I described this bird here last year. Let me set it up if you don't mind. I have this SMALL farm that I hunt that is 3/4 field in the front, a creek bed about 9' deep at the back edge of the field and then the balance of the property is mixed pines and scrub hardwood. It always holds birds. 2 years ago I passed this bird because he was a 2 yr old with a 5" or so beard. Last year he was still hanging out on the farm but had grown to become a fine specimen. The reason I know it was the same bird is because he has a very distintive gobble. He sounds as if his head is stuck in a bucket of water. Hard to describe but use your imagination and you'll get the idea. I was determined to kill him but he whipped my tail all year. I threw everything I had at this bird....nothing would work. NOTHING!! I became OBSESSED with this joker. I would not take other birds because I knew he was around. I became a madman!! Well, last year ended without me cuttin a feather on this ol boy. I have been scouting this farm over the winter without seeing any sign at all. I figured the yotes finally got him or he drowned
After deciding I would open up next weekend on another farm I have permission to hunt I decided to give the old farm a good listen...for ol times sake. I'm there a good 30 minutes before anything is awake, leaning against an old pine. Time passes, the chirping starts, the owls hoot, the sky is pinking up good...no gobbles. I'm thinking it was a fun ride on this farm while it lasted. The crows start their racket in the distance...still nothing. By this time I've decided to back out. Dejected, with my head hung kinda low I start to head out to the field when a crow flies overhead and caws. Good Godamighty!!!That ol bucketwaterhead lets out a thunderous gobble...from the pine I'm leaning against. He's still here
. I melt into that ol pine and try to not breathe. Then the hens start with their sweet tree talk...some to my front and some to my left rear flank. My ol nemesis lets out a double gobble cutting them off. THUD...Now I know what kind of sound is made when a bowling ball hits the ground from 50' from directly overhead. Buckethead hits the ground 10' from where I'm trying to become this pinetree. He saunters directly away from me towards the sweet talking ladies to my front for about 30 yds...silent as a backwoods cemetary. The girls to my left rear flank pitch out to a clearing 15 yds to my left with the sweetest fly down cackle ever heard. As they do another gobbler fires off about 150 yds to my left. That was too much for my ol waterhead friend as he sprints towards the girls in the clearing...he was determined to be there before the competition sounded off again. Bear in mind the history I have with this bird...and he is within spittin distance...I'm empty handed with 6 days to go before the seasons opens. My head is no longer sagging and I'm about as happy as a pig in the proverbial slop
As bucketwaterhead is sprinting to his ladies of the morning I assumes he forgets about the ol vine covered fencerow between him and his morning fun. He's on a mission. BLAM...the whole 200 yards of that fencerow shakes and quivers and he runs full speed ahead into it. He is flapping and jumping and twisting...feathers are flyin... That's when I thought, this is great...this ol bird is gonna break his neck tied up in this vine covered fence...while I'm watching from 10 yds away. He finally frees himself from his entanglement predicament...hops over the fence and hits the ground in full strut...with his drumming vibrating to my core. At 15 yds this goes on for another 10-15 minutes...before the hens feed off down the fencerow...with my nemesis...my ol buddy in tow. See ya next week ol friend!
