Had a good start to the 2016 season in Louisiana yesterday morning. Got on this bird early and watched him fly down. Could see him but didn't have a shot as soon as his feet hit the ground and had to watch as he strutted over a hill out of sight. I felt confident that my hunt was over but I was wrong. He had quit gobbling but I stayed in the same area only moving 1 time. At 9:37 he finally gobbled again about 300 yards away. I hit my box call and he answered... 8 minutes later he was strutting 6 steps over my left shoulder. Pretty sure he could hear my heart beating and spooked. He pitched up to fly but my wing shootin' game was on and rolled him up :newmascot: Healthy 2 yr old bird, 19.5lbs 9.75" beard 3/4" spurs I'm going to keep this thread going and hopefully add to it throughout the spring!
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/Turkey/8E95BCD5-E575-4AB5-B073-F061F5EA104D_zpsfidnlozb.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/Turkey/8E95BCD5-E575-4AB5-B073-F061F5EA104D_zpsfidnlozb.jpg.html)
Congrats and nice shot.
Right on, congratulations! Good luck on the rest of the season.
congrats
Congrats....
Awesome, Congrats!! :icon_thumright:
The longer I hunt, the more inclined I am to stick it out if I know I'm in a good turkey place, whether I'm hearing birds or not. It's surprising how often an hour or three later I've got gobbling birds around me and I don't seem to kill any less than I did when I used to cover a lot more ground. Congrats again.
Bob
congrats
Congrats ... nice bird.
Way to go! Congrats!
Not going to lie, I had to force myself out of bed this morning since it had stormed all night, was still windy and 65 degrees at 5 a.m. but it was my only chance to go this week and I'd already bought my 1 day license. So, I made the hour drive south and got out of my truck just as the ground was light enough to walk. Made the walk in and decided to stop short of where I did Saturday morning since I bumped a bird off the limb. Hadn't got sat down good when one gobbled right where they were Saturday morning! I felt like I knew what move to make so I got in gear. Circled nearly all the way around them and got on the side of the next hill over. One bird has gobbled 4 or 5 times when I decide it's light enough for them to be on the ground so I get part of the wing out from the bird I got Saturday and "flew down" with it. I didn't call just used the sound of the wing when the woods exploded... Little did I know there was 3 gobblers between me and the one I set up on. I "flew down" again and within minutes I hear them start pitching out. Couple more minutes and I catch movement to my right. A single long beard walks up on a shelf and without stopping right on over to the other side. I am just fixing to call when I see another one coming, a hen is walking in his tracks...then I hear one drumming right over the side of the hill. I spot the top of his fan and he is a lot closer, too close... He struts up on the shelf about 20 steps away and I made a rookie, impatient decision...I tried to shoot him in full strut through a bunch of briars and vines. Clean missed him. My heart sank and I felt confident my hunt was over...but little did I know it was just gettin' started. I made another set up hoping to strike another bird but to no avail. I moved back to the area I had killed at Saturday morning when at 8:30 he gobbles about 300 yds to the east. Game on I think.. He gobbles a couple times on his own as I'm trying to get set up when I hear the sound I'd been dreading...a box call. He had got someone else's attention and they are convinced to make him gobble to their box (if you are reading this, I apologize.) "They" walk closer and call again and again and again. Then I can hear them going the other way, hooting and calling. I hold my ground and at 9:45 he gobbles at a crow, he hasn't moved... Then another gobble and another. I announce my company and he likes it. Within minutes he gobbles at 70 yds..drumming starts and I see him. He is working to my left and angling away up the hill. I give him a little "I'm down here sweetie" talk and he immediately turns my way. I let him strut to an opening in the pines at 40 yds and it was all over. A nice adult public land bird. 23 lbs 10.75" beard, 1" spurs. I didn't rush back to the truck...I just slowly walked back and took it all in. Truly blessed.
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/Turkey/2E8F5888-AAED-48DD-AEBA-CC8E6BB6BE6B_zpsfrhz3yrg.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/Turkey/2E8F5888-AAED-48DD-AEBA-CC8E6BB6BE6B_zpsfrhz3yrg.jpg.html)
NICE Bird!!! WTG on two fine gobblers!! :drool:
Congrats once again, beautiful bird!! Thanks for sharing the story. There isn't much as sweet as the walk back with a bird over your shoulder. :icon_thumright:
Bob
Congrats!!!
Great stories thanks for sharing
Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk
That's an awesome bird. Congrats.
Way to stick with it! Congrats on your birds! :icon_thumright:
awesome
Was blessed again this weekend during the AR youth hunt. My son and I had an incredible hunt Saturday morning but it sure didn't start that way! We stood at the truck until it was nearly fly down and could hear two birds but nothing close or on our lease. There was "one" north of us about 5-600 yds if not more that was hammerin' down telling the news! There was also one just west of our lease about 200 yds. We went into a bottom and set up kinda between them if you will about 150 yds off our land line so not within 300 yds of a gobbling turkey, not exactly ideal or confidence boosting! I knew both birds were on the ground by the time we got decoys out and ready. I called several times and could get a response out of the bird to the west but the ones to the north had went silent. Bird to the west was steadily moving south so I just knew this hunt was over before it had even really got started, boy was I wrong! Around 7:20 I sat up straight and called fairly loud with a mouth call when one gobbles less than 100 yds in front of us! I see Jacob get his gun up and within seconds he whispers "I see THEM" 30 seconds but what seemed like an hour past and I finally can see them coming at nearly a run. They get about 10 yds from the decoys and lock up. I'm nearly laying down by now and about to die wondering why he isn't shooting! That's when I hear foot steps and can see another one out of the corner of my eye strutting less than 10 yds to his left. He is froze and waiting for a clear shot. There is a classic strutter and looker situation in front of us and a strutter right in his lap to his left. Lots of drumming and then they start gobbling at each other. At this point my heart is about to blow out of my chest and I'm blacking out cause I'm trying not to breath!!! Finally he gets the shot he wanted and BOOM down goes the strutter!! His best AR bird with a 10.5 beard and 1-3/8 Spurs and weighed 22 lbs I'm sure y'all know for me to say I'm proud of him would be an understatement. Great way to kick off the 2016 AR season!! 870 20 ga HW 7's
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/Turkey/56BA9ACA-8AB4-4113-9DD2-CD81DCEB7B55_zps3cighfgc.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/Turkey/56BA9ACA-8AB4-4113-9DD2-CD81DCEB7B55_zps3cighfgc.jpg.html)(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/Turkey/33533E69-D0C1-402D-9A23-7A34FEACCDE0_zpskghvf60y.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/Turkey/33533E69-D0C1-402D-9A23-7A34FEACCDE0_zpskghvf60y.jpg.html)
Several nice hunts, I have spooked several gobs by breathing hard. I hope it never gets old. Congrats!
A pic of the set up, not exactly ideal but it worked...
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/Turkey/4890CA70-B32C-4332-9470-37DBBF6A58FB_zpswcxyyfn7.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/Turkey/4890CA70-B32C-4332-9470-37DBBF6A58FB_zpswcxyyfn7.jpg.html)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/Turkey/B6B6B73B-DE4D-4173-9A2F-73E6D4EA9AE5_zps0xier8m5.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/Turkey/B6B6B73B-DE4D-4173-9A2F-73E6D4EA9AE5_zps0xier8m5.jpg.html)
Very nicely done
Saturday morning after Jacob got his my dad and I swapped kids. My son went home to skin his turkey and my daughter and I took off trying to find one still gobbling. We hunted until noon and came up empty. Saturday night she wanted to go to a local rodeo event so we did and didn't get home until 1am. To my surprise they both got up Sunday morning at 5am and were ready to roll. We went back to the same area my son and I had went Saturday. Daylight comes along with 10 mph winds and considerably warmer air. We finally hear a bird to the south west and take off. We get fairly close and wait for him to gobble again to determine which side of the creek he is on. He finally gobbles again and I can tell he is on the ground and on the north side. We move about 100 yards and I get the decoys on top of the little hill and we get set up all 3 by the same tree. He wasn't answering my calls and started moving away. He started north and went about 300 yards away and the wind started to pick up. Once again I was sure our hunt was over. I got out my box to do what I felt certain wouldn't work and started hammerin on it pretty loud. He had got so far that I couldn't hear them but my son would tell me "he just gobbled." After 10 minutes or so he gobbles and he is closer. Few more minutes pass and he gobbles less than 100 yds. I help my daughter get the gun on her shoulder and I steady the trigger stick with my left hand. I can then hear walking in the leaves and 3 gobble just over the hill and about blow our head nets off! I had showed Macie 2 big trees and told her that when they walk between them to shoot. Well the first 2 came running in and blew right past that gap but I could see a strutter coming in slowly behind them. When he hit the opening I called really soft and he turned towards us just as I watched his head disappear over his back. She absolutely smoked him at 15 yards!! I then went to trying to help Jacob get on one of the others but he couldn't ever get a shot. It was a very special and emotional morning for me to be enjoying what I love with 2 people that I love so dearly. It was Macie's first long beard and her 3rd total. I could tell that even big brother was proud of her. She shot him with Jacob's Sarsa ESA 20 ga topped with a Nikon turkey scope, Hevi Shot 7's and JellyHead choke. We didn't weigh him but I'm gonna guess around 18 pounds, had an 11-1/8 beard and 1-1/8 spurs. They make me so proud.
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/Turkey/58E0A3FB-9FDE-4552-B646-85D3B6D84772_zpsknatrwa2.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/Turkey/58E0A3FB-9FDE-4552-B646-85D3B6D84772_zpsknatrwa2.jpg.html)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/Turkey/334E5E61-2929-4F37-8757-9A0E10540E42_zpsros3kkdg.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/Turkey/334E5E61-2929-4F37-8757-9A0E10540E42_zpsros3kkdg.jpg.html)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/Turkey/F178E433-8C7A-40CB-A9E0-ED279BC7370B_zpsljer6ugd.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/Turkey/F178E433-8C7A-40CB-A9E0-ED279BC7370B_zpsljer6ugd.jpg.html)
And this is probably my favorite and I'm going to get it framed...
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/Turkey/7D8F7D5A-3C95-49E5-9070-1606CB2774AF_zpsvrbgehug.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/Turkey/7D8F7D5A-3C95-49E5-9070-1606CB2774AF_zpsvrbgehug.jpg.html)
Congratulations on some awesome birds, great pictures, and even better time hunting with the kids! Love it, way to go.
Congrats!! :icon_thumright:
Love those last two updates...nothing better than seeing kids get out and enjoy the outdoors and all hunting has to offer
You've got yourself two good hunters. With the patience your children showed they can successfully hunt anything. The nice thing about it is that as the years go by, someday they will be taking you hunting.
man. congrats!! awesome memories for a lifetime.
Congrats to the kids. That is icing on the cake right there!
Congrats! That's what its all about. I've love taking my kids way more than hunting myself anymore. Chuck
My season has finally came to an end. I missed 5 mornings between April 16th and May 10th so I have no complaints there. I did strike out in my home state which I have not done since they opened it in my county in 1994. Made a trip north the day after our season closed and was able to get a bird the first evening there. Called in a bird in for my buddy the next morning and I tagged out that evening on a nice triple bearded bird. Headed home and contacted an different farmer that I'd met years ago and decided to make a family trip to his place. My son actually talked my wife into going with us since it was Mothers Day weekend. She is as far from a hunter as most of you could imagine but she was willing to go and get away for a weekend with us. We got to camp right at daylight Friday morning and my wife and daughter go straight to bed but my son and I got hunt. We watched 3 lbs fly down to 8 hens. We leave them hoping to find some other birds that maybe willing to play but were unsuccessful so around 9am we go back and strike the 3 lbs again near the same field. I get a decoy out and they start coming...fast! I lay down about 10 yards from the decoy and my son is actually between the decoy and the gobblers. They run up with in 15 steps of him and he missed. It hurt both of us. The shot didn't seem to bother them to bad so we planned to go get some lunch and come back. That evening we all watch them fly up but never anything close enough for a shot. The next morning my son and I are sitting within 100 yds of them when they fly down. The first bird to the field is a long beard and he sees the decoys and comes running. My son shot him in full strut at 14 steps standing beak to beak with my strutter decoy. Nice 2 yr old bird with 9.5" beard and 3/4" spurs. We got back to camp to show momma and lil sister and she gets fired up and wants to go find one. First place we hit we strike 2 birds and they are coming in on a string...until and airplane buzzes the field and they vanish. We sat for over and hour but never heard or saw them again. That evening we all 4 go get in a blind close to when my son missed. Put out 3 hens, 1 jake and 1 strutter decoy (sounds dumb and looked dumb too but oh well) to try and get their attention more our way. Had no more got settled in good when one gobbles in the woods behind us. I call and he cuts me off. Within 10 minutes 2 gobblers come in the field about 200 yds from us but appear oblivious to the flock of decoys. I call and finally get their attention our way. They start strutting and get about 100 yds away and appear to going to hang up there when I decided to gobble at them. It was all they could take and they start slowly inching our way. My daughter was in my lap and my son was in my wifes lap so we were all getting to see the show. After what seemed like an eternity they finally get within range and she smokes the "white one." It was a hunt that none of us will ever forget and to have my wife there with is made it that much more special. I'm truly blessed to have 2 kids that share my passion and a wife that is willing to support it even though I know there are times she thinks I need to be committed to a mental hospital. Kids have really started taking interest in calling and my son has started asking a lot of why questions concerning set ups and calling.
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/Turkey/2AA5AA3C-4D52-4185-BAB0-4BD5C85335D2_zpsbc0yymut.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/Turkey/2AA5AA3C-4D52-4185-BAB0-4BD5C85335D2_zpsbc0yymut.jpg.html)(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/Turkey/CB54A68A-0559-43EE-8186-8D559FD1C04B_zpsir6xj3sg.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/Turkey/CB54A68A-0559-43EE-8186-8D559FD1C04B_zpsir6xj3sg.jpg.html)
:turkey2: My 2 birds. Shot one of them with the kids 20 gauge!
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/Turkey/AF8E6EF5-EE16-4442-A065-DA3DB7D86E1C_zpswzaeo5rp.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/Turkey/AF8E6EF5-EE16-4442-A065-DA3DB7D86E1C_zpswzaeo5rp.jpg.html)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/Turkey/1414BF41-4CAF-462E-B3D5-2FC24AE3C4B5_zpszoulggc8.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/Turkey/1414BF41-4CAF-462E-B3D5-2FC24AE3C4B5_zpszoulggc8.jpg.html)
Congrats! Looks like you have had an excellent year!
VERY nice! Congrats on a great one! :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Congrats on your season!
Congrats on a great season! You ARE truly blessed with a great family! Great that you have them out with you enjoying it all together! What part of AR you from BBD? I went to college at Tech and spent 6 years in Russellville. Would move back there tomorrow if I could!
Congrats again!
Quote from: BBD on April 11, 2016, 11:49:37 AM
And this is probably my favorite and I'm going to get it framed...
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l113/bigbuckdown_06/Turkey/7D8F7D5A-3C95-49E5-9070-1606CB2774AF_zpsvrbgehug.jpg) (http://s94.photobucket.com/user/bigbuckdown_06/media/Turkey/7D8F7D5A-3C95-49E5-9070-1606CB2774AF_zpsvrbgehug.jpg.html)
That definitely deserves to be in a frame, wallpaper for the desktop, screensaver etc etc as it a priceless piece that you are truly blessed to have. Congratulations on a great season....