thunder he released. I like 3-4 days of spot and stalk for my usual 🤔


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## buck (May 27, 2020)

Congrats to those who have succeeded. Some beautiful birds in this thread. My goal is to actually call one in this year, both my birds have been spot and stock. Time to work on my patience haha.


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## hawglips (Aug 23, 2013)

Congratulations on some fine birds!


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## jlofthouse16 (Oct 18, 2021)

Nice birds. Thanks for sharing. No Turkeys in this area. We have some RN Pheasants, Ruffed Grouse, Blue Grouse.


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## MWScott72 (May 23, 2011)

Heading out with my son tomorrow morning at the crack before crack to see if we can in on some birds. I love hunting turkeys and it's nice to get a few hunts in before whacking one, but I'll never refuse a fly down right into the decoys. I absolutely love it when it comes together like that!

Congrats toneveryone that has put down a thunder chicken. Thanks goodness we have such a fun bird to hunt IN THE SPRING!!


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