Jacob and I left Thursday night for NE when I got home from work. We'd been where we could hunt about 20 minutes when we spotted this one strutting in a field with 2 hens. We hit the ditch and started putting a stalk on him. First place we crawled up to check him he was no where to be seen. We went about another 100 yards before I crawled up to check again. At first glance I couldn't see him anywhere but then I spotted his hens about 40 yards to my left right on the edge. That is when I heard him spit and drum, he was about 10 steps right infront of me, so close that I couldn't see him because of the levee around the field. I slid back down in the creek banks, dropped my vest and told Jacob that he was really close. I got the gun mounted on the trigger stick and eased back up behind a small split tree. I stuck the gun through the split and motioned for Jacob to come up the bank. When he got on the gun I told him to start standing up until he could see him. He was all the way stood up before he said "Ooo" and I saw him drop his head to the gun. He then said, there is some limbs in the way. I asked "Can you see his head?" He said "Yeah" I told him to "SHOOT him then!!" He shot him without me even being able to see the turkey. I jump up and he if flopping at 18 steps. We get to him and realize that is a triple beard with some nice hooks. After alot of huggin', high five's and fist bumping we started taking pics.
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/NETB_zps4cd96e9c.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/NETB_zps4cd96e9c.jpg.html)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/NETBHooks_zps4ea3d29d.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/NETBHooks_zps4ea3d29d.jpg.html)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/NELH_zps425f1daf.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/NELH_zps425f1daf.jpg.html)
Friday evening while slipping around we flushed a hen off a big clutch. Got a quick pic and moved on. The weather was totally opposite of what we had in KS two weeks ago. The Turkey Commander was in full effect 8)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/NEeggs_zps2c5c3c04.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/NEeggs_zps2c5c3c04.jpg.html)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/TC_zps2bc92036.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/TC_zps2bc92036.jpg.html)
Friday evening we aslo got a big tom, a jake, and 10 hens roosted. Saturday morning at 4:40 we were sitting with 40 yards of them. They all sailed down into the field and landed 70 yards from us. Because of the terrain we were unable to get around them. We spend nearly all day in that area and never even saw another turkey. Yesterday morning we start off in the same area without hearing a gobble. We leave and check 2 other places with no luck. We decide to go back to the where we started and when we pull in we can see a strutter with 4 hens. We close the distance to about 300 yards and get set up. This is an area that I'd never hunted and had no idea what they normally do but luckily after watching them for 2.5 hours they start our way. It starts raining and they do all but start running right at us. The 4 hens come back and this ole boy was right behind them. He swung just a hair wider than the hens did and Jacob hammered him at 39 steps. A great end to a great trip. We were with another father and his 3 kids, 16 yr old son, 13 yr old daughter, and his 10 yr old son. All 4 kids on the trip got atleast 1. We were VERY forunate considering the amount of time and opportunites we had. I never even got my gun out of the case, it's just 100,000 times better watching him do it.
Rainy NE 2 yr old
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/IMG_1141_zps6202ac40.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/IMG_1141_zps6202ac40.jpg.html)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/NE20ga_zps82879b2f.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/NE20ga_zps82879b2f.jpg.html)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/NE2_zpsbc6d090e.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/NE2_zpsbc6d090e.jpg.html)
Congrats to both of you!!! That boy is deadly...doesn't hurt having a good guide though.
Now for the funny stuff....after his "after" videos from last year in NE I thought I'd try to make some more. The boy ain't right that is all I can say. I'll admit that there has been a time in his life that I was really worried that he wouldn't be a hunter. Well the young man absolutely hunted his tail off this weekend. Hunting up there is the most phyiscal hunting I've ever done. It's constant up, down, over and under. Covering lots of ground without being seen is the name of the game up there and he made every move I made without complaining the first time. I am VERY proud of him. He has had alot of hunts that appeared to have been handed to him on a silver platter but I promise you neither of these were. Don't know many grown men who would have sat still for nearly 3 hours in the rain yesterday morning, it dang sure wasn't easy for me.
Enjoy ;D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4q2NOpADAg (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4q2NOpADAg)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4gDfHsKHII&list=UUNinNXgm6codrH2nR_qemGw&index=1 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4gDfHsKHII&list=UUNinNXgm6codrH2nR_qemGw&index=1)
Good Stuff BBD. I'm taking my boy to Kansas Thursday. Hope we have the same luck yall did!
Congrats to that young man!
Congrats Jacob...you are a killa :happy0064: :z-guntootsmiley:
congrats jacob :icon_thumright:
Thats great. Loved watching him wrestle that turkey.
TRKYHTR
Good job Dad!
You've created a monster ;) :OGani:
Outstanding! :icon_thumright:
Congrats to the both of you. That's one happy young man. :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
:theman: JACOB you are the MAN :theman:
You Are the BEST turkey wrangler I have ever seen.
If you and your Dad ever make it to Ohio I would Love to go hunting with you .
Looks like y'all had a blast. Congrats
What an accomplishment. Great job.
Awesome. Congrats to you both......
Congrats Jacob and to your Dad! Great birds and great pics!
congrats Jacob !! :icon_thumright:
Congrats!!
That right there is awesome. Can't wait to get my boy his first turkey. That boy isnt afraid of those spurs, I don't know many grown men that would get that close to those kicking spurs let alone a kid. Congrats and keep those memories going.
congrats to the young man
"You'd better stop or I'm gonna hurt you!!" :lol: ;D :TooFunny:
That boy is a sho nuff turkey killer!! You must be a proud papa!! :icon_thumright: