Turkey Hunting: Old Toms And Super Jakes (Episode 284 Transcript)

This is the video transcript. To watch the video for this episode click here.

GRANT: Last week, we shared a really cool hunt Adam and I experienced here at The Proving Grounds.

GRANT: Oh yeah.

GRANT: After Adam and I got that bird, we headed back to the house where I met my dad and headed back out to enjoy some more hunting.

GRANT: …way, way in the bottom.

GLEN: Oh okay.

GRANT: Almost never get a pond to hold water in the bottom in the Ozarks. You’re always gonna be on the ridge tops. Can’t be much more than about four feet deep (Inaudible).

GRANT: Long term viewers of GrowingDeer.tv will remember many hunts with my dad.

GLEN: That’s a good deer.

GRANT: That’s a very good deer.

GLEN: Yeah. Yeah.

GRANT: He’s hunted with us since the first season, and actually, I’ve hunted with my dad since childhood.

GRANT: Nailed him. Good job.

GLEN: Man, that’s a big one, son. I tell you.

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GRANT: My dad loves sitting in a comfortable blind watching for critters, and listening for turkeys.

GLEN: Another wonderful day of turkey hunting. I look forward all year to come with my boy to go turkey hunting and he’s good enough to take me. When you get to be 84, you, you never know about your next turkey hunt, but it’s wonderful. Beautiful spot right on top of the ridge; sun’s shining bright. I love to turkey hunt with him. I love to deer hunt with him. He’s really been good to me. I thank you for everything you do for me, son.

GRANT: Anything else you want to say?

GLEN: Well, what can a man say that’s 84 years old – still able to jump around and get in the blind, go turkey hunting? It’s wonderful. It’s really wonderful, and Lord’s got to be good to me to do that. I appreciate it.

GRANT: The wind had picked up when I took my dad hunting and I knew it’d be tough hearing toms. My father and I shot competitively for many years, without hearing protection, and as a result, we both lost a lot of hearing. Today, you always see me using some type of hearing protection when I’m hunting with a firearm.

GRANT: As the hunt progressed, I’d give a call every now and then. But it was so windy, I really couldn’t tell if I was getting a response.

GRANT: Just before noon, I spotted three turkeys about 100 yards away, straight up the logging road that goes past the hidey hole food plot where we were hunting.

GRANT: (Whispering) Hey. I’ll give you a thumb up, when you can shoot.

GLEN: (Whispering) Okay.

GRANT: It seemed the turkeys were responding to my calls. As they got a little closer, I could certainly tell when they spotted Miss Purr-fect hen.

GRANT: (Whispering) Can you see the turkeys? Can you see the turkeys?

GRANT: The turkeys were just out of dad’s view, the way the blind was situated and a tree limb that was sticking out.

GRANT: Once dad could see the birds, I could tell he was ready for business.

GRANT: (Whispering) They’re yearlings. I don’t know if you want to shoot one, or not.

GLEN: (Whispering) I’ll take anything.

GRANT: (Whispering) Okay. Whenever – don’t shoot ‘em when they’re together. Make sure you only kill one.

GLEN: (Whispering) Okay.

GRANT: (Whispering) Make sure they’re at least three feet apart.

GLEN: (Whispering) The one in the back’s the biggest, isn’t he?

GRANT: (Whispering) Okay. Anytime you want. Make sure their head’s all the way up.

GRANT: You nailed him, pops.

GLEN: Well, I tried to.

GRANT: You nailed him. Good job, dad.

GLEN: Good deal.

GRANT: You got him.

GLEN: He’s a good sized bird. I never did see him, until he walked right out there.

GRANT: Yeah. You nailed him.

GLEN: He’ll be better eating than an old one.

GRANT: Yeah. You did great, dad.

GRANT: You did great.

GLEN: It’s a good sized bird.

GRANT: His reaction to the effectiveness of this shell was probably better than any patterning target I could share.

GRANT: Man, it just dropped him.

GRANT: Hmm. Hmm. No, he didn’t kick much. Did he?

GLEN: No. No. I mean tell you, it made my day and, and when a man’s 84 years old, he needs make all the days he can.

GRANT: We all do, dad.

GLEN: Yeah. Yeah.

GRANT: But I love hunting you. Thank you for coming today.

GLEN: I love you bringing me, taking care of me. You always have.

GRANT: You did great. You did great. You want me to go get that turkey, see how big it is?

GLEN: Yeah.

GRANT: What a great day. I was able to tag a bird, and a little later, watch my dad do the same.

GLEN: That’s why he didn’t flop, wasn’t it?

GRANT: Yeah. You hit right in the head, pops.

GRANT: I enjoy every hunt, whether fresh meat is obtained, or not, but sharing a hunt with someone you love, well, that makes it even more special.

GRANT: Last week in Kansas, Heath Martin took a beautiful Eastern-Rio hybrid. Lindsey did a great job laying down this footage.

GRANT: This week, they’re back in Kansas and Lindsey’s toting a shotgun.

GRANT: Their hunt begins during a foggy morning.

HEATH: (Whispering) Looks like jakes.

HEATH: (Whispering) (Inaudible)

GRANT: Soon, they called in some jakes right off the roost.

HEATH: (Whispering) (Inaudible)

GRANT: As for jakes, there’s only one jake Lindsey might take.

GRANT: You might remember him from the show last week. This is a super jake. This jake loved to harass the long beards.

GRANT: The next day, they setup in an area Heath knew turkeys spend some time during the mid-day.

GRANT: Heath called every so often and waited.

GRANT: Suddenly, there were birds out front, all long beards.

LINDSEY: (Whispering) (Inaudible)

HEATH: (Whispering) No. They’re long beards.

GRANT: These birds came in quiet and caught Lindsey off guard.

GRANT: They were hoping these toms would come a little closer and allow for some better footage.

GRANT: Unfortunately, these toms had other plans and didn’t stick around.

GRANT: That’s the price Lindsey pays.

GRANT: The next afternoon, they set up not far from the prime roosting area.

GRANT: Suddenly, Heath spots a buck.

GRANT: Notice those large bases.

GRANT: The Martins are certainly looking forward to seeing him again this fall.

GRANT: Not long after the buck moves off, they can see a little bit of some fans through the thick brush.

GRANT: It looks like the big jake from last week. This is the bully bird that was harassing the long beards.

HEATH: (Whispering) (Inaudible)

LINDSEY: (Whispering) (Inaudible)

HEATH: (Whispering) (Inaudible)

LINDSEY: (Whispering) Okay.

HEATH: (Whispering) Whenever you’re ready, I’m on him.

LINDSEY: Woo-hoo! Well, here he is. Um, we call this guy a super jake. He’s been pushing the long beards around a little bit, so Heath and I actually made a decision, as we were sitting in the blind today, that if one of these guys came in, I was gonna go ahead and take him out. Maybe bust up the group of jakes here, give the long beards a little bit more of a chance for tomorrow. So, we worked hard for this bird. I’m really proud of him.

GRANT: Congratulations, again, to team Martin.

GRANT: Our friend, Richard Lee, also hunts in Kansas, and recently, he laid down some really cool footage.

GRANT: While setup in a small river bottom in north central Kansas, Richard and his buddy, Mr. Price, had a nice tom work his way in to a Montana Miss Purr-fect decoy.

GRANT: I appreciate Richard’s patience, as we can all watch and see how this gobbler reacts to the decoy.

RICHARD: (Inaudible)

GRANT: The gobbler stayed on this decoy for over five minutes, before he stepped away.

UNKNOWN: (Inaudible) Shoot him. Shoot him. Shoot.

GRANT: Congratulations, and thanks to you both, for bringing us such a cool encounter.

GRANT: …and the Antler Dirt through this year, and people ask. We don’t add any extra lime or fertilizer. All we use is Antler Dirt.

GRANT: If you’d like to learn more about all our hunting and management techniques, come join us this year, August 7th and 8th, for our annual Field Days. Simply go to the left side of our webpage, GrowingDeer.tv, for more information.

GRANT: It’s a beautiful time of year. Whether you’re hunting, or just going outside, take time to enjoy Creation and listen to what the Creator is saying to you. Thanks for watching GrowingDeer.tv.

GRANT: Not very many people willing to work hard enough to take care of an orchard.

GLEN: That’s true.

GRANT: It takes a lot of work. Hello, Daniel.

DANIEL: Hey.

GLEN: You doing all right, sir?