Strategy Change Works!!

[harleytom]

I've been chasing this bird for over 2 weeks. He would gobble off the roost (forever) and then fly down and strut without ever offering to come to a call. Saturday we played cat and mouse for about 6 1/2 hrs before I gave up and declared him the winner. After a couple of days to think about it I decided to go in this morning with a different approach. When he gobbled off the roost before daylight I called softly twice to make sure he knew where I (the hens) were and then shut up (probably tried to call too much Saturday). He continued to gobble and then did what he did Saturday, flew down and wouldn't move. I decided if the mountain won't come to Mohamad then, well you know the rest. I moved across the powerline I was set up on to an old logging road that I knew circled behind where he was strutting. I would move a few yards then wait for him to gobble again to verify his position. It took about an hour to cover the 300 yards separating us but I finally got to within 70 yards of where he was. I called softly once and he moved into sight on a rise about 50 yards away. He seemed nervous even then so I decided it was now or never. Drew a fine bead and fired a load of 3.5in Hevi 7's at him. He flopped and after a little foot to neck desuscication it was over. Best spurs I have ever taken. He is really underweight but it could be from chasing the ladies. Feels good to fool one at his own game.

[hookedspur]

Like them HOOKS !!!

[BigHooks]

Congrats, nothing like a set of BigHooks!!!!!!!!!

[honker22]

Congrats on a FINE bird

[neal]

Awesome on two levels!! Thinking about what you did wrong and changing it and knowing your gun to have the confidence at 50yds.

Congrats on a well earned bird and a dandy at that!


Neal

[870FaceLift]

Wow.  That ol boy's got some daggers!  Nice job

[RS]

Those spurs probably give an indication of why he was acting the way he did. They don't grow them like that by being easy to fool.  Congrats on a hard earned trophy.

[jellybusta]

Way to go! Nice Hooks! Sneaking intothe birds strut zoneand minimal calling seem to be the way to go with old birds you may get busted once in a while but its worth the risk when you dont. I killed one closing day last year with a 1" 5/8 and a 1 3/4 spur practically doing the same thing, its really a challenge to get within a hundred yards with no hills to help

[renegade19]

Great spurs!

[Rio Fan]

Those are some hooks - congrats! 

[ceejay]

A fine gobbler ....  good job !!!

[Wrangler95]

 

Very nice,congrats!!

[gophert]

He's a P90X bird....lean and mean.  Great story and nice bird!

[boomer]

Congrats!!!

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

[870supermagnum]

Congrats on a great bird.