NH Fall Wild Turkey Shotgun Season Coalman 1 Turkeys 0

[Coalman]

Don't you just wish you could look into the crystal ball and predict the weather for your vacations? The plan today was to head north in pursuit of a fall wild turkey. Today was not the most ideal weather. The rain was all day and heavy at times. But vacation time is precious. So I made the journey.

I made the first hunt at the same place I took a fall bird last year. All I got was wet. I used my truck at two locations during the morning as my stand. Wet clothes = fogged up windows. I gave in to a nap at the conservation area that lasted till after lunch.

Having no luck on the east side of the mountain I went heater hunting to the west side. During one of the heavier downpours of the day I spied a flock of birds in the back pasture of a maple sugar plantation. I counted from one to thirty. Rain or not I made a plan.

The rain was heavy and the wind was blowing hard and I used that to my advantage. My movements through the woods went undetected. I was able to sneak right up to the field the turkeys were in. At one point I had two just out of range. Then I saw the lead hen coming my way and all the prodigy followed....to a certain point then they all turned around and fed out of site.
Things were starting to get discouraging when I saw the whole brood fly into another field further away from me. I didn't get up at 0400 this morning and drive 100 miles to give up now.

I made my way into the woods behind the field in the direction the turkeys went. I went right into some beautifully manicured maple sugar bush. I had to walk over a dozen hoses coming off the mountain.

I came to a stone wall that lead down to the field. I put the gloves and face mask on and started my stalk. I didn't get three steps downhill when I saw a hen walking in the woods below me. There was movement behind her. Could it be true? Through the fog and rain I could see this turkey had a beard.

It is amazing how fast the wheels can turn when opportunity knocks. I was able to cock the hammer, find a shooting lane and raise the gun in one thought. When my Pardner spoke I had my first mature fall gobbler.

18 pounds 8.5" beard and 1/2 and 5/8 spurs.


I would like to thank mmskunk, Ziggy and Popeye for their help and hospitality. I could not have done it without their knowledge of the homelands.

[Brandon-K]

Congrats Coalman! Nice turkey!

[HarryG]

[oddfish]

Nice Bird

OD

[slowwalker]

Nice bird...

[Merrillizer™]

Awesome thread. Nice work What a bird, makes me hungry. Off to the front page you go!

[Coalman]

Just looked at the home page. Thanks Jon.

[NH Dad]

Regarding Turkey hunting - I don't know much of anything about the season but I was curious to see if anyone hunts the Haverhill area? I see a large flock of Toms (20 -30+) almost weekly and wondered if anyone hunts the Haverhill MA Atkinson NH area?

[Roccus]

Some good eating there..... nice bird!

[Scunz]

One of the percs of deer hunting.....I knew he and his buddies were roosting close to where I was setting up for deer.....sure enough they flew down and walked right by my stand........he wobbled thru the air for about 20 yds then dropped stone dead with the arrow still stuck in his chest.......his buddies just stood around looking and pecking at him......17 lbs.....10" beard......1" spurs.......my little hunter-in-training holding him.