MD bird down

[Thebody]

I won't delete the pictures this year.  I'll get them up when I get home.  19.2 pounds.  5/8 and 3/4 inch spurs with an 11 inch beard.  Not much on the spurs but a blessing none the less

[Deputy 14]

Nice. Get those pics up

[Twowithone]

Way to go. Congrats

[TrackeySauresRex]

  WTG! Congrats

[Hayudog]

Sounds like a solid bird.  Happy to see you get one!

[RutnNStrutn]

Good deal brother, congrats!! Guns N' Hoses isn't doing very well this season, so that bird will definitely help us!! 

[Thebody]

Pic

[Thebody]

I got to my set up at 5:30 and there was a good bit of fog coming in.  It lifts a little and the birds start gobbling at about 10 til 6.  In total I heard 6 birds within 400 yards of me.  At least 3 were Jakes, but they, along with a mature bird, were way across a field I like to set up near.  I gave some tree yelps and put the call away.  The gobbling stops about 6:15 and I don't see or hear anything for a good while.

I was set up in some hardwoods about 60 yards from a bean field in an area I had seen some good bird sign while I was down 2 weeks ago.  It's a little open, but I found a spot where you could peer down a logging road and I was pretty well covered in with small scrub, a good back drop and a downed tree.  If a bird came in, he "shouldnt" be able to see me until he was at 40-50 yards.  And hopefully I would be ready. 

I look down the logging road and see a bird at 100 yards strutting at 7am with 2 hens.  I gave a series of yelps, but he wasn't answering or budging. He struts for a good while with no gobbling until fog rolls in and stays for about 45 minutes.  By the time it lifts, he's found a safer place to hang out.  I don't think they care too much for fog.  I haven't hunted in much fog, but every time I have, birds get scarce until it lifts.

When the fog lifts I start some yelping with the Tom Teaser mouth call and I'm immediately cut off by a bird in the field.  I believe he waited it out in the hardwoods and this is the opposite direction of the strutting bird and coming from where I heard a mature bird with 3 Jakes gobbling at day light. 

I had to turn on the tree, but I believed he was about 200 yards away and I had to do it now or never.  He wasn't going to see me in the hardwoods, but if he gets to the pines on the other side of the logging road, I'm cooked.  I eventually catch sight of him in the field and he locks up at 60 yards right at the field edge and just stares .  He gobbled and gobbled and I thought for sure he would smell a rat.  He would take 2 steps and gobble...then just wait.  He did this til he got to 40 yards, I had him behind a beechnut tree and just got ready.  As he stepped out he came to 35 yards and I let the gun loose.  He dropped like a bag of hammers and hardly flopped.  Heavyweight #7's to the brain.   

My set up was actually 3 trees grown together with a downed tree I could see over.  I had the downed tree behind me when I started out because I thought the birds would come from the other direction.  When I turned to face toward the field I had very little leg room, but I was sealed in pretty good. I don't like to set up on the field because it's pretty open in the hardwoods as you get close to the field.  I really don't like getting in the hardwoods in this area because I have busted birds off the roost before in an area with tall pines.  But today it worked.     

I did very little calling this morning.  Right place at the right time. 

       

[RutnNStrutn]

Whatever it takes!! You sealed the deal on a nice bird brother!! Congrats!!
Are you getting that stud mounted? With spurs like that, I would hope so!!

[Thebody]

I thought about it, but I'm gong to hold out.  Daughter graduates high school this year and I'm pinching pennies. 

[RutnNStrutn]

I understand. Sure wish you would mount him though. I've been hunting turkeys for 20 years, and have taken two 1-1/2" spurred birds. Still looking for that 1-3/4" bird.