I got the call that my hunting parters for this weekend were 1/2hr out, so I started the skillet frying fresh crappie. It is amazing how much a man can eat when he is cooking it!!! LOL!!! We ate like kings when they got there and Tom (Catdaddy) had brought an older buddy of his (Keith), who continually cracked me up the entire trip. I'll leave Catdaddy to "spin a yarn", as he does best.
Opening day:
While walking out to my spot in the pre-dawn darkness I had high hopes. I hadn't been on this point in 2 years and had a great feeling there would be a gobbler somewhere on it. As I made my way to a strategic "listening spot" I thanked the good Lord for the time afield!
I usually make my way on around the point, but this morning I stopped short, just in case a bird was closer up front than usual. I couldn't get one to shock-gobble, so I picked a big tree and setup. As I settled-in a gobbler hammered only about 75 yards from me! If I would have continued I would have probablly bumped him from the roost. As he continued to gobble periodically I gave him a few soft tree yelps, just to let him know I was there. I heard another bird, prob 1/4-1/2mile to the south. After about 20 gobbles the closer gobbler pitched-out of the tree and I immediatly gave him a series of yelps with a few cuts, he hammered!! I gave him 5 min then hit him again and put the call down. His louder gobble told me he was headed in, so I laid the hammers back on ol' Betsy and brought her up to my knee. He was prob only 60 yards out at this point. It was just a few minutes and I saw his head coming up from the hollow, then his long beard. He frizzed-up and started puttin' on the show. A smile made its way across my face and I knew his time was about up. As he made his way to about 18 yards I let the smoke fly as the blackpowder BOOOOM echo'd down the holler. As I watched him flop the smoke drifted through the spring woods, I sure was glad to be alive and out there amongst em'.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v664/flintlock/WessKy2011_1.jpg)
I hung up the gobbler on the porch and heard a shot in the distance. It wasn't too long until catdaddy and Keith (77 years old) were back. But, I will let catdaddy tell that story.... :)
There wasn't much gobbling as I scouted around later in the day, but I did manage to find a few gobblers working down a small finger toward the eve and belly crawled pretty dang close. I was telling catdaddy and Keith that "IF I am able to slip in there in the morning..." when Keith stopped me mid-sentence and said, "If a bullfrog had wings, he wouldn't bump his !" I just had to laugh out loud full tilt on that one, too dang funny!!!!
DAY 2:
As I eased to the edge of the woodlot where I had seen the gobblers the eve before I pulled out my James Harrison (Owlface) custom owl-hooter and let rip. A thundering gobble hammered from across the valley on the 2nd sequence. I hit it again and GOBBBBBBBLE!!!! I had a fix on him now. Moving down through the woods was a little easier as you could make out the sky and individual trees and just happened to look up and WOW! I spotted two big black blobs in the trees, just 35 yards from me! I froze, then noticed a 3rd to the left, so slowly sat down! The bird across the way gobbled a few more times (he was the bossman) and as daylight came upon me, I could make out 2 jakes and a hen about 35 yards from me in the trees. No gobbling on my side, but I figured the 2 gobblers I had seen yesterday eve couldn't be far and besides that boss gobbler hammering was an "easy glide" away.
As flydown was starting to happen a hen started yelping not 50 yards to my left, then pitched out pretty close. Then, a big longbeard hit the ground about 35 yards out, but quickly decided that "blob with Ol Betsy" wasn't there yesterday, so he melted back into the cover. I saw another turkey fly down, just over the rise, so I scratched in the leaves loudly and swung Ol' Betsy around. A big ol gobbler's head popped up and soon he was headed my way. I laid the hammers back and within seconds he came into full view, his big ol thick beard just a swingin. As I peered through the double-hammers I picked a spot on his neck and touched off the shot, sending another echoing black-powder BOOOM down the valley....
As I made my way out of the woods with the big gobbler in my vest I just had to stop and let my mouth hang open at the view. The mere beauty of the rolling hills were something to behold. I once again thanked God for this special time, for the 2 gobblers and the chance to enjoy His great outdoors!
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v664/flintlock/Wess2011-ky2.jpg)
When I got back and pulled the gobbler out of my vest Keith noticed right away that he had a double-beard and he did have some sharp hooks! I forgot my good camera, so all I had was the cell.
It was great to hunt with ol' Catdaddy and his side-kick Keith. I sure hope I can get around like that when I am 77!
Wess
Congrats, Wess. Great story, pictures, and bird. One of these years, I'm gonna' get me some of that Catdaddy....Well done, you guys..Mike :you_rock:
great read and congrats on fine birds. :you_rock: :you_rock:
Thanks for the read! Congrats on a couple of great hunt!!! :z-guntootsmiley:
Congrats Wess!!! A couple of mighty fine birds you laid the hammer down on!
Congrats on two nice birds taken the old fashion way!
Congrats Wess and way to lay the smoke to em.
Congrats!!
congrats :z-guntootsmiley:
Thanks for sharing, your words made me feel like I was there. Congrats on a great hunt!!
Congrats on a nice one :newmascot: :turkey2:
Congrats on the great hunts with great friends!! :you_rock: :you_rock:
Congrats on the birds, nice stories
:icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Atta boy Wess.......way to putty the hammers down on them long beards :z-guntootsmiley: :z-guntootsmiley:
Sounds like you boys had a good ol time in camp. I'm looking forward to turkey camp myself as
it's ony 10 days away. Congrats on two mighty fine gobblers :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
pittboss
Congrats! :you_rock:
congrats, WTG
Those are the kinds of days that we all hope for! Congrats, Wess,....Great story.
Jim
Good turkey and some good times! Congrats Wess! :you_rock: :you_rock: :you_rock:
:z-guntootsmiley:
WTG!!! awesome story and bird!! :z-guntootsmiley: :z-guntootsmiley: :z-guntootsmiley:
Way to go Wess ! Congratss!!
:anim_65:
Very nice,congrats!!!
Congrats on some great hunts, and birds.
I love that last picture!!
God Bless,
David B.
Man what a story. That is some pretty country and I love the pic of the bird's feet and spurs with the hammer gun laid across it. Congrats.
Thanks guys, good luck if you are after them!!!
:you_rock:
Wess