Spent the morning chasing turkeys with "unclefester". Never got a bird but, boy, we had some exciting close calls! We started in some hardwoods and Ken had a bird gobbling just after first light. Despite coming in rather close this guy just did not want to show himself.

We decided to head around to another farm on the backside of the bush and try to draw him out there. No more luck with that bird but we had four jakes heading toward our second set-up. Unfortunately they got spooked and headed across the field. After cruising a bit we headed for a third farm. We were just getting our gear out of the truck when Ken spotted a huge tom walking across the field about 300 yards away. We thought we'd try to cut him off somehow but as soon as we started walking he bolted! We headed back to the field with hopes of drawing him out but before we got there I spotted two more birds in a back field. We quickly and quietly set up in a tree line trying not to spook the birds and Ken began calling. No response for quite a while but a of a sudden a bird gobbled from not to far in the bush! Man, this guy was hot. He was soon joined by a second gobbler. It was a pleasure to listen to Ken and these gobblers talk back and forth for the next ten or fifteen minutes.

Ken figured the birds were hung up at a fence that divides the farm from some neighbouring Conservation land just inside the trees. Our only hope was that one would cross the fence and come out in the open. Our hopes faded when we heard the baying of a distant hound coming closer and closer. Somebody was running their hound on the Conservation land and it must have heard the gobbling as it headed straight into where the gobblers were and ran around the bush barking his fool head off.
So ended an exciting and eventful morning. This is my first year turkey hunting and this morning was my first close encounters. Man, I'm hooked! Any of you who have gone on one of unclefester's hunts knows what a great experience it is. He has some great properties and he puts a sincere and skilled effort into helping you harvest an animal. I would recommend his hunts to anyone who is interested. Thanks Ken for the memorable morning and thanks Vix for making it all happen.

The most important blood trail leads to the Cross...
Phoenix
HHA Optimizer
Hawke scope
Boo strings
Boo tuned trigger