DHF:KYLEN

When you all read this, if you do, please remember that I'm only a second year rookie. I got lucky last year, right place right time. No if's and's or but's about it. But sometimes it's better to be lucky than good. My father got the whole ball rolling, in regards to hunting, with my kids.

That spawned, 1 dog for duck hunting and traing, 2 home built duck boats, hand made decoys. Then came this, "Turkey hunting". Right up my alley, just like back in the army. Something I could sink my teeth into. Something that makes you encapsulate your mind into the mind of the turkey. Think like he thinks. Act like he acts. Now I still don't know much about this endevour but I do know that I love it. For me, I'm at the ringing the hands stage of where to go and how to set up my decoys. Which call to use and how loud. Etc. etc etc. But I love it. Truely.

So here's my story of my hunt so far this year:

I hunt in the extreme southern most tip of Florida. Far below Lake "O". Draw a line across from Nappels to Ft. Lauderdale, and that's aligator alley. My hunting area is/are all public wild life management areas. Beleive it or not, they are heavily used. The worst part is the swamp buggies that come when you don't want or need them.

I've spent the month of Feb. 2004 scouting and now since the opener on March 6th 9 days of hunting. I've seen gators,which we call head lights, spiders that make you feel like a "Nancy Boy" , when they smack you in the face while riding a mountain/turkey bike at 4:00am, and snake that are as big around as my arm and longer than I am tall.

I've walked through knee high and higher water for over 2 miles, after riding a bike for over 1 1/2 miles, just to get a shot or a chance at hearing that sneaky little true bread, southern tip of Florida Osceola.

Well today was the day that I've waited for. My chance. The whole way out to the site I was ringing my hands at where to go, and how to set up. Ended up going to the place that I just had a feeling about. I don't know if this will come across but it was just a place that I had an itch about and had to scratch it. You see we, my father and I, have been closing in on them since the scouting time. We have an area withing the WMA that we call the "hot" box. Now matter where we set up each day some one or something out of this area was working. Way down here the Toms and the Jakes, in our expereince don't talk at all. They just sneak in on you like raiders in the night. Now the hens will do any and everything but lay on there backs and spread there legs for your decoys.

Got set up, set up like a sniper. Heavy cover, decoys on the road. Water all around with thick cypress trees, just like they like. Tracks as big as my hand. Ya!! baby I'm golden. Heard the tree yelp. (for the first time). Switched gears on the birds and pulled out the challenging Jake gobble call. Mouth call, "Kaiser glass and slate called", cut off by the gobbling jake each time. (I know this is wrong but was trying something to change the tide in my favor as a rookie).

At 7:45 and still nothing doing, I decided to walk to the end of the dry land as see what's down the road futher. Hey, if I was to get nothing this day, then at least I could scout for areas that you all talk about like the strutting zone and such. Well, I walk about 150 yards and get that feeling I hate to have. You know the one, "RUNNY BOTTOMS".

At this point I'm moving back to my set up spot to get my "tp" and thinking you've got to be kidding. Set the gun down, grab the "tp" and move a small distance away to relieve myself.
Note: You pro's should have seen two ROOKIE mistakes at this point.

Here's where it gets bad for me. There I am, heeding to the call of nature. Then this thought comes into my head, it's a memorie of a photo in Bass pro shops about a hunter going to the bathroom while a deer dashes by and he's reaching for his gun. At the time I saw this photo I thought, who in the world does that. Okay, guess what. At that exact moment it hit me, wouldn't it be a downer if I look over and back to my decoys and see a tom. No (BS), that's just what I saw. Then I look for my trusty .500 moss and remember it's back at the spot. Crapppppppppppp.

[:@] So, there you have it. Could be my only chance at a tom and I have my pants down below my knees and the mighty smoke pole leaning up against a tree 20 ft away, tom moving in and in eye site. I had to laugh at myself for letting this happen but I still wanted this bird for alot of reason.

I then began the game of cat and mouse. He moved and turned his head, I slowly creeped up my pants. This went on for 20 minuets until I could at least start thinking about moving over to my gun. Then things got reall scary. Heart was really pumping now, with no way to control it any longer. I wanted this bad boy BAD.

Got to my gun as he headed away from my area. Moved into, sniper position, and started in on my Kaiser Kall putting out the sweet sounds of love ever so tender. Note: my calling sucks, but this call works really great. Even for retards like me.

That turkey turned back to me and started heading my way. Now I'm laying in the ferns, palmetos, etc next to a swamp buggy trail and I can only see his head coming to me. Heart is racing to beat the band. Inside my head I have two thoughts, 1. control yourself, and 2. this one is going down. He walked into my line of fire and I let loose. That bad boy did a back flip from the hit.

The "adrin" was pumping at overload now. I had did it. My brothers, (avid hunters all there lives from childhood said last year was a fluke). Two years in a row for me now. How do you like them apples boys. Little brother is knocking on your door now.

I'm adding some photo's for you all to see the are that I hunt. It's not like central and norther Florida from what I've been told. Enjoy, becuase I did and I'll be back out there tomorrow and head to Alabama in April.

wacker

Great story,congrats!!!Way to get the"drop" on em.

Turkey Addict

What a story! Congrtatts to ya, and Great pics too.

DHF:KYLEN

Okay you all, here's what I've found out so far. This little tree/plant has these little berrys or nuts all over them. I don't know what they are but what I do know is this. It's like an all you can eat buffet for the Osceolas way down here in the Southern tip of Florida.

Whatched a hen eat all she could just like a squirel then swallow. Looked like a snake swallowing a bowling ball. She stripped the tree clean branch by branch. Then moved on.

Did a little scouting/recon after this and everywhere I saw the bush/tree and had turkey tracks and the berrys were all gone up to 2ft. The bird I got had a belly full of them and some in his throat along with a dragon fly.

So in so far as the tip of Florida, this is what they are eating like it's going out of style. Hope this helps someone.

Ryan Tucker

Congrats to you and what a wonderful story! I love it!

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SWEET!!

DHF:KYLEN

[:@]

Down to my last day of turkey hunting here in the tip of southern Florida. Next week I head off to Alabama to partake in an "Eastern" bird on "private" land. Finally get to see what all the hub bub is about in regards to private land. Also, just how hard the "eastern" is to take. With only the "Osceola" notched on my belt I'll have to base it on that.

Let you all know how it goes. Come on TEAM 3, let's here the noise. I'm doing my best. Plan to finish the month out in Richlohm or West Green Swamp. Poss. back up to Osceola WMA. Really loved the country there last year.

huntnma

what a hunt ...awesome pics..those berries look like gallberries...mine had a bunch of it and 2 acorns, the first one..the second looked to be yellowish looking berries, kinda like small corn kernals, but it was more round and smaller....anyone know what that might be? congrats and that is a good is=dea , sharing what was in it

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Borch

Great Story. You had me laughing out load! Mostly because I can relate to a certain degree. I've been there deer hunting(although with the gun within reach).