Editor's note: The featured video is Day 1 of a Nebraska turkey hunt featuring Bowhunting World editor Jace Bauserman. To view Day 2, click here.
The camera batteries had crapped out and my buddy Terron was not happy. The last picture captured on our tried-and-true Nebraska bean field was on March 20. We lost four days of inventory and, given that temps hovered in the mid-20s and the birds were still in large flocks, setting up right where the birds wanted to be was pivotal to our success.
“This sucks,” Terron whispered to me in the inky blackness of the Nebraska morning, his steaming breath mixing with the dancing beam of his headlamp. “I wish we knew exactly where they are coming and going, but I say we just sit here and adjust if we need to."
As it turned out, an adjustment was necessary. About an hour after fly down, a monstrous flock of at least 50 wild turkeys emerged from a stand of cedar trees 300 yards down the field. Despite our best efforts to bring any one of the eight longbeards or a wad of tailing jakes in, the boys simply followed their ladies across the bean field and disappeared.
We didn’t wait long to make our move. After we were certain the birds had moved onto the neighboring property, we pulled up our Double Bull, moved the deeks and took a quick breakfast break.
Back in the blind by 11 a.m., the hours crawled by. Rain tapped the roof and Terron and I wondered if we were going to be able to keep our opening day success run on track. That answer came around 3 p.m. when the flock emerged on the opposite end of the field.
There was no reason to call. A gaggle of hens came squawking and strutting into our spread of Dave Smith Decoys. It just goes to show what can happen when you get on the “X” and get right where those early-season birds want to be.
Enjoy the video.
