I'm tagged out in Carolina with an upgrade bird to my previous contest entry. :icon_thumright: Not much gobbling on the roost that morning, but after relocating, a gobbler fired up 200 yards away at 1015. :gobble: He gobbled 84 times in the next 40 minutes, at my calls, song birds and crows. Finally he got quiet, so I fed him silence as well.
After 10 minutes I floated out a few clucks followed by some soft yelps. He roared back his approval from just inside the woods. :gobble: Five minutes later he stepped out on the edge of the field. He walked into the field, but wasn't on course. I clucked at him, he raised his head, spotted my DSD hen, broke into strut :turkey: and started angling his way in towards her.
It took him about 8 minutes to work his way in. I dropped the hammer on my Dad's old Browning A5 when he was 25 yards out. The Federal Heavyweight #7's hit home and he crumpled into the dirt, a mere 10 yards from where the other two gobblers fell on my last trip. He weighed 18 pounds, had a 9-5/8" beard and twin 1-5/16" spurs.
He was the first gobbler I've taken with Dad's old gun that I tracked down and bought back after Pop passed away. :icon_thumright: It was an emotional harvest. I finally got a gobbler with my Dad's gun!! I knelt over the bird, looked towards Heaven and said thank you to my Dad. I know he was watching over me, and was smiling.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/Hunting%20Pics/SC%202016d_zpsfxew3zum.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RutnNStrutn/media/Hunting%20Pics/SC%202016d_zpsfxew3zum.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/Hunting%20Pics/SC%202016c_zpsdvaeyqyd.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RutnNStrutn/media/Hunting%20Pics/SC%202016c_zpsdvaeyqyd.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/Hunting%20Pics/SC%202016k_zpsu2yabmew.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RutnNStrutn/media/Hunting%20Pics/SC%202016k_zpsu2yabmew.jpg.html)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/Hunting%20Pics/SC%202016b_zps1if7ku1p.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RutnNStrutn/media/Hunting%20Pics/SC%202016b_zps1if7ku1p.jpg.html)
Dad's A5 that I tracked down and bought back after he passed away.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v476/RutnNStrutn/Hunting%20Pics/Dads%20A5_zpsvherj97a.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/RutnNStrutn/media/Hunting%20Pics/Dads%20A5_zpsvherj97a.jpg.html)
Way to go Jim, you are on them this year!
Congrats. Awesome bird.
Still got some good hunts to go too!! :icon_thumright:
Sweet! :z-guntootsmiley: nothing better to harvest with your pops A-5 WTG Jim! Congrats
Congrats! Great job!
Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk
Heck of a season so far Rut, congrats!
You're on fire
Go ahead
Good hunt and better story. Glad to see you took an old gun out. You are racking them up this year!
Congrats again brother. Gonna call you in a bit for an update on your ongoing hunt.
Thanks guys!! :icon_thumright: