Lessons from the turkey woods 2012

So, the end of turkey has come and gone.  Kevin's turkey was the only one brought out of the turkey woods this season.  Since we don't have a fall season, we'll have to wait until next year to try to outsmart Big Tom. 

Here are a few things we learned this year:

1.  I love my ThermaCell.  It works.

2.  I love my ghillie cape.  It works.  My Dad said I all but disappeared across the creek from him with it on.

3.  You have to get out in the open areas early in the afternoon and wait.  Otherwise, you may need to get back in the woods between where they are and their roost.

4.  Morning hunts may be more productive because you can hear them talking off the roost.  Might be able to call them in with a little more success.  This one is hard for me.  I'm a night owl and don't do mornings!  BUT, turkey is my favorite season, so I'll be able to force myself into this thinking next season.  Can't let DH show me up next year!

5.  Turkeys don't like pop up tents.  We've never had success with this method.  We see it on the hunting shows all the time, but we've never been able to see much from a tent.  I feel like I move around more to try to see from all of the angles, and I'm hunched down to look out of the window.  My chairs must be too tall for the hut I'm in, but overall, we don't tend to like these things.  Their material is loud, too.  That's a no-no in our woods.

6.  Camo covered turkey guns are a nice thing to have.  I feel like they help you stay hidden.  My Remington 870 is just more noticeable in the woods.  Probably just my impression, but I like my Dad's camo Mossberg 20 gauge (that I think is now mine) even if it is just for my piece of mind.  My husband even covered his Remington 12 gauge with camo web tape (I know it as vet wrap, like they use for wrapping horses' legs - it sticks to itself, not the gun) to conceal it.

7.  A quality turkey seat is still hard on the tail bone.  For those of us with back issues, I haven't yet been able to find a really comfortable way to sit in the woods for long periods of time.  If I do, I'll blog about it.

I'll post a picture of the turkey vest I made for my young'uns when I get it 100% complete.  It is now 99% complete.  When they tried it on, I realized we need a front closure of some sort, so I still need to add that.

Well, that's all for now!
Now, get out and scout for deer season!  It'll be here before you know it!