I live in Georgia, so the Eastern has been a main stay for me. Back in 2008 I got a chance to go to south Florida and busted a nice Osceola. Still didn't consider going for the slam, even though the hardest was in the books. That all changed two years ago when I got an invite to Kansas to hunt with a great friend and his son. Took him up on it and by the second afternoon I was done with the Rio. So last year I took a chance and went to Nebraska where I got beat like a rented mule for 6 long and agonizing days. Had a couple of opportunities the second morning, but thought I could do better. MISTAKE! So this year I booked a trip to New Mexico and the second morning everything fell right where God wanted it. Steep doesn't begin to describe the terrain, nor does adding in the fact that I was hunting at 9000+ feet above sea level, definitely put a hurting on this old fat guy. That morning I knew a bird was roosted on a ridge, so I got there extra early and began a long trek up the side of that blasted mountain. Had to stop 5 or 6 times to catch my breath. Found a small plateau where I thought the bird would pitch down too and sat against a tree with my gun pointed to that spot. The bird began gobbling in the dark and I knew he was only 40yds from me, even knew which tree, just couldn't see him yet. Finally get enough light and I see him strutting on the limb and gobbling. When he finally did fly down, he flew away and my heart sank. He would gobble, but I could tell he was walking away. Just then a hen starting clucking up the hill from us, every time she would cluck, I would hit her back instantly. Well, that fired up a nasty ol hen that was with the gobbler. So I started hammering at her on a slate call, that really ticked her off. I have never hit a call so hard, thought I had cracked the slate. She came up the hill and dragged him with her. He was 20yds behind me gobbling, so I had to maneuver around the tree, put the dot on his head and dropped him. That's when the fun began. I dropped my head and gave a few words of thanks to God, then the gobbler started flopping and rolling. Now I am on my feet, chasing that darned heathen BACK down the stupid mountain, he even rolled under a barb wire fence and kept going. I finally caught up to him, thankful and worn out. Then looked back up the mountain and my knees buckled as I had to go back up there and retrieve all my gear :TooFunny:
Congratulations on the slam and great job on the story. Enjoyed the read and could picture that old gobbler flopping and rolling down the hill.
Congrats
Congratulations on the slam! :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
:gobble:
Congrats!
Way to go Lee!!!
I know you well enough to predict what you said as you looked up the hill " CRAP"..
:TooFunny: :TooFunny:
Congrats again. Couldn't happen to a better person!!!! I'm proud of you.
Congratulations again, Lee. ...Enjoyed having you here!
Jim
congrats :icon_thumright:
Congrats, on a great job...
Congrats! :icon_thumright:
:icon_thumright:
Congrats on your slam
Congrats!! Enjoyed the story!!
:icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Congrats Lee! Sounds like quite the adventure, way to go bud...
Congrats
Awesome hunt, congratulations. :icon_thumright:
Congrats on the bird, your slam AND surviving the climb back up!
Thanks everyone, I had a blast and am looking forward to starting it over again next year. And I highly recommend SNM Turkey Hunts. Jim and Ryan are good people. This was all public land in the Lincoln National Forest
Quote from: GobbleNut on May 13, 2016, 06:00:50 PM
Congratulations again, Lee. ...Enjoyed having you here!
Jim
Hope to come back out next year and bring my son. Just have to sell more turkey calls
Congrats on your slam!
Congrats!
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congrats on your slam
Congrats! Chasing them down the mountain is half the fun.
Congrats on your slam, and with that great story too!!
Congratulations Lee.
Congrats on your slam! And thanks for the story, I really enjoyed reading that
Congrats Lee!!
Congratulations Lee as there is no better feeling than that 1st completed slam. But you will find with time that now you will figure out how to return to some of those beautiful spots again and again. :)
Congratulations
Awesome. :you_rock: I completed mine last Sunday as well.
Congrats on your slam Lee !!
2015 Old Gobbler contest Champions