Close Encounters of the Jake Kind(video)

[CAPTJJ]

Figured this morning would be perfect to go out and listen for some gobbles after yesterdays heat, clear skies and no wind this morning; I wasn't disappointed. Had one or two birds gobbling just over a knob on a flat, they were close, I could hear spit/drumming. Had my digital camera and wanted to get some gobbles recorded, I was able to sneak close and use a big oak to hide behind. The bird must have heard me and thought there was a hen maybe, I was wearing black, too. He came right to me and eventually was in the open at 15 yds, then he skirted around to the other side to see what was there. Footage is a little shaky, no image stablization; gobbles were much louder in person than on the vid. Enjoy, not the best but you'll get the idea; most of it is sideways because I was trying to hide the camera.

[jlaclair]

cool video

[CAPTJJ]

I now know why you can't hunt turkeys in April in NY, apparently all you have to do is find a gobbling tom, blow on a crow call a few times and they come right to you. Did some more scouting this morning,  not as much gobbling as yesterday. Found one bird that was gobbling good near a popular roost spot, figuerd he was with hens and went to scope it out from a distance. As I got closer the gobbling got louder, and I heard clucks and a light yelp and figured hens; no, it was a lone tom, looked like a 2 year old, and he was looking for love. He came up the hill towards me and stopped about 30-35 yds away and gobbled a bunch, finally he headed off right towards a house. Of course I didn't have the camera with me; ran back to the truck and managed to get a shot of him in the backyard, he was gobbling and strutting away till he saw me. Guess I found his strut zone, makes sense not many openings in the woods. He was under the porch.



Have seen this hen a couple times, no toms around, but this is the same spot I got a nice bird two years ago, saw a hen and the tom finally showed up.

[jlaclair]

sure seem to be finding the birds, not many around where I  am, but I guess Ill try a little scouting soon, maybe ill find one

[CAPTJJ]

It helps to know where to look, I've spent a lot of time scouting them the last 10 years to figure them out. Thing is they move around a lot more in the mountains and roost in different spots compared to the farm country I hunt once in a while. They are definitely much more spread out this year after the mild winter.

[Green Mountian Hunter]

It helps to know where to look, I've spent a lot of time scouting them the last 10 years to figure them out. Thing is they move around a lot more in the mountains and roost in different spots compared to the farm country I hunt once in a while. They are definitely much more spread out this year after the mild winter.

Nice video ; I have notice's the same thing here not as dependable as farm birds

[bogmanjr]

Big difference in The field vs Woods birds. The field birds are way easier to pattern.

[upstatehunter]

I think they might be hot by the sounds of it....could be a great first week....
They seem to travel the same patterns like the deer here....might be here today and won't be back around to that area again for a few days....
Awesome video!!

[drobertsinMaryland]

Nice video. I hope I see one of those I wont be picky.

[dan_lais]

cool video.