TURKEY HUNTING

VIDEO/HUNTS FOR 2012

DEREK FOWLER

MARCH 24, 2012 VIDEO HUNT #1
LOCATION: BALDWIN COUNTY, PRIVATE LAND
PARTNER: DAD AND CHASE
AM HUNT CALLED IN 2 GOBBLERS AND 1 HEN

It was opening day and my oldest son Chase and my Dad decided to hunt our hunting club in Baldwin County. We set up on the edge of a food plot where we almost always saw turkeys during the deer season. From first light till after 9:00 we did not hear the first gobble. Although we had concerns we knew the turkeys were just not gobbling and there would still be a possibility of calling one in. We called a hen in and could hear another hunter calling a few hundred yards away. Fortunately the first gobble we heard was in the opposite direction up and around the road which we felt would be our best vantage point for calling him in. The bird gobbled quite often until about 11:00. We had decided to leave about 12:00 but a hen had come into the plot and was dusting. Wanting to let her leave the plot before we left, we sat a little longer. Luckily that was a good decision as two gobblers entered the plot around 12:00. As the birds came towards our decoys, I tried whispering to Chase and Dad to let me know when they could shoot. When Dad could shoot Chase couldn’t, When Chase could shoot Dad couldn’t. I finally told them I was counting to 3 and for them to shoot. As I counted they both moved into position to clear the trees that were obstructing their view. The both shot instantaneously and both birds were down. Perfect a double on opening day to start the season. Both birds weighed about 19 lbs. and had 10 ½ inch beards. Chase’s bird had 1 3/16 spurs while Dad’s was 1 inch. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

MARCH 29, 2012 VIDEO HUNT #2

LOCATION: TWIGGS COUNTY, PRIVATE LAND
PARTNER: ALONG
AM HUNT SAW 4 GOBBLERS

On this morning I hunted near home and set up right under a roosted bird. Early sirens on a nearby road set the bird off just as I was completing my setup. Although I feel certain the gobbler didn’t feel real safe. The gobbler pitched out well before good light. He strutted in the open field and made his way toward all the other gobbling birds. After about an hour three more gobblers came by but was not interested in my calling. One of these gobblers has the longest beard I’ve seen in years. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

MARCH 29, 2012 VIDEO HUNT #3

LOCATION: OCMULGEE WMA
PARTNER: KEITH SMITH
PM HUNT CALLED 4 JAKES AND 1 HEN

Keith Smith and I hunted a local WMA on this afternoon. As we slipped around a clear cut we saw strut sign and then spotted a couple of Jakes who by then had spotted us. We decided to try to make it to the far wood line and set up in favor of the setting sun. We spotted a hen and couple of gobblers and had to setup prior to getting to the edge. After calling for about 5 minutes we spotted the gobblers coming our way but they were all jakes. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

MARCH 31, 2012 VIDEO HUNT #4

LOCATION: TWIGGS COUNTY, PRIVATE LAND
PARTNER: JARRED SMITH
AM HUNT CALLED IN 1 GOBBLER

I made a hunt with Jarred Smith this day. We set up in a tent blind near a small food plot and called sparingly for a couple of hours. After not hearing any gobbling we left the blind to do a bit of scouting and found a promising location and set up looking into some hardwood with a fire break to our left. After a few minutes of calling I spotted a gobbler in the firebreak between 50 and 60 yards to our left. Apparently the bird had spotted some movement and was very spooky. Although he came within range Jarred could never move into position to shoot. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

MARCH 31, 2012 VIDEO HUNT #5

LOCATION: WILKINSON COUNTY, PRIVATE LAND
PARTNER: DAD
PM HUNT CALLED IN 2 HENS

Heavy showers set in about the time Jarred and I left the property. I made my way home and decided a field would be the best place to be when the rain quit so Dad and I went to some property in Wilkinson County. We called and saw two hens but saw or heard no gobblers. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

APRIL 2, 2012 VIDEO HUNT #6

LOCATION: BALDWIN COUNTY, PRIVATE LAND
PARTNER: ALONE
PM HUNT CALLED IN 1 HEN

I made my way to my club in Baldwin County after work on this evening. I set up in a small food plot and called in one hen. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

APRIL 5, 2012 VIDEO HUNT #7
LOCATION: BALDWIN COUNTY, PRIVATE LAND
PARTNER: ALONE

AM HUNT – CALLED 2 GOBBLERS

I set up on this morning in the swamp bottom on my hunting club in Baldwin County. I had been a little hesitant to hunt the property again because I had heard of several birds being killed on the neighboring club and really didn’t want to over hunt the birds. A bird gobbled across the creek from my setup as day broke. He continued to gobble and I eventually saw him but by then I think a hen had also got his attention. He continued to gobble but headed away. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

APRIL 6, 2012 VIDEO HUNT #8
LOCATION: JASPER COUNTY, PRIVATE LAND
PARTNER: DAD

AM HUNT – CALLED IN 4 GOBBLER, 6 JAKES AND 5 HENS – 1 MISS AND A DOUBLE KILL

Dad and I traveled back to Jasper County to hunt the Cullum farm. We setup the popup blind on the edge of the hardwood ridge. Several birds gobbled at first light. One had eventually made his way around us and sneaked in around the edge of the ridge in front of us. I had Dad range him and he said he was only about 45 yards so I decided to shoot. When I did the bird quickly took to flight back the way he came. After reviewing the footage I could tell there was some structure I hadn’t seen between me and the bird. I don’t think the bird was hurt. We let everything settle down and started calling again. We called in three jakes after a short while and then we heard a couple of gobbles across in the pasture in front of us. We eventually called in a hen which led three gobblers in. We decided to try and take a couple of them on my count of three. The birds were not all open at the same time and they too close to prevent killing them all. Dad asked if I could shoot and when I said yes, he shot. The shot shocked me into shooting which was delayed enough that when I shot, the bird in front of the bird I wanted to shoot ran and I hit the bird behind him. It was perfect as if planned! Both birds were a little light at about 17 lbs. and both had ¾ to 7/8 inch spurs. Dad’s bird had a 9 ½ inch beard and my bird had two beards 10 and 6. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

APRIL 7, 2012 VIDEO HUNT #9
LOCATION: BALDWIN COUNTY, PRIVATE LAND
PARTNER: DAD

Dad and I hunted our Baldwin club on this morning. After setting up in the swamp bottom we heard a couple of gobbles back on the hillside. We quickly decided to make our way to the closest food plot so we would have a better chance of getting the birds in. The birds seem to stop gobbling before we could get set up but we felt sure we hadn’t spooked them. As soon as we were set up we hear a bird back down in the swamp which is par for the course. This bird seemed very interested so I got up and done a bit of pruning in the direction that he would be coming from. As soon as I sat back down I could hear him drumming. I immediately got the camera rolling and eased my gun on my knee. The bird strutted right in to the jake decoys and put on a show. When he finally strutted away from me I eased the gun up and took the shot. The gobbler weighed 20 ¼ lbs, had a 10 inch beard but only 7/8” spurs. After our post kill video Dad and I heard the other birds gobble again so we sat back up and tried to call them in. We called a few times and called in two jakes. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

Dad and I called three gobblers on this afternoon but as usual they had little to no interest in being called. Afterwards we called up three jakes that may someday be as wise. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

Dad Chase and I travelled back to the Cullum property on this morning and called up two jakes. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

Dad and I called to the same three gobblers again on this afternoon but as usual they had little to no interest in being called. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

After hearing several gobblers on this morning the birds seem to move all around us but staying behind us or just out of site. About noon we slipped back out to the edge of the pasture and could see 2 large gobblers, and several jakes and hens. We relocated the blind within shooting distance of the edge. The birds had gone over a ridge in the field but when I called one of the gobblers came our way. When we thought he had went back we noticed all of the birds coming our way. The birds came into the woods but beyond our comfortable shooting range. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

Dad and I were asked to guide a good friends son Andrew Shultz on this morning. Andrew who now lives in Colorado had never killed a turkey and we wanted to do all we could to help him get his first. In the early AM we only heard 1 gobbler. We decided to relocate and eventually setup in an old pecan orchard. After calling for a while we heard a gobble which sounded to be to our left. After a few minutes I saw the gobbler coming around the edge of the opening. I was afraid the bird would come around the edge and be right on top of us, but he cut across and in front of us which turned out perfect. We had told Andrew not to move until the bird strutted away, but didn’t really tell him he could move as long as he was behind our blind. The bird came to the decoys and then came out of strut and started walking away. Andrew eased the gun up and took the shot. His first turkey was a nice one probably 3 to 4 years old. The bird had a 12 inch beard and weighed 20 1/4 lbs. The spurs were only .5 inch in length, but were as sharp as a needle and curved up sharply along his leg. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

Dad and I set up on the Vaughn property on this morning. We had a hen fly down and come in almost before daylight. A bird was gobbling to our right front and by the time we decided to run her back she had gotten too far around. She left making her way right toward the gobbling. We didn’t think our chances were good here so we moved around to a small food plot that might give us a better chance of calling the gobbler before the hen got to him. He answered eagerly but was on a line that would bring him in down a lane behind us. We knew when he got to the road behind us he would come in to the plot. As the bird made his way past me at about 2 yards the drumming was practically vibrating the hairs on my head! He made his way in strutting but when he got to the decoys he came out of strut and got nervous. I was unable to see him and told Dad to wait but the bird was now starting to come back to us. I finally saw him in between the two trees in front of me and told Dad to shoot. The bird at this point was only about 10 yards and his shot completely missed. I guess our lesson on this hunt was we should have set the decoys farther and in plain sight. Although when we set up we really thought the bird would come in to our front left. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

Keith Smith and I would hunt some private land in Laurens County this evening and attempt to setup in the pasture without being seen. As soon as we got there a hen was already in the middle of the field. We moved around the right hand edge in an effort to keep here on the left side and away from where we thought the gobbler might be. We spotted the gobbler with at least 3 or 4 hens across on the neighboring property just as we thought, but the hen circled around and went that way anyway. No sooner than we had set up she came back out and came in. Not wanting to overcall we let her do most of the calling but still could not get the gobbler and other hens in. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

On this morning I would hunt for the first time on some private land in Wilkinson County. I heard a couple of gobblers at first light. After a few series of call it sounded as though one of the gobblers might come in. That’s when the hens chimed in. They seem to always spoil everything. The first one came in to my decoy setup and didn’t seem to like it. She made her way toward and behind me. Another hen flew up into a tree for a better look. At this point the gobbler probably didn’t know what to think and just stayed inside the woods for cover. He continued to gobble and strut but followed the first hen as they left the area. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

Dad and I traveled back to the Cullum property this morning. Nelson had plowed and planted the field so we knew the plowed ground would be the place to be. The first bird that gobbled was directly in front of us no more than about 125 yards. The gobbler stayed on the roost for seemed like over an hour. The first birds to make it to the field were hens. These two hens made their way in from the direction the gobblers were last heard, we knew this was a good sign. The first gobbler had circled and picked up the second and now made their way in from our right. As smart birds do they seemed to say just out of range. I told Dad they were too far for me to shoot but if he thought he could kill one to take the shot. He hesitated but finally decided to shoot. I had ranged the distance at about 55 yards, but the bird was probably closer to 60 by the time he decided to shoot. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

I would try the tough birds on my club again on this evening. At about 20 minutes before roost time I heard a gobble too far to make it to me before roosting. I started to move but knew I didn’t have time for that and that there should be more birds around. Only about 5 minutes later I spotted not one but 5 mature gobblers and a hen. The hen came to my calling and the best bird seemed to also be somewhat interested. When the hen approached my calling position and didn’t see me she started clucking. The gobbler didn’t like this and tucked and made his way into the woods. Dang hens! See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

Dad was under the weather and couldn’t hunt on this morning and I really wanted to give the birds at the Cullum property one more try to end the season. I decided to take my doghouse popup blind and set up in the middle of the field. Hopefully this would put me in range of a bird if he came in like they did before. At least 3 birds were gobbling at daylight and a couple more were in calling distance. The first birds to show were 3 hens a jake and what looked like the lesser of the two gobblers from the week before. All of the birds made their way toward me. They went under the hill where I couldn’t see but when they finally made it in all were together except the good bird. He obviously went back in the woods. They came all around me and eventually made their way back toward the bottom. After about an hour I spotted another gobbler in the end near where Dad and I had saw them the week before. After glassing him I realized it was the same gobbler. He made his way in from nearly three hundred yards. As he approached he again stayed at the outer limits of my shot range. In my efforts to call softly, range the distance, keep the camera positioned and also keep my gun in position I cut the camera off when I thought I was cutting it on and missed the shot. Yep, the best made plans seemed to be amiss in the heat of the moment. Nevertheless I made the shot at 50 yards and ended the season on a very good note. The bird weighed 18 lbs had 1 5/16” spurs and an 11 inch beard. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.

Dad wasn’t feeling much better on the last day of the season but decided to try and hunt anyway. We hunted the Vaughn property and heard a hen at first light. She came in from our left back side and while she lingered around a jake came in from our front. As Dad eased his binoculars up to look at the jake the hen caught his movement and became very curious. She came closer and continued her inquisitive clucking for about 10 minutes which called a coyote in. Dad took the shot at about 15 yards and must have just grazed him. He rolled but got up running. The second shot also rolled him but still did not keep him down. Hopefully it was enough to kill him but we couldn’t track him down. See this hunt on my 2012 video: Turkey hunting with Derek Fowler.