bitter sweet...

[blackmagic]

As we move into the 2nd weekend of Central Florida's season, I find myself in a funk....only because I'm now just a spectator and the opening 2 days were so good to me!  
(I apologize for those that saw these on the subforums or elsewhere, I'm still excited)

Tagged out in Osceola swamp country.
___________________________
Here's the beginning of the account from my buddy Mike of the opening morning:

Well I can give ya my story. We set up together in hopes of luring in the 2 gobblers that Rey had located on Thursday morning. Deep in the swamp, we heard 3 or 4 different toms sound off from the roost. We hung tight till about 9:00am then moved towards the last gobble. We ended up in an area I spent a morning small game hunting during January. I set up and started calling but had no takers. Suddenly at 11:30am a gobble straight out in front of me startled me out of a lack of sleep induced stupor. I called to the bird only to have him walk away gobbling as he went (heading to Reys calling and #6's). At 12:40pm a hen walked behind my decoys. I sent a few yelps her way to see if I could add a live hen to my set up. Immediatly about 100 yards out a gobbler hammered back. It was now 12:42pm and time was running short (thanks to the fact that FWCC won't allow us to hunt all day like private land folk) so I hit him with some cutting and excited yelping from my Tech 3 diaphram call. I call, bird answers, clock ticks. Now its 12:48 and he sounds like he's hardly moved. I cutt, he gobbles and its 12:52. Sounds like he's inside 50 yards now but I still can't see him. 12:55 and he appears from behind a cypress tree. A cluck and a scratch in the leaves and he takes a few more steps and spots my semi strut jake decoy. His head goes from red to blue and white. Two more steps and the 835 roars and he hits the dirt. The first of the season is now in the bag, now for # 2.

And coming from my setup...
After feeling slightly rejected as we heard birds move off in all directions but towards us in the early morning, I spent some time walking in circles talking myself out of this setup or that until I found what just felt like the "right" spot. Mike was about 400 yds to my SSE. 11:15 rolled around and I hear a bird fire off after I let out a series of yelps on my trumpet. About 10 minutes later I picked up my pot call and do a little cutting on it and wham, he's cut the distance in half. Wait a bit and scratch out some purrs and clucks and he's close but still out of my line of sight. I then see him walking past to my hard right at about 75yds. I'm not going out iike that says me and I start purring on my diaphragm. He stops and turns 90* and starts quickly walking straight towards me. At 40 he spots my jake and throws his fan up. He looks fairly small, but there's a beard hanging and a full fan so I get my gun up when he walks behind a cypress. I'm not comfortable with long shots, so I let him walk in and stop him with a cluck at 18yds and let some 6's fly. Booyah! 11:45 and I've got a bird down. I knew Mike still had some time, so I get my bird and slowly pack up and head towards our meeting spot. Glad I kept my cool and didn't go hootin and hollering...12:40 I hear Mike's bird while I'm kicking back waiting.
Day one



Day 2...
Sunday found me by myself in our slice of heaven. Very quiet early morning. Only a couple of distant gobbles far away. Moved about a hundred yards from my spot from saturday so I can see the groove yesterday's bird took. 9:15 and I hear a bird about 300 yds out. Some excited yelping and he cuts me off and must have run straight towards me and he gobbles very close when I purr on my pott. I decide to get quiet and scratch the leaves a bit and a couple of minutes later I hear "vrooooom, vrooooom" and catch movement off the back of my left shoulder. About 15 yds away I'm straining to get my eyeball to stretch far enough over and I watch him puff up and continue drumming. He continues this for a few minutes all the while, my gun's up but pointing 90* to the right of him on my knee. He steps behind a tree that looked big enough to hide him through my peripheral vision so I lift the gun and turn in my seat quickly only to see his head and neck crane around and stare right at me...the next minute felt like an hour as I'm half azz turned with my gun in a funky position as I shake to hold it together. He relaxes and lets out a couple of deep clucks and I decide that if he turns around to walk out, I'm putting the gun down and cut loose. He slowly turns and put the bead on the back of his noggin and squeeze. 20 yds away is #2.

[JVA54]

Congrats!!

[Stoney Creek]

Great story.... Gotta love those swamp gobblers.....

[mnturkey]

Congratulations, someday I will get a Swamp gobbler

[Ross R]

I thought you only hunted spoonies? NIce job on those birds Rey. we'll be in the woods this weekend.

[eaglea1]

Congrats, sweet pics too. I really like the last one with the tree etc..

[Jake#5]

congrats!!

[Ol'Mossy]

Congrats to you both 

[Hognutz]

Congrats!!   

[M,Yingling]

Congrats on the birds 

[cannonball]

Congrats!

[TURKEYWHACKER]

It sure was a fine opener for us. Two birds taken close to the wire on Saturday and one on Sunday that I truly regret having missed the event, but a family emergency called. Hopefully in the morning the turkey gods will once again smile on us and allow me to harvest #2.

[briancady]

congrats

[Woodsman4God]

Congrats