Butte Fire Smoked Turkey Hunt
Turkey
So with limited time this fall to hunt turkeys here I got out a total of 3 times to hunt due to bigger priorities. The first hunt was with joe and Brent where we called in several groups of birds as they were on their way back to their roost. I passed on several hens and jakes in hope some longbeards would come in, which they did. Brent smoked one longbeard and they took off before I could get a shot at a second one. My third hunt I was with joe and long story short several jakes and hens came into the deeks but the longbeards were MIA. No shots were taken that afternoon.
My third hunt I decided to take a hike down into a public land canyon that was burnt by the recent Butte Fire. If some of you remember I was in the danger zone of the Butte FIre and had to evacuate and ultimately returned to my undamaged home. My hike was more an excercise hike figuring I wouldn't see much in the way of wildlife specifically turkeys this soon after the fire. But just in case I wore my loaded turkey vest and had bow in hand. Walking down into the canyon was something else to see.... Fire has some crazy paths of destruction ........
Some of the areas were untouched some were scorched and looked more like a third world.......
On some of the roads through the canyon, hay laced the roadways to help with erosion..... I had seen a little bit of scratching on the roadways and wondered if what I saw was recent ..... Made for some interesting views......
As I got to an area where in years past the turkeys liked to frequent, I let a couple series of hen assembly calls on the slate. I stood there for a few minutes listening and wondering if I was gonna hear anything. I had low hopes that any birds were back in the area so soon as the ground still resembled moon scape..... Just as soon as I started doubting any birds would be anywhere nearby, I heard a hen let out a response assembly yelps of her own up the hill about 200 yards away. I then began looking at the burnt hill and soon spotted a group of birds moving in my direction quickly. I used some cover and a ditch to get up the hill about 30 yards to a spot that was somewhat open due to the burn... This is where I set up and the birds continued to close into my location quickly.
As the birds were closing in they continued to yelp aggresively and a few even gave a half hearted gobble. At 70 yards I spotted six jakes with some trailing hens coming in quickly. I was wishing I had my deeks at that moment so figured I'd play it out as when Id get a shot. The jakes came to about 40 yards from my location on a small knoll with a small ditch in between us. The birds stood there looking for the hen who started this party. After a minute the birds started walking from right to left and away. After calculating the distance in my head I had an opening set for 50 yards. As the birds began filtering through the opening I calmed my nerves, got steady, and as the last jake entered the opening I yelped at him. The bird stopped and the arrow was on its way. I watched the arrow arch all the way into the boiler room. The bird ran a quick 6 yards before he fell over dead! The other birds jumped on their comrad then as they saw me approaching the fled the scene with a quickness.... Arrow upon recovery.....
Short track and blood trail to my bird.....
I laugh when I read birds can't be called in and decoyed in fall... Even happens on rugged public ground in a burn sometimes... I was pretty pumped to kill this bird in such an unexpected but cool area in the burn...
I almost forgot to add that as the birds were coming in I didn't have a CAMO mask or gloves so I quickly rubbed burnt bark and dirt on my hands and face to dull my bright skin.... Admiration is always given...
The burn provided a cool unique setting that's for sure... I love huntig turkeys and this one was smoked!
Smoked fried turkey was now on the menu......
Nicely done! Crazy pictures.
Walk out of that canyon was better then the walk in even with the added weight! The view was quite spectacular and I can't wait to see it green in there this spring.
Hope you all enjoyed the read and wish everyone a safe and happy Hollidays!
Nice hunt and write up as always.
Really enjoy your write ups and photos. Keep them coming!
JCHB
Congratulations!!! Thanks for sharing.
Great story and pics! Thanks for sharing.
Darren
Great hunt - crazy pics.
What do you have for a bow sling/harness?
Thanks guys!
Wayniac, it's the primos sling
Great eater right there! Good job.
Great hunt. There just aren't many fall turkey hunt reports on here. Most fall birds that I hear about being killed are more incidental kills than someone actually hunting them. Thanks for posting.
Great pics! Always cool to see how fast wildlife are back into burn areas
Atta boy Chris! Nice work!
Great pics.. and nice write up !!
Congrats. Living up to your handle once again! Hunt
Cool, I didn't know turkey seasons were early and late. Great job. Likely never pulled it off with a 'bama bird though.... =D
Burns are pretty amazing, hunted a burn area in CA this year that had driven us out of a pack in hunt the year before, ash falling like snow on the midnight retreat back to the trailhead. Pretty wild, places burn to a crisp and then just skip over an untouched patch. Sometime acres and acres gone, sometimes just a tree or two in a patch of forest. Makes you feel kinda small..
Thanks for the pics and story.
Great job on the hunt and story. Amazing pics. Congratulations.
Way cool, congrats!
I've seen birds pecking around in a controlled burn area in southern CA that was still smoking!
Smoked turkey. I love it!
Great pics! Always cool to see how fast wildlife are back into burn areas
These pics look really familiar;>)
Now I know "the rest of the story"!
Great job Chris!
The coloration on that bird beautiful! Is his coloration a little unusual or is it just from your expert photographic skills?!!
Thanks guys!
Troy with iridescent feathers I see sometimes colors of the terrain bounce off the birds feathers differently with the colors...Maybe that's it. :-)
Getting it done....again!
Congrats Chris!
Great story, pics and bird!
Mark
