Montana Woods N Water June 2016 Print Edition | Page 13

MONTANA DAN

Who Is The Turkey Now?
By Dan and Alexis Helterline
At the end of last month article Alexis and I were getting seriously schooled by the areas local
turkey population, I started to feel like we were the laughing stock of turkey town. The last
couple of times we had gone out, I couldn't even get a gobbler to answer me, the season was
almost over and my optimism for Alexis bagging her turkey was seriously starting to fade.
We had hunted at Jim Shallenberger’s ranch several times, coming up empty handed each
time, but being the good hearted person that he is, Jim would always offer up some positive
encouragement, and remind Alexis not to give up. She never gave up and here is Alexis’s
story as to how her seasoned end. I am so proud of her!
Written By Alexis Helterline...
Last turkey season I wasn't old enough to hunt so I just tagged along with my dad for what he
claims was "moral support". We went out to the woods and my dad got a turkey that seemed
really easy, we called from our parking spot and one answered right back. We made a quick
approach, set up, it came in on a string and my dad had what seemed like an easy shot. We
"high fived" and I thought man, this turkey hunting is easy!
This April I had just finished hunters safety right before the opening day of turkey season and I thought, now its my turn to go get an easy
turkey. Boy have I got a story for you. On opening morning we were set up in the predawn chill, Dad waited and then called, gobblers
answered several times before finally flying down and out of their
roost. Pretty soon I could just see a tom's head over the ridge as he
approached followed by seven hens. I use a 20 gauge shotgun so the
turkey has to be 20 yards or so to have a good shot. I took my first
shot and missed because it was 40 yards. My dad said that we
needed some decoys to help get a tom closer, luckily they were on
sale at Sportsman’s Warehouse so he picked up two, a hen and a
Jake.
Next we went to Jim Shallenberger's ranch on Buffalo Bill Creek, he
said there were a lot of turkeys this year and it seemed like a good
bet. Once again, waiting in the predawn chill, Dad called, and got
several answers. Soon a tom was fast approaching, answering every
call, and my Dad told me to get my gun ready. All the sudden it was
coming in from behind us, making a run at the decoys. My dad forgot
to tell me to wait for the turkey to stop moving. I must have shot
right over that stinker's head, he was very lucky that day.
Dad and I hunted several more times with mixed results, two toms
came in behind us or they saw us move. Sometimes they had hens
they wouldn't leave, or they would shut up when they flew out of
the roost. We had been hunting every weekend in the season,
morning and evening, and still no luck. I was starting to get
discouraged but Jim Shallenberger told me never to give up, this was
good advice that paid off in the end.
It was the second to last day of the season and our last attempt to
get one. Jim had called our house and said he was still hearing
several toms gobbling around his ranch. He said that they had been
coming into the open every night and that we should just sit and
wait. There was one especially nice gobbler with several hens,
probably the same stinker that I missed at the beginning of the
season, maybe tonight would be my night to get revenge!
Continued on page 12.
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