May 20th, 2006 Fawn Near Lake

Here is a photo of a fawn taken by Jeff. Jeff found the fawn during Spring Turkey season near the lake property.

May 20th, 2006 Mike S. Hunt

My schedule didn't allow me to get out until the last weekend of Ohio's turkey season, and I could only hunt Saturday. It rained Friday afternoon and most of the night and was extremely foggy on Saturday morning. I walked from camp throught the field on the White Place and chose to head to the Killer Tree side. I set up in the edge of the planted pines closest to the pond, about 2/3 of the way up the edge, facing the clearing between the two blocks of pines. I put a hen decoy out at 22 yards in line with the top corner of the back plot of planted pines. I heard nothing and didn't make a call until I heard one gobble at about 7 am. Sounded like the bird was still on the roost, somewhere on the bank above the back block of pines. I made a few soft tree yelps and clucks and shut up. Waited about 5 or 10 minutes and he gobbled again. I made a few more soft calls and shut up again. I didn't hear him fly down, but I heard him start putting and clucking a short time later and he sounded close. It was still very foggy and I had a hat with camo net attached under the brim. I was having difficulty seeing, so even with a turkey within 100 yards (I still could not see him), I lifted the hat very slowly and got the net out of my face. I had just stopped moving when he waddled into view at the top corner of the back plot of pines, right in the edge of the woods. He was walking right at my decoy (and me). I was pretty sure it was a jake, but with only one day to hunt the entire season and fairly poor weather conditions ....... He had closed to about 40 yards from me (about 20 from the decoy) and then suddenly changed course and was veering back up towards the woods. A Winchester High Velocity 3-1/2" Magnum turkey load with copper plated # 5's out of a Mossberg 835 with Extra-full choke tube quickly changed the waddling into flopping. Feathers from the initial impact were about 45 yards from my hiding spot. As you can see in the pictures, he was a very wet and lonely bird. Definitely not a limb-hanging, rope dragging old gobbler, but a 16 pound jake tastes a lot better anyway !!!

Written By: Mike S.

2006, Eastern Turkey Season

I did not get anything this Eastern turkey season in Ohio. I would like to think I was able to help other people get theirs. The only thing I got was this delicious bass.

April 30th, 2006 First Turkey