2010 Turkey Season at the Hesterly household

[Scott Hesterly]

2010 has been an outstanding year for us. Not so good for the turkeys. I can't take full credit. I have had significant help from a couple of friends of mine.

Steve is the weak looking Jake decoy featured below. Its the primos version where you can move the tail up and down. Sally is the sexy looking hen between Steve and me. Steve has had a very rough season, he has lost two fights and been shot once.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k71/onestringer/Web%20Pics/tims1.jpg

[Scott Hesterly]

Using the combo of the jake and hen, I have had strutting toms so close I could see them blink their eyes.

I can't take any credit for Mindys turkeys, she did it all by herself. On her second bird she played cat and mouse for about an hour.

1st week bird

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k71/onestringer/Web%20Pics/3-copy.jpg

2nd week bird

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k71/onestringer/Web%20Pics/2-copy.jpg

[Scott Hesterly]

Now its my turn. On the Sunday of the first week. I had a strutting gobbling tom that would not come any closer than 30 yards or so. Then out of nowhere a jake comes in and starts pecking Steve. Now I had a choice to make, wait to see if the tom comes closer or shoot the jake that is 4 yards away (yea I like to set my decoys close). I chose the bird in the hand.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k71/onestringer/Web%20Pics/1jake-copy.jpg

[Scott Hesterly]

Week two rolls around, Mindy tags out on Monday as usual. I get to hunt again. On Wednesday Steve, Sally, and I head out to this 15 acre farm in Republic that usually has some turkeys. The 15 acres is pretty much two fields with a creek running through and along one side. Turkeys tend to roost in the back (larger) field along the creek. As daylight breaks the gobbles commence.

Sure enough I get an answer, however I hear the unmistakeable sound of a hen yelping too. At 6:30 tukeys begin flying down in the field. In all there were 4 hens and one tom that immediately starts strutting. I figure they will all head out the back of the field and go the other way. After some sweet talking they head my way. As they close the distance from 200 yards to 150, then 100 the tom gets a good look at Steve. After that it does not take long for the tom to come my way and start pushing on Steve. Poor Steve, what I am suppose to do. He can't defend himself, so I did it for him.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k71/onestringer/Web%20Pics/tims2.jpg

[Scott Hesterly]

This young man is Tyler, I took him on a turkey hunt last year and he killed a nice tom right off the bat. Again this year his Step Dad is in Afganistan, so I am taking him hunting.

Lets just say Tyler has no clue now. I have taken him hunting 3 times. All three times he has killed a turkey and we have never hunted past 6:50 in the morning.

Tyler is the one who shot Steve, but I told him too. It just happened Steve was in the line of fire. Tylers first turkey this year kicked the crap out of poor Steve.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k71/onestringer/Web%20Pics/3.jpg

[Scott Hesterly]

Funniest with Tyler was this Jake. I only took Sally with us that morning. I scouted the field we were going to hunt the evening before and saw a couple jakes running with some hens. I figured Tyler would be happy with a Jake so I left Steve in the car.

Of couse right off the bat a jake walks in the field. At first I just knew it was a male turkey, at the angle it was standing I could not see a long beard. A few yelps later he is headed in our direction. Once I see it is a jake I say to Tyler "its a Jake", Tylers response as he gets the gun in postion "works for me"

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k71/onestringer/Web%20Pics/6.jpg

[Scott Hesterly]

Oh and I can't forget the biggest baddest bird of all this season. Gavynns bird, its bigger than anything I have ever shot.

Gavynn and I went hunting last Saturday morning. After a few hours of seeing nothing we decided to head in. On the way back home Gavynn let me in on her theory of why we did not see any turkeys. Her theory is this. Since she killed the biggest bird on the farm she believes the turkey she killed was the turkey leader and since she killed thier leader all the other turkeys are scared and left the farm we hunt.

I really could not argue with her, she may have a point.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k71/onestringer/Web%20Pics/2010GavTurkey2copy.jpg

[Scott Hesterly]

I almost forgot Dads turkey.

http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k71/onestringer/Web%20Pics/DadCopy.jpg

His is a crazy story, we driving in a fence post to keep the cows from knocking over my blind. Its around 11 in the morning. A turkey gobbles at the hammering on the fence post. I grab my call just to see what will happen. The crazy thing answers me back. I quick grab the decoys out of the truck, tell dad to drive the truck out of the field down into the creek bed and get back here.

We get set up and man this turkey is hot. He pops in the field and takes a good look at Steve and comes running in.

Well you can see how this ended.

[Rick Wakeman]

Hey Scott...looks like everyone had a great hunt. Tell the ol' man, I said, good going.

[FiremanBrad]

Outstanding season!!! Great pics as well!!!!

[woodsman]

By golly, the 'ole man's still got it..

Chris