Title: Mississippi Success
Post by: jblackburn on March 19, 2018, 11:21:00 AM
Post by: jblackburn on March 19, 2018, 11:21:00 AM
I took leave for the beginning of the MS season and took a drive up to the Homochitto. Tough hunting up there, but I was able to locate some birds. They gobbled ok on the roost opening morning, but I made a terrible set up. After 20 years of chasing them I still make stupid mistakes. That afternoon one of them came in silent but would not come closer than 80-90 yards, but I heard him fly up to roost.
Woke up to spitting rain and almost didn't go out the next morning, but the knowledge of where one was roosted was enough motivation to put on rain gear and head out. I did not have high hopes with the weather, but hey, I'm ate up with turkeys.
He finally gobbled once, fairly late nearly 7:30. Everything was perfect. I was about 120 yards from him, in the bottom they seem to like to fly down to then head across the creek to private land. I was even between him and the creek. Then another tom fired up about 80 yards straight behind me and I nearly had to break out the Charmin. They started gobbling back and forth, then thunder rumbled in the distance and I swear they each gobbled until they were out of breath! I was even in between them! Text book! I was pumped, nervous, shaking and loving it. I gave a couple of subtle clucks and they exploded! I'm gun on the knee waiting for wing beats, but they were too worried about gobbling. Then a third fired up way off and they all were gobbling back and forth. Then I hear wings. Anticipation. Eyes scanning the brush. Nothing coming. The one behind me continues to gobble. The distant one gobbles back every time. More wing beats. I just know he's going to be right behind me. I look up to see him sailing over my head toward the third one. They meet up, gobble once 500 yards away and never make another peep. I hate turkeys.
11:45 am. I strike them back up. But they straight up get by me somehow. I still hate turkeys.
That afternoon I got back in the bottom. It's hot. Muggy. South Mississippi. About 4:00 he lights up several hundred yards away. I make a move in the bottom to keep the hill between me an him since the pine woods are still very open without leaves on the underbrush. He was hot and and looking for love. Well more love, I guess. I figured he was alone but two hens appeared first and were coming straight for me. He finally makes his appearance and is lagging behind them 20-30 yards. One of the hens does not like the weird looking lump next to the pine tree and begins rubber necking, no putts so she's just skittish, not full alarm mode. He steps into a shooting window I had and made a mistake of lifting his head to look around. I won't talk distance, but I'm glad Gooserbat loaded me some TSS. He didn't even flop.
I call him a 3 year old, one inch sharp spurs and a nine inch beard. Poor guy needed a sandwich, only weighed 15 lbs 10 oz!
Woke up to spitting rain and almost didn't go out the next morning, but the knowledge of where one was roosted was enough motivation to put on rain gear and head out. I did not have high hopes with the weather, but hey, I'm ate up with turkeys.
He finally gobbled once, fairly late nearly 7:30. Everything was perfect. I was about 120 yards from him, in the bottom they seem to like to fly down to then head across the creek to private land. I was even between him and the creek. Then another tom fired up about 80 yards straight behind me and I nearly had to break out the Charmin. They started gobbling back and forth, then thunder rumbled in the distance and I swear they each gobbled until they were out of breath! I was even in between them! Text book! I was pumped, nervous, shaking and loving it. I gave a couple of subtle clucks and they exploded! I'm gun on the knee waiting for wing beats, but they were too worried about gobbling. Then a third fired up way off and they all were gobbling back and forth. Then I hear wings. Anticipation. Eyes scanning the brush. Nothing coming. The one behind me continues to gobble. The distant one gobbles back every time. More wing beats. I just know he's going to be right behind me. I look up to see him sailing over my head toward the third one. They meet up, gobble once 500 yards away and never make another peep. I hate turkeys.
11:45 am. I strike them back up. But they straight up get by me somehow. I still hate turkeys.
That afternoon I got back in the bottom. It's hot. Muggy. South Mississippi. About 4:00 he lights up several hundred yards away. I make a move in the bottom to keep the hill between me an him since the pine woods are still very open without leaves on the underbrush. He was hot and and looking for love. Well more love, I guess. I figured he was alone but two hens appeared first and were coming straight for me. He finally makes his appearance and is lagging behind them 20-30 yards. One of the hens does not like the weird looking lump next to the pine tree and begins rubber necking, no putts so she's just skittish, not full alarm mode. He steps into a shooting window I had and made a mistake of lifting his head to look around. I won't talk distance, but I'm glad Gooserbat loaded me some TSS. He didn't even flop.
I call him a 3 year old, one inch sharp spurs and a nine inch beard. Poor guy needed a sandwich, only weighed 15 lbs 10 oz!
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: daddyduke on March 19, 2018, 11:27:35 AM
Post by: daddyduke on March 19, 2018, 11:27:35 AM
Congrats! Great read.
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: tha bugman on March 19, 2018, 11:33:00 AM
Post by: tha bugman on March 19, 2018, 11:33:00 AM
Love those woods!!! Great story and Congrats!!! :happy0064:
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: zelmo1 on March 19, 2018, 11:34:36 AM
Post by: zelmo1 on March 19, 2018, 11:34:36 AM
Great day brother. Congrats on the nice bird :funnyturkey: :drool: :drool:
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: harleytom on March 19, 2018, 11:38:27 AM
Post by: harleytom on March 19, 2018, 11:38:27 AM
Love the story. Congrats
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Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: Sir-diealot on March 19, 2018, 11:45:19 AM
Post by: Sir-diealot on March 19, 2018, 11:45:19 AM
Congratulations
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: silvestris on March 19, 2018, 12:04:22 PM
Post by: silvestris on March 19, 2018, 12:04:22 PM
Come on man, talk distance.
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: uarobert on March 19, 2018, 12:23:33 PM
Post by: uarobert on March 19, 2018, 12:23:33 PM
Congrats on a well earned bird.
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: djrcm7 on March 19, 2018, 01:14:04 PM
Post by: djrcm7 on March 19, 2018, 01:14:04 PM
Nice work! Good read and that feeling of being in the perfect spot with hot Gobbs thundering all around is one of the greatest anticipation feelings out there
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: jblackburn on March 19, 2018, 01:19:05 PM
Post by: jblackburn on March 19, 2018, 01:19:05 PM
Quote from: silvestris on March 19, 2018, 12:04:22 PM
Come on man, talk distance.
More than acceptable OG range, but not obscene :turkey2:
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: Oxley777 on March 19, 2018, 03:26:36 PM
Post by: Oxley777 on March 19, 2018, 03:26:36 PM
Great story! Thanks for sharing. Can't wait for Arkansas opener!
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: tomstopper on March 19, 2018, 05:03:39 PM
Post by: tomstopper on March 19, 2018, 05:03:39 PM
Very nice. Congrats
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Sent from my XT1710-02 using Tapatalk
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: cbhunter15 on March 19, 2018, 05:08:27 PM
Post by: cbhunter15 on March 19, 2018, 05:08:27 PM
well done, congrats!
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: renegade19 on March 19, 2018, 05:37:33 PM
Post by: renegade19 on March 19, 2018, 05:37:33 PM
:icon_thumright:
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: harleytom on March 19, 2018, 05:50:04 PM
Post by: harleytom on March 19, 2018, 05:50:04 PM
Quote from: jblackburn on March 19, 2018, 01:19:05 PMWell said, gotta remind ourselves we have some TSS police on duty here.Quote from: silvestris on March 19, 2018, 12:04:22 PM
Come on man, talk distance.
More than acceptable OG range, but not obscene :turkey2:
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Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: Double B on March 19, 2018, 05:58:23 PM
Post by: Double B on March 19, 2018, 05:58:23 PM
Well done jblackburn. :you_rock:
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: Rio Fan on March 19, 2018, 08:46:12 PM
Post by: Rio Fan on March 19, 2018, 08:46:12 PM
Great read and congrats on a nice bird!
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: surehuntsalot on March 19, 2018, 10:13:05 PM
Post by: surehuntsalot on March 19, 2018, 10:13:05 PM
congrats on your bird
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: Gooserbat on March 19, 2018, 10:22:00 PM
Post by: Gooserbat on March 19, 2018, 10:22:00 PM
Well done budy
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: dublelung on March 19, 2018, 10:52:24 PM
Post by: dublelung on March 19, 2018, 10:52:24 PM
Congrats on a great opener! That's hanging with it and getting it done. I hate turkeys too! It's a love/hate relationship.
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: hobbes on March 20, 2018, 12:06:44 AM
Post by: hobbes on March 20, 2018, 12:06:44 AM
Congrats!
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: Cut N Run on March 20, 2018, 06:55:24 AM
Post by: Cut N Run on March 20, 2018, 06:55:24 AM
Great way to start the season! Good luck the rest of the way.
Jim
Jim
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: Twowithone on March 20, 2018, 07:34:57 AM
Post by: Twowithone on March 20, 2018, 07:34:57 AM
Great read congrats on the Gobbler. :firefighter:
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: BB30 on March 20, 2018, 09:59:31 AM
Post by: BB30 on March 20, 2018, 09:59:31 AM
Awesome congrats! Love turkeys getting fired up with rolling thunder in the background.
Title: Re: Mississippi Success
Post by: shoer2 on March 20, 2018, 10:38:49 AM
Post by: shoer2 on March 20, 2018, 10:38:49 AM
Congrats good deal