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The morning hunt didn’t work..but…

Started by Mossyguy, March 15, 2023, 09:03:41 PM

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Mossyguy

This afternoon did! My son and I went to this area this morning but the birds didn't cooperate...saw a few hens but the gobblers were absent. I was upset because these birds had been here everyday for the last week and this morning they no-showed. He had to head back home around 2 so once he left I headed back to this area. My dad did have some luck on another property I scouted and he was able to take a nice 2 year old double beard.

The timber on this property had been thinned in October and I noticed some strut marks on the logging road going in a few days ago. I set up where I could see all the way down, which was about 250 yards, found a tree and settled in. I waited about 30 mins and let out a series of yelps. About 5 minutes later a hen walks out into the road about 60 yards away and begins fussing. We battled back and forth for a couple minutes before she lost interest and moved on. For the next hour I called off and on with no response.

At 5:15 at was thinking about where these birds could be when the two gobblers walked out into the road at about 100 yards. They appeared to be heading away from me so I let out a couple quick yelps. They both perked up, turned and started heading my way. I noticed one of the birds had a bad limp so I decided that I would try to take him if he gave me an opportunity. They'd walk a few yards, the boss bird would strut, and the limper would be a few steps behind him. It took them about 10 minutes but when they got to around 30 yards I cut twice. Both stuck their heads up and I folded the limper. The boss bird preceded to jump on mine for about 30 seconds and walked back into the timber.

When I got to my bird and picked him up I noticed he was really light. As I was cleaning him I found a few pieces of what looked to be #6 shot(I shoot 9's) in his breast. I also found a couple in one of his legs so I imagine that was causing his limp. The bird weighed only 14 lbs.  I'm glad I was able to take this bird and hopefully the dominant one will go on to breed.

It's supposed to be really cold these next few days so I think I'll skip it and wait until next week and try to find some more.



The road I shot him on



harleytom

Congrats! Nice story also


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Yoder409

CONGRATS !!!!!!!!!!!

GREAT story and BEAUTIFUL setting for a hunt !!!!

:icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
PA elitist since 1979

The good Lord ain't made a gobbler I can't kill.  I just gotta be there at the right time.....  on the day he wants to die.

zsully

Congrats Mossy! Way to get on the board! Great story too!

JeffC

Great read, picture with Tom on log would be sooo much better if you Smiled. Congrats.
Print by Madison Cline, on Flickr

twyatt


Delmar ODonnell

Congrats, Mossy! Glad you were able to give him a much quicker death than he probably would have otherwise suffered. Wonder if he was shot during youth season?

Mossyguy

Quote from: Delmar ODonnell on March 16, 2023, 10:34:04 AM
Congrats, Mossy! Glad you were able to give him a much quicker death than he probably would have otherwise suffered. Wonder if he was shot during youth season?

I was thinking about that last night. It was pretty healed over so I'm guessing either he was shot last year as a jake or someone tried to plug him during squirrel season. But you could tell it was affecting him by the way he walked and his weight. The last time I took one like that was almost 15 years ago in Kentucky and he'd been shot as well.

POk3s


Vintage


Tom007

Way to go my brother. Great story, great photos.....congrats!

Paulmyr

I find 7.5 lead in birds while I'm cleaning them quite often. A product of public land opprotunistic poachers I'm guessing.
Paul Myrdahl,  Goat trainee

"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, and I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.". John Wayne, The Shootist.

a_jabbo