Our season started a couple of weeks ago but yesterday was the first day I've been able to get out in the woods. I went to bed a little late and ended up sleeping through my alarm. I had a quick breakfast before heading out to our property. I got out of the truck around 9:45. I hadn't really scouted that much but I've hunted this property for years. I knew where they might be hanging out. I didn't hear anything from the ridge so I decided to ease down to the creek.
In my hurry to get out to the woods I realized I forgot to fill up my water bottle. I was at the creek so I decided to refill my bottle there. As I was squatted down, filtering my water, I heard a turkey sound off maybe 50 yards away. I grabbed my shotgun as I moved closer to the trail that runs along side the creek. I yelped a couple of times and he answerd. I gave a couple more softer calls and he cut me off. I could tell he had moved closer to me so I picked a tree and setup. He could hear him walking towards a little to my left. He popped out on the trail in full strut about 25 yds away. Where he was I didn't have a shot due to some small trees. He stood there for a least what felt like 6 hours but I'm sure was maybe 45 seconds. He finally came out of strut and walked to my right. He cleared the saplings finally ending up directly infront of me at 20ish yards. I was shaking so badly I'm not sure how I aimed well enough to put him down. But after I pulled the trigger my biggest Bama bird was flopping on the ground.
(http://i662.photobucket.com/albums/uu344/deasonbc/9312537A-E1E8-4FDA-84A3-2836F62C219B.jpeg) (http://s662.photobucket.com/user/deasonbc/media/9312537A-E1E8-4FDA-84A3-2836F62C219B.jpeg.html)
Nice story and bird. I sure wish it always worked out that way! Something tells me though that you're not going to make a habit of it. :)
Congrats man. The day that I don't feel the excitement like you described, is the day I quit turkey hunting..... :funnyturkey:
Nice job sticking to it.
Congrats
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Congratulations! Looks like a big bird.
:icon_thumright:
Congrats!
Congrats, cool story and nice bird.
Congrats
Very nice gobbler,congrats!! :z-winnersmiley:
Congrats
It doesn't happen like that often....congrats on a nice bird!
Congrats on a nice bird :turkey2:
Great story and congratulations! A few years back, it was in the mid-20s on opening morning so I turned off the alarm and finally got to the turkey woods about 9 a.m. when it had warmed up a bit. I'd just set out my decoys and sat down, getting ready to call when a hen ran by at 20 yards closely followed by a gobbler. In the first 10 minutes of my hunt, a load of #5 shot sealed the deal. It seems that another hunter some 300 yards away had spooked the birds trying to slip in for a shot. As my buddy says, "I'd rather be lucky than good any day!"
Awesome story Buddy and congrats. I love Mid morning hunts. If he answers at 10:00 there's a very good chance he's gonna let that lady get him in big trouble. :z-flirtysmile3:
you must be livin right
Congrats on a awesome bird and great story to.
Thanks for the kind words y'all. The first turkey I killed was luck too. I sat down on a power line after not hearing anything at day break. Before I even got a call out a jake crossed infront of me. I threw my gun up but he was gone. I was cursing my luck when another jake crossed in the exact same spot less than a min later and I dropped him. Other than those two birds I've had to work for ever one. Like the man said I'd rather be lucky than good any day!
If I didn't like hearing the roost chatter so much, I would try more midmorning hunts because the movement and even the ability to work a bird can be really good.
Great story and nice gobbler, never knowing when one will sound off keeps me going.
Great bird!
Awesome job on an awesome bird! I love a good story.
Good story. Congrats!
What's that they say? Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good!! ;D
Congrats on your gobbler!! :icon_thumright:
congrats
Congrats! I haven't shot a bird before 10 am in 1/2 a dozen years.
Love a good hunt story! Congratulations on your bird.
Nothing wrong with that. Congrats!
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