Opened up the season in FLA on one of my favorite WMA's. I was very excited.......until I saw the forecast. >:( 2 days of rain, then the front was to pass through and have high winds. :( Not exactly my favorite hunting conditions, but when you get drawn for a public hunt, you go when the hunt is. Bad as I thought it was, it got worse. Opening morning wasn't bad weather, yet, but the Wally's were abundant. Between the weather and the Wally's I struck out.
So I headed to my camp in S. Carolina. Weather was great the first 2 mornings. The birds liked it too! Lots of gobbling, but no cooperative birds. Then the weather got worse, with sporadic rains for a couple of days, followed by a weekend of 2 days of rain. The next morning was nice weather with the front having pushed through. Poor gobbling morning, so I went to a spot the turks travel through. Sat there from dawn until 1030. Decided to change locations. Was packing up my stuff when I heard footsteps splashing in the water. Eased my head around and there were 2 longbeards and 2 jakes standing 28 yards away. I slooooooowly reached for my gun but they busted me and ran off. Aaaaaaargh!! >:( :-\ ::)
Next day was a great gobbling day, but the gobblers didn't show. I called in 4 super jakes, and 2 solo hens. Finally, while switching locations, I heard a courtesy gobble at 1130. I closed the gap, crow called and got another gobble!! :icon_thumright: Closed to 150 yards, he gobbled again on his own. I was on a field edge, he was in a swamp. I quickly set a decoy out in the field, and retreated to a tree. I floated out some yelps and he gobbled!! :gobble: Waited a few minutes, and clucked loudly. He gobbled again, and had closed half the distance!! :funnyturkey: I gave him the silent treatment and watched where he gobbled from.
A few minutes later, a jake walks out on the field edge. I knew that was not a jake gobble, so I sat still. Then I saw another bird easing along the brush at the field edge. Then another. And another!!! :o
3 longbeards were following the jake. As soon as they rounded the corner and saw my hen deke, the dominant bird busted into full strut. :turkey: I started sizing up the 3, deciding which one to shoot. While I was doing that, the biggest gobbler and the strutter crossed heads. I aimed at the strutter to see if that happened again. It did, and as the heads crossed, I dropped the hammer, and 2 longbeards fell!!! :fud: :OGani: :OGani: :you_rock: :turkey2:
I jumped out of my chair and whooped it up!! :happy0064: :icon_thumright: :funnyturkey:
Gobbler #1 had a 10" beard, weighed 19.2 lbs, had 1" & 7/8" spurs, scoring 57.875.
Gobbler #2, the strutter, had a 9-7/8" shot off beard (I hate when pellets go through the beard >:( >:( >:(), weighed 16.2 lbs, with twin 1" spurs, scoring 55.875.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/Hunting%20Pics/SC9_zpsgfm7mje3.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RutnNStrutn/media/Hunting%20Pics/SC9_zpsgfm7mje3.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/Hunting%20Pics/SC10_zpsqfqujka5.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RutnNStrutn/media/Hunting%20Pics/SC10_zpsqfqujka5.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/Hunting%20Pics/SC11_zpshvn9ffan.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RutnNStrutn/media/Hunting%20Pics/SC11_zpshvn9ffan.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/Hunting%20Pics/SC12_zps3pqztyaa.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RutnNStrutn/media/Hunting%20Pics/SC12_zps3pqztyaa.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/Hunting%20Pics/SC14_zpsnpz22veu.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RutnNStrutn/media/Hunting%20Pics/SC14_zpsnpz22veu.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/Hunting%20Pics/SC15_zpsqakilgwg.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RutnNStrutn/media/Hunting%20Pics/SC15_zpsqakilgwg.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/Hunting%20Pics/SC16_zpsxhuhu4bh.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RutnNStrutn/media/Hunting%20Pics/SC16_zpsxhuhu4bh.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/Hunting%20Pics/SC17_zps2jjgiuav.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RutnNStrutn/media/Hunting%20Pics/SC17_zps2jjgiuav.jpg.html)
The next couple of days were filled by gay gobblers that were by themselves, but walked away when I called to them. Oh well, 1 more tag left for my SC season, and I've still got a couple of hunts to go in FLA, 1 public, 1 private. Beyond that, got several options. I love the spring!!!
Very nice. Congrats
Awesome story and pics. Best of luck in getting #3 for the season :icon_thumright: :smiley-patriotic-flagwaver-an
Right On! WTG Jim. :z-guntootsmiley:
Wow. Great hunt. A day to remember.
Nice work Rutn! Nothing like those late morning birds.
Good deal!
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Congrats Brother on a true Rut Double. Waiting on some more birds on the board...go team! :gobble: