Deer hunter catches gobbler fever
Deer hunting has always been my passion, and I’ve been blessed with some great deer over the years. But I’ve always wanted to kill a turkey. For me, turkey hunting is more of a challenge. The first time I did any turkey hunting was back in 2019 with no success. I eventually just put it on the back burner and went back to focusing on doing everything I could to better my deer quality.
I have not turkey hunted since then, and never planned on it for the 2023 season until early February, when they started becoming very consistent on the Moore County property and very easy to pattern. Some of this is due to timber being cut in the area, houses being built, etc.
I placed several cell cameras around and started to get hundreds of videos in a strut zone that is just amazing to watch. It got me hooked. I was determined to kill a turkey and wanted it more than I ever had before. I continued to scout and try to have a game plan ready for opening day, hoping they remained consistent and on the property. I started getting everything together from making sure my 870 was holding a good pattern, calls were sounding good, and put my blind up on the field edge near a strut zone where they frequent the most.
Calling for rain
I was ready for opening day, April 8, but as you know the rain they were calling for was not looking good. After all the rain we got Friday and what they were calling for Saturday, I had pretty much decided I was going to stay home and wait till Sunday.
But thankfully, Saturday morning April 8, when I woke up, it was not raining. So I decided to go before it got started. I got in the blind a little later than I wanted to at 7:05, and on the walk in, there were two gobbling like crazy not far from behind my blind. I placed a feeder hen decoy towards the left of my blind about 10 yards and started doing some soft yelps. Within just a few minutes, two hens came right up beside my blind to check out the decoy. The adrenaline started pumping once I saw a beautiful tom in full strut coming right behind them.
What made this even worse is I self film my hunts and always hunt alone. So trying to call, run a camera, and focus on getting a perfect shot can be a bit of a challenge, but so rewarding. He was 10 yards in front of me when I took the shot and at 7:35 he was flopping. Absolutely so blessed, and could not have asked for a more perfect hunt the way everything worked out. By 8 a.m., it was pouring and rained literally ALL day long.
That gobbler, my first ever, weighed 22 pounds, had a 10-inch beard, and 1-inch spurs.
Why not do it again?
I went hunting again on Sunday April 9, just the second day of the season, and it was a beautiful morning. I saw several birds but just couldn’t get them to come in range. I told myself if I killed one turkey I’d be satisfied. But I had become addicted at this poInt and it’s such an adrenaline rush I can’t get enough of.
I was busy on Monday, April 10 and couldn’t go, but the cell cameras were going off like crazy all day, showing birds in strut, and I knew it was time to get back out there. So Tuesday, April 11 I was ready to go.
Another solo hunt. It was a cold morning in the low 30s and I got to the blind around 6:55 and got setup. They were quiet until about 7:45, then got them to gobble a couple of times. They made their way to me at about 8:30 and two toms ended up coming up behind me within 5 yards and spooked. They were pretty much quiet the rest of the morning.
At 9, I had a hen by herself come in and hang out for about 20 minutes in the field and she left. About 5 minutes later, I was packing up my things getting ready to leave when I saw that hen come running back for my feeder hen decoy and started fighting with it. Sure enough, a beautiful tom in full strut was making his way behind her at 15 yards. And at 9:30 he was flopping.
I never in a million years expected to kill my first turkey this season, and definitely never expected to tag out. But it’s in my blood now and I am already looking forward to next season. Both birds have been dropped off at the taxidermist for a double full body mount to be able to relive those memories in the future. I’m truly so thankful for being able to get out there and enjoy God’s creation.
I was doubted by so many and was told I’d never make it happen, but I did, and it was so rewarding to do myself.
My second turkey weighed 23 pounds, had a 9-inch beard, and 1-inch spurs.
–Karley Davidson, 24-years-old, Moore County, NC
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Tag-A-Turkey
Congratulations to Davidson, who is now entered in our 2023 Tag-A-Turkey Contest.
This makes her eligible for our grand prize, which includes a 3-year subscription to Carolina Sportsman Magazine, a Thermacell prize package, a Convergent Hunting Solutions Bullet HP Bluetooth predator call, a Millennium Field Pro Turkey Seat, and numerous other prizes.
If you’d like to enter your gobbler in our contest, click here.
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