Jake Fest In Texas Turkey Country

Written by David J. Sams

Thursday, 17 April 2008

Photo by David J. Sams Texas turkey hunting has been tough this year – at least for those who will only pull the trigger on a mature gobbler that come to the call. Last spring, after two years of terrible drought, the state turkey population made a major movement in the upward direction with a great hatch. Now hunters all over the state are complaining about how the jakes are taking over. They push toms away and then sit there half-puffed up waiting for the hen to tell them to jump on board. South Texas hunters are frustrated since the season opened two weeks earlier this year and the state has experienced very cool weather. Most hunters agree that the season is way behind schedule. I came to the Southern Comfort Ranch in Young County to take some photographs and hopefully call in a hot tom. The owner, Bryan Moore, has manicured his piece of ground for the wildlife. There are no cattle, just animals that you would want to hunt. I drove up the camp house about 3:30 PM and there stood a big tom strutting about 100 yards away. The hens out in front of him scurried a bit and he followed them. In the next hour of scouting by truck, I photographed bobwhite quail, hogs, blue-winged teal and more turkey. I also saw a coyote, but couldn’t get a snap–he was too fast. Moore called the cell phone and asked if everything was OK. Photo by David J. Sams “The place is on fire,” I told him. “What,” he asked. “No, not a brush fire, but there are animals everywhere. Get out here now!” I set up my Cabela’s pop up blind and two decoys. Not two minutes later, while still trying to get comfortable, I look down the road and see four jakes coming in. They seem a bit leery of the two decoys that are near them, but they mess around and start getting in good camera range. The Nikon starts clicking! They are 30 to 40 feet away and are feeding on some corn. They walk past my jake decoy. Cautiously. They seem very submissive and walk off. My body goes back into relax mode. I start thinking that the big tom is coming next. The food plot is empty of game animals. I’m waiting. My goal is to photograph the tom, and then can I shoot him – but only if he comes to my call. I let off a few yelps, but the tom is a no-show. The next day I sit again, this time it is hens. They come in and feed in the food plot area. Some are single. That gets me going, looking for the big bird that should be coming behind her. Nothing. Then more hens, a group of three. It is 12:30 and the food plot is alive with turkeys. No gobblers, just the wind blowing hard and hens. Two birds walk with in 10 feet of my blind and start preening. I move spots and set up again. More hens. I grow restless and continue yelping every 15 minutes. About 6:30, three jakes come to check out the decoys. They look, peck and gobble, feed and gobble, then leave. The wind dies down and I hear turkeys fly up on the roost. I hear nothing gobble, just the coyotes waking up. It’s a jake fest out there.

Last Updated ( Thursday, 17 April 2008 )

 

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