BIRD #1: May 24
Had a quick, textbook hunt. Saw this guy strutting out in the field the previous night with 3 hens. I set up a blind and dekes in the field hoping they'd return in the morning. He started gobbling at 5:15. I didn't call to him until he hit the ground. My calls got a hen fired up and he went crazy. Within a few minutes a hen came down and headed for the decoys. He came out running in 3/4 strut. I could see his stubby beard...he wasn't the gobbler that I'd been watching here but he had a full fan and definately wasn't a jake so I clucked on the mouth call to stop him...he stopped and looked around and I leveled him. Game over at 5:45!!!
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/WNYBowhunter/zDSCN1215.jpg) (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/WNYBowhunter/media/zDSCN1215.jpg.html)
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/WNYBowhunter/zDSCN1177.jpg) (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/WNYBowhunter/media/zDSCN1177.jpg.html)
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/WNYBowhunter/zDSCN1227.jpg) (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/WNYBowhunter/media/zDSCN1227.jpg.html)
WTF??? Almost a straight cut across...
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/WNYBowhunter/zDSCN1237.jpg) (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/WNYBowhunter/media/zDSCN1237.jpg.html)
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/WNYBowhunter/zDSCN1265.jpg) (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/WNYBowhunter/media/zDSCN1265.jpg.html)
Another one falls to the Halloran Metal Mouth!!!
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/WNYBowhunter/zDSCN1223.jpg) (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/WNYBowhunter/media/zDSCN1223.jpg.html)
BIRD #2: May 29
I think I may have finally caught up with the gobbler that I've been chasing for the past couple of weeks at the same place as my first bird earlier in the week. My wife nearly killed him yesterday morning but he slipped through our fingers. Had him going this morning til 7:00 but neither I nor the real hens could lure him down the hillside. Eventually, he just shut up and I figured he had crossed the road above us. I left and drove around to check out another area and on the way back through where I had worked the bird earlier that morning, I spotted two longbeards fanned out in a corner of field circling each other and getting ready to fight!!! I hurried to get into position to intercept them further up the field. I got to the field not knowing exactly how far from them I was and was contemplating my next move when a full fan suddenly came into view at 35yds!!! I didn't even have time to sit...I raised the gun...he was facing away...I got him to raise life his head out of strut and delivered a load of Longbeard XR's to his face. Game over at 8:50. The other gobbler and 4-5 hens stood there and watched as I ran out to retrieve him. Not bad for the subordinate bird...almost 22lb, 10.5" beard and 1 1/4" hooks. One of the two was the "youth season" gobbler I had been after. The other one will have to wait until next year. This is the latest in season that I've ever punched a tag but it was worth the wait!!!
He lost a few tail feathers during the retrieval process. I also got a nice gash on my finger from grabbing his legs... :P
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/WNYBowhunter/zDSCN1325.jpg) (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/WNYBowhunter/media/zDSCN1325.jpg.html)
LIMBHANGER!!! :happy0064:
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/WNYBowhunter/zDSCN1327.jpg) (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/WNYBowhunter/media/zDSCN1327.jpg.html)
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/WNYBowhunter/zDSCN1329.jpg) (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/WNYBowhunter/media/zDSCN1329.jpg.html)
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/WNYBowhunter/zDSCN1352.jpg) (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/WNYBowhunter/media/zDSCN1352.jpg.html)
(http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b284/WNYBowhunter/zDSCN1280.jpg) (http://s21.photobucket.com/user/WNYBowhunter/media/zDSCN1280.jpg.html)
congrats, on your birds and season
Congrats, very nice
Congrats. Way to close out the season.
Obviously congratulations, but beyond that you wrote a good story with accompanying photos. In addition, you've got that gobbler gash to ponder after the season is over as a reminder that next spring you can do all of this all over again. The Illinois season has been out for almost four weeks and I'm already planning for next spring...and I've applied for a fall permit where I'll see if my peck order calling will work during autumn.
Congrats!!
:icon_thumright:
Great job! That second bird is a stud! Good job sticking it out through a tough season and filling your tags with two nice gobblers.I love the late season in NY. I've killed my biggest gobblers the last week or so.Great pics also! Ive got to take the time and post a season recap after my last hunt tomorrow.Loving that 835!!
Congrats. Glad to see you end it on a good note.
Congrats on 2 fine gobblers!! Tip; next time grab them by the head! Good story and pics too!
Congrats on a fine way to end your season.
Congratulations on two fine birds! Great stories and pictures, also. I know many in NY have struggled somewhat this year but you've shown that perseverance pays off!
:icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
2 very nice birds! Congrats
Nice going!
Congrats! I filled both of mine the first week and struggled to find people to take out the rest of the season. Even started driving two hours one way to hunt PA. Hunting all season then filling both tags the last week must have been fun!!
Congrats great season!
Quote from: Sevenyearsandcounting on May 30, 2016, 09:46:16 PM
The beard that's cut straight looks just like the 23 lb bird I shot . Strutting maybe made his beard flat?
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Quote from: Sevenyearsandcounting on May 30, 2016, 09:48:27 PM
Quote from: Sevenyearsandcounting on May 30, 2016, 09:46:16 PM
The beard that's cut straight looks just like the 23 lb bird I shot . Strutting maybe made his beard flat?
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(http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20160531/5cff50b39095384884fc4c08b0383d14.jpg)
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Way to stick with it during a weird season.
Not sure what would happen to cut a beard like that, odd
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Nice Birds. Congrats