A buddy and I got out yesterday and got into a nest of gobblers. I was working one when one fired up behind us. He slid out the backdoor and made to the top of the hill before he had to shoot in self defense. 9yds - 15lbs, 9.25" beard 1" spurs, my bird quit and I stand up and the other 2 with his bird are running over the hill at me. They peel off and I get no shot. He killed so it was a great day.
Today found us where we were yesterday before daylight. I open the door of the truck and I am greeted with a gobble in the dark. He gobbled probably 20 more times by the time we got our vests on and guns uncased. After a decent march we set up on him, what we thought was pretty close. What we had actually done was walk to the end of ridge C and he was on the end of ridge F. His next gobble was loud, his next gobble was barely audible, huh? Off we go!
Through a laurel thicket, on our tails we slide down about a 20ft bank that's nearly vertical, across the creek and back up the other side which is nearly cliff like. We reach the top and cross another holler and then another and then when we get to the top he gobbles again. We cross another dip and pop up about 60yds away over the lip of a small hill. He is just burning it up the whole time gobbling. We set down and he is drumming and gobbling at everything. It took about 15mins but a grand total of 6 yelps and some leaf scratching brought him in at 24yds. He was moving to my right and I had one small opening about the size of a volleyball. He goes behind an oak, I swing, he pops out and I touch it off because he is getting spooky.
I get over to him and reach down to grab his feet to pick him up and my hand is on fire. I figure it was a big briar. To my surprise it was his 1 1/8" needle hooks digging in my hand.
Looks like a big old 4yr old mountain bird, 18lbs 6 oz, 10.25" beard, 1 1/8" spurs.
Mossberg 835, .676" StarDot, Hevi13 3.5" 2.25oz #7's.
One lesson learned, in the spring woods in the mountains a more open choke is probably not a bad idea.
anim_65: :anim_65: :anim_65: :anim_65: :anim_65:
Very nice gobbler,congrats!!
Gotta love it when you got a "nest" of gobblers.
Congrats on a fine bird
:icon_thumright: Congrats!!
Congrats. Nice story. Sounds like a stud..Mike :you_rock:
:z-guntootsmiley: :you_rock:
Congrats on a great hunt!!! :icon_thumright:
Congrats!
:jackson:
Congrats! Sounds like a real nice one.
congrats :you_rock:
Great story, congrats!
Congrats!! :you_rock:
:icon_thumright: