Well, I finally was able to put a bird down. Been a long season for me, and glad it's over. I knew from the weather reports, that yesterday and today were gonna be my last, so I'll start with yesterday.
Set up on some property across from mine. Had my back to another property that I can't hunt. Birds start gobbling early, and were responding well to my glass call. Finally had a bird working and after about an hour, he was within 50 yards or so, but in deep brush. Then, two B2 Stealth bombers fly directly overhead, at very low altitude, talk about earth and tree shaking!, and I never heard from that tom again. Fast forward to today.
I set up where he was gobbling from yesterday, strike my glass call at around 6:15, and he hammers to the north of where I was sitting yesterday. Just my luck this year. Well, an hour later, I hit my call again, and he starts gobbling nonstop from where I was set up yesterday. Man, I figured If I move down the ridge a little, and close the gap, I can call him by me. Wrong. He skirted around me in cover and up the ridge to where I was sitting, leaving me to scramble up and try and cut him off. Big rookie mistake, I know. Should have just stayed put. He would have been right in my lap. Anyways, I try and call softly, but to know avail. He didn't see any decoys, so off down the ridge to the north he goes, gobbling every so often, and getting fainter each time. So, I grab my gear, and head down to the lower field, and set up in the same spot I did yesterday. Call a bit, and take a nap. An hour later or so, I wake, and see a hen coming into the field from the far side, 150 yards away. Figured she would work her way up to my deeks. Nope, she hangs up. Look to my right, and here he comes into the field. I figured he go up to my dekes first, and it would be all over. Nope. He goes straight out into the middle of the field and struts. I tried a little soft purrs to no avail and watch them move to the west, and disappear into an area where 3 creeks come together. Now, I know it's my last day, so I'm gonna beat this to the end. I get up, and take only my gun, and my bino's and head straight across the field and drop down into the creek. Take it west to where the 3 meet, and ease up the far bank to the hidden field on the other side. There is a big maple there, one I have used before. I start to ease up to it, and spy the hen out about 20 yards. Then I hear the drumming. Peak around the tree, and there he is. 10 yards away. I pull up the gun, and aim it out around the tree and waited. He moves to my right, and I clucked at him with my mouth, and he reached out to gobble, and the boom wailed! My 2014 bird is in the books. Weighed 23lbs, 10in beard, ¾, and 7/8 spurs. All I can say is, he loved my glass call, but because of the bombers, and my screw ups, I wasn't able to close the deal like I would have, but had to put a stalk on him to get him. It was still a long and enjoyable hunt tho.
(http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t62/Mastevt/turkeys/IMG_0590_zps0c6cfb57.jpg) (http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Mastevt/media/turkeys/IMG_0590_zps0c6cfb57.jpg.html)
(http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t62/Mastevt/turkeys/IMG_0591_zps0494eb54.jpg) (http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Mastevt/media/turkeys/IMG_0591_zps0494eb54.jpg.html)
(http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t62/Mastevt/turkeys/IMG_0592_zps5d367a60.jpg) (http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Mastevt/media/turkeys/IMG_0592_zps5d367a60.jpg.html)
(http://i157.photobucket.com/albums/t62/Mastevt/turkeys/IMG_0596_zps5bee47ca.jpg) (http://s157.photobucket.com/user/Mastevt/media/turkeys/IMG_0596_zps5bee47ca.jpg.html)
Congrats on a good looking bird...
Awesome job! I would be proud that you got aggressive, made the right decision and put a nice tom down.
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:happy0064:very nice,congrats
congrats
Very nice. Congrats
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Nice one :)
Well, we all love them to come in strutting and gobbling. But sometimes you have to do whatever it takes to get the job done!! Congrats on a well deserved gobbler!! :icon_thumright:
Congrats!!!
Very nice!!!
Congrats
:icon_thumright:
congrats on a nice looking bird