Tim?s Turkeyfest 2019

[DTP]

As some of you know a couple of us have an annual turkey hunt in Kansas each year at Tim Dirkes house. 

For those of you who don?t know, Tim goes out of his way to set up a wonderful hunting time.  He gets access to all of his friends property for us to hunt, sets up trailers for us to stay in, and he and his wife as just wonderful hosts!


I left my house Monday morning at 3AM and made my way on my 16 hour drive!

Don?t worry, I wasn?t hungry.

I arrived at camp around 6PM, met up with Tim and Terry, and we went to explore a property.  It was late already so we mostly just roosted some birds, ate some milkshakes, and put together a game plan for Tuesday morning. 

Tuesday morning Terry and I set up on the same property, but on separate sides.  He had gobblers sounding off all around him and I had a hen come in.

Around 9 Terry and I decided to pack up and go check another area.  As I was driving over to pick up Terry he told me he heard some birds gobbling. 

After a sneaky stalk in, Terry and I crawled up onto 2 red heads.  We got to a point where we ran out of crawling space so Terry took a shot at the closest gobbler! I tried to run out after and get the second one, but he was too far out. 

After Terry cleaned his bird we went out for a celebratory breakfast.

That afternoon Francis, Gary, and his son Colby arrived in camp.  We ate some dinner, put together a morning game plan and hit the hay.


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[DTP]

Wednesday morning was a little slow, but the afternoon was a ball!

We split up in two teams.  Team 1 was Tim, Francis, and myself.  Team 2 was Terry, Gary, and Colby. 


The first spot we stopped at was a tiny little piece of timber surrounded by wheat.  Tim let out a call and a bird sounded off. 
Francis and I got set up in the timber and Tim started calling.  Nothing was sounding off, but after about 5 minutes of calling I saw some movement.  Four jakes were trying to sneak in slowly on us.  They were got to about 25 yards and I could have shot all four with one shot. Fortunately for me Francis has started calling at that time and it split off the two front birds.  I waited for the last two to clear away from the other two and BOOM.
I killed the two birds with one shot!!!!! Everyone worked as planned and just like that my tags were filled!

Following that we went to a different property where we were able to sneak in on some birds with hens.  Still we managed to set up on them and pull them over for Francis where he almost sealed the deal! He could have easily have shot them with a shotgun, but Francis will only hunt them with a bow!

While we were out galavanting around Team 2 was out getting into birds as well. 

Terry, Gary, and Colby were able to successfully locate and call in two birds where Terry and and Colby doubled!!!!

Just like that 5 of the camps 8 tags were filled and two of us were tagged out. Wednesday was a great day


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[DTP]

Thursday morning we recharged our batteries in the morning and some of us slept in.  I was up early enough and was able to catch Colby out catching some fish on Tim?s pond.

Rough life, huh?

Thursday evening we split up again. It was a very windy day so we did some creek bed calling. Tim, Francis, and I were able to locate some birds, but because it was so windy by the time they heard us they came sprinting in.  We almost pulled it off, but no dice.  It was still another super fun set up and exciting to watch Francis try to put them down.  Team call set ups are a ball.

While this was all going on, Gary, Terry, and Colby sent another shot and Colby tagged out!

6 of 8 tags filled. 

What better way to end another successful night than with bubble up elk enchiladas. 

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[DTP]

Friday morning Francis went out to a spot he typically has good luck with. 
However his lucky spot was met with cows and an angry bull....

We all met up for a quick breakfast at a local diner and talked an afternoon game plan.

Friday afternoon Francis, Terry, Tim?s friend Craig and I set out to watch Francis hopefully shoot some birds.  He didn?t disappoint....

We stopped at the small patch of timber I shot my birds at because we saw a lone bird out in the wheat about 200 yards away. 

We set up decoys, hid in the timber, and Craig started calling.
After some close calls, a route hen, and some great shooting.... Francis killed a VERY NICE BIRD!

1 3/8? spurs, super long toe nail, and just a super nice bird!!!!


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[DTP]

After Francis that bird we set off to a few other properties. 

After checking a few we saw three red heads in a field we had access to. 

Same as before we set up, started calling, and after a few crazy events Francis about another bird!

It was such an awesome couple hours!



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[DTP]

Friday evening we typically do a special meal we call ?Land owner night?.
We are all spoiled by Francis because he whips up some of the best fried fish we have all ever eaten in our life.
Add in some elk burgers and it?s a killer ?surf and turf night?

The entire trip was a success.

It?s always nice to hangout with good people, eat good food, and share stories.

8 of 8 tags filled, 100% success,  but more important it was 100% fun!


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[cohunter14]

Congrats guys, looks like a heck of a good time!

 

[sjl2012]

Hard to beat times in the woods like those.

 

[Bowhunter1]

It is always a good time. I would love to shoot my birds with a bow but I usually fall back to the trusty shotgun. The bonus of being tagged out is I can call for Gary's sons. That is more fun than shooting them myself. :grin:

 

[F M]

I agree that Tim and his wife go above and beyond what they need to for us. I look forward to this all winter long. I really enjoy being in camp with people who are die hard elk hunters and swapping stories of our hunts. Plus their pretty good turkey and deer hunters also!


As always good food and good friends and a few turkeys. Nothing better in my book

 

[Ol Arky]

Nothing better that southern fried fish by a northern fryer... :upthumb: :upthumb:

Good tale little buddy but once a jake killer now twice a jake killer..... :haha: :haha:

 

[DTP]

Nothing better that southern fried fish by a northern fryer... :upthumb: :upthumb:

Good tale little buddy but once a jake killer now twice a jake killer..... :haha: :haha:

I couldn't resist!  :wave:

 

[Ol Arky]

Nothing better that southern fried fish by a northern fryer... :upthumb: :upthumb:

Good tale little buddy but once a jake killer now twice a jake killer..... :haha: :haha:

I couldn't resist!  :wave:

:haha: :upthumb: :haha: :upthumb: :haha: