First Bird of the Season

[lohaus]

This Sunday morning I set up on a field edge on a big oak where I usually see birds.  I heard 4 gobbles about 300 yards away.  They weren't willing to play as they were hened up pretty bad and headed in the opposite direction.  It started to rain so I figured what the heck and tried to close the distance.  It was pretty hard to do with snow on the ground.  I got busted.  As I headed to the van I called my wife to go eat breakfast.  No answer.  I called my buddy and he told me they were on about 20+ birds and 4 strutters.  Him and his boy are new and they tried to run at them or something.

While talking to him I drive by the area where he was and there I see 3 toms at the edge behind a creek bottom where it meets the field.  Just then, two other hunters came driving by.  Not wanting to put them on to this find I waved and drove by.  I must have drove by that spot 5 times debating if I wanted to get out there and go after these birds or call it a day and head home.  By that time the rain had turned to sleet and then snow.

I figured what the heck as I was already wet, my wife was still sleeping, and the kids were at Grandmas.  I devised a plan to cut across the front field and hit the creek bottom.  It is about 8 to 10 feet lower then the next field where the birds were at.  I felt fairly confident that I could close the distance.  As I neared the field edge a flash went off.  I thought to myself, oh crap, I'm near a property line and someone probably got me on a game camera.  Well, that flash was followed by thunder and then 3 gobbles.  This really got my juices flowing and I headed up the creek bank using a big pine tree to hid my body.  I wasn't sure what the birds wanted to do.  I thought maybe I could drop down and try to get closer past some power lines.  While then the thunder really started rolling.  It got those 3 toms rolling and they started really gobbling.  I peaked around the pine and they were walking towards the trees and then started to head my way.  As my set up was quick I wasn't able to trim up any branches.  I had a small window with the sweeping branch of the pine to my left and a small tree to my right.  I raised my gun and waited.  The first tom passed through and I dropped him with the Hevi 13 at about 20 yards.  He was 22lbs, 8 1/2 inch beard, and 1 1/4 spurs.

While other people wanted to stay home and I wanted to get to breakfast I decided to tough it out.  It started with a slight drizzle, to rain, to sleet, to snow, to lightening, to thunder, and finally hail.

I'd like to say I used some fighting purrs, clucks, or sweet music.  It was being in the right place at the right time.  I feel blessed to have enjoyed a successful hunt.  I read this site quite a few times a week.  While I don't have hundreds of posts, I picked up plenty of tips, strategies, setups, and fantastic stories.  I figured I would share mine.

[nctrkyhntr]

 

[harvester]

good bird 

[cannonball]

Congrats!

[spitndrum]

Congrats

[Basser69]

Congrats !  !  !

[TrkyHntr]

congrats!




Shane

[timbrhuntr]

Congrats!

[turkey slayer]

Great story! Congrats

[RutnNStrutn]

Congrats on sticking it out in the tough weather and bagging a nice bird!!!! Good job!!!

[hookedspur]

good bird 

[Wrangler95]

 



Very nice,congrats!!!

[bowhunter84]

 

[alloutdoors]

Congrats!! You can't kill them if you aren't out there, bad weather or not! 

[Hognutz]

Congrats..