Opening morning broke daylight with the temp reading 29 as we pulled up above the river. Bird gobbled across the river to eventually be joined by 2 more fairly close and they lit it up for about 20 minutes. Surprisingly they flew down to our side and gobbled sporadically for several hours but would not quite commit to our set up.We got up to move a couple of times only to return to our original spot till we finally eased over to the bluff they were on. Big fields and open hardwoods make moving difficult at best and usually results in spooked birds. Finally had them ease up the bluff only to stay at 60 yards and stand at the edge of the field and stare till they finally picked my son and decided they needed to be elsewhere. Fast forward to this morning where I get out of my truck and start to head down to my usual spot when the bird gobbles about 200 yards away across a cutover and a deep ravine . Had his 2 buddies close again but everybody is several hundred yards up the river from Saturday. Miraculously ,I was able to walk back up the road 150 yards and get set up on the edge without them seeing me , guess they were just low enough that I was out of site. They hammer out at each other for a bit and I threw a couple tree yelps their way and followed up a few minutes later with my wing and they about choked themselves . Got quite a few minutes after that and figured they were on the ground , then one lets rip down in the cutover but skirting right . No way to move so just sit tight when I see 2 white heads trotting across the open ridge to me. Stopped at 75 yards for a couple minutes to scope things out then start the steady walk to 20 yards . Noticed the 2nd bird looked bigger and waited for them to separate then let the 20 gauge eat. Toad of a bird, 23lbs 1 oz with a double beard 10.5" and 8" and 1" spurs . First bird I have killed straight off the limb in several years. I love this stuff . Never gets old... (https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ad286/soilpros/IMG_3614.JPG) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/soilpros/p/d45732e1-ca9d-49f2-b707-0d95db4ef97d)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/ad286/soilpros/IMG_3616.jpg) (https://app.photobucket.com/u/soilpros/p/1ed57ed6-ac4e-43b6-b9c6-8c7354ddcda7)
Nice one
Very nice bird. That distance closing to shooting range is as exciting as it gets in the outdoors.
Awesome bubba!
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Congrats, nice bird.
Congrats nice bird.
Nice bird Congrats.
Very nice. Congrats
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Congratulations!
awesome!
Great story. Love when it works out.
Congrats! Good bird.
Good job...nice photos.
Good Bird. Congrats
Congrats on such a great hunt!
Good story..congrats on a really nice bird