I have been hunting the same bird for two years previously, this season makes 3 years of chasing him. I would say the tally is about 12 hunts on him.
I have had the opportunity to see him on about 1/3 of those occasions but yesterday was different.
I can't really tell you how it was different it just was. Everything felt different actually. There was no anxiety, no rush, no worry of work nothing but bliss. The old bird lit off a couple of gobbles to which I responded to out from under a huge live oak. He flew down hit the ground right in the middle of the oak flat about 80 yards away and gobbled. It was chilly enough to see his gobble steamed breath.
His hens began singing to him and I joined in with them. One of the hens had the prettiest assembly call I have ever heard. He gobbled again more steam. The hens circled me looking and scratching. He gobbled again strutting and drumming now at 50 yards.
Gun up as he moved in closer. The next 30 minutes were the best show I have seen in awhile. The gun well, I just put it down.. I just wasn't mad at that old rascal anymore.
Now on to find one I don't like so much.
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:icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Congrats on a great hunt!! Success doesn't necessarily have to be measured by birds killed. You won the game and he's alive to gobble another day. :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Bob
If I fought with him that long I probably would have ended the battle. Either way it sounds like it's a memory you will never forget! Sounds very humbling.
Weird.
I get that. Totally respect it also. Sometimes it's enough to know you won. Even if he doesn't.
I like that hunt and outcome a lot! Well done, one for the memory books.
Not all successful hunts end with a bang. :z-winnersmiley:
Well done. I admire that in a hunter.
Your experience in letting that ol' gobbler go just reinforces what I tell those who get discouraged with their lack of success in that the animal you are hunting must win every time you hunt him, but you only have to win once.
Good story, I felt like I was there with ya!
Props! I did basically the same thing 2 years ago. Chased a bird for 2 years. Had 4 encounters with him on the last year. Should of been dead on the 2nd encounter at less than 20 yards, but my bolt wasn't all the way closed and nothing happened when I squeezed the trigger. I got on him on the next to the last day of the season about 12 noon. It was our 4th encounter and I finally got him to about 15 yards in front of me. I put the bead on his head and clicked the safety off. After about 30 seconds I clicked it back on. Just didn't feel right, he had made it all season and something just told me to let him live. I had never done that before, but was content just to watch him walk away. I got everything I wanted from that bird and was fine with the ending.
Good deal, just wondering how long you have been turkey hunting ?? I started in 1976 and have knocked down close to 200 gobblers. I have had remorse after I killed a bird that had whipped me several times. Knowing that I would never get to chase that bird again.
I have let several walk, just did not have the need to kill or was not all that angry at him. It felt good knowing I could have killed the gobblers that I let walk. And I left the woods with a big smile on my face on the days I let the birds live.
My hat is off to you for letting him walk...
Quote from: OldSchool on April 07, 2016, 10:14:53 AM
Congrats on a great hunt!! Success doesn't necessarily have to be measured by birds killed. You won the game and he's alive to gobble another day. :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Bob
:icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
It is admirable that you chose not to pull the trigger on him. I don't think I would have done what you did,...but it is admirable just the same. I have passed on shooting a lot of birds in my time, but if I've hunted a specific bird for three years straight, he is most likely going to get his snood slammed in the dirt when I finally get the chance. ;D
awesome story. my hats off to you. you will be rewarded by that action I am sure. it has gotten easier on me to let a few birds walk that I could have killed. I still pull the trigger but sometimes I don't. it all about you and that decision is personal. you played the game and beat him on his terms. that is a successful hunt imo. its a numbers game to a lot of people and to others its just having a memory such as this. great respect for you.
What is your opinion of the said bird now that you "let him go"?
Sent from the Strut Zone
A tom comes in range, and he will get the hammer from me... But, I do not have the opportunity at many birds in a season...
Twice while waterfowl hunting as a kid we passed on large flocks of birds. Both times we had flocks land just out of range, and watched... Those small flocks attracted more birds, and in short order we were covered up with snow geese. On one of the events, we were in the midst of a "white tornado" of geese, with geese funneling in, in huge flocks, with some birds mere feet from us.
I would guess that being an observer in the middle of that spectacle was more memorable than killing the 4 or 5 geese that we would have killed by shooting at them. Both times someone else ended up scaring the birds up eventually and we continued hunting.
My father and grandfather both told me, "as soon as you stop feeling at least a little bad about killing these birds at least once in a while, it is time to stop hunting."
That ol' tom gets to plant his seed at least one more time, and hopefully provide you or your family with the opportunity to hunt another bird... Kudos...
#respect
Hats off to you Sir.
I had a similar hunt last season. Though I had no previous encounters with him. He hung up at 40 yards and put on such a show that I elected not to kill him. Part of my decision was based on my camera not running and he influenced the rest. It was cold and I also could see his breath every gobble. I enjoyed him very much.
Quote from: Happy on April 07, 2016, 11:06:43 AM
I get that. Totally respect it also. Sometimes it's enough to know you won. Even if he doesn't.
So true. Maybe in years to come I can do that myself. For now :z-guntootsmiley:
Quote from: OldSchool on April 07, 2016, 10:14:53 AM
Congrats on a great hunt!! Success doesn't necessarily have to be measured by birds killed. You won the game and he's alive to gobble another day. :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Bob
Very well said :icon_thumright:
I give you a lot of credit.
In your shoes, I don't believe I could've done the same thing, but my hat is off to you! :icon_thumright:
Wow. Can't say I would have done the same. Not really sure what I think of it. I can say that I hunt because I love being out there and seeing and hearing the birds and for the experience and killing a bird doesn't matter. But in the end if that was the case I wouldn't have to carry a gun! I don't know whether to congratulate you or call you crazy! Lol! But in any case it must have been a heck of a hunt!
I commend your actions, but I would have difficulty passing up an old bird myself. I regularly allow the jakes and obvious 2 year old birds to walk because I hunt the same woods each year. My grandfather always taught me to leave the young birds and the egg layers alone, or your stealing from your future. I hope the rest of your season is as productive if you pull the trigger or not. Good luck & have fun.
Jim
Kinda like catch and release, like noddin your head at a friend.......
like what Gene Nunnery would do...... :icon_thumright:
I catch and release a ton of legal trout and redfish. Makes my brother mad at me.
I have not had many mature Toms that I have "released". I would say all were make able, but marginal shots and I just chose to let them walk. Had 2 jakes gobbling and strutting at 5 yards from me. That was one of my favorite hunts and no bird came home.
If it was just about the meat, Publix is cheaper. We all make our own rules outside of the law about how we want to harvest. Good job.
you are a true hunter, you enjoy hunting, not necessary just the killing. I tip my hat to you for expertise. I wish we had more hunters as yourself, I am a turkey hunter, and I take turkeys, however some of my more enjoyable hunts, I let them walk. thank you for sharing your hunt,i understand