Nice public land bird with 4 spurs....

[Reloader]

My bud Mitch had not gotten a bird on opening weekend, so we decided to tag team them on some public land.  Our first few spots didn't produce, so we just crept around on the main roads looking for some good places to try.  We found a burn on the edge of a creek bottom, so I told Mitch we should stop and throw out some cutts for the heck of it. Baam! he fired off just off the road.  We grabbed our gear and headed out into the burn to find a quick set up.  As soon as we get in the brush a car starts coming down the gravel road at a pretty good clip, so we just let it calm down and I hit him with some cutts.  He hammered back about three times, so I let him have some purrs and chirps.  He was eating it up, gobbling every breath and getting closer.  I told Mitch to get ready, but he never came out in the open.  Just walked back and forth hammering.  I told Mitch he must be hung on something, maybe the creek as we didn't know exactly where it was.  I told Mitch we oughta loop him and get close to the creek, so we busted through the briars past the burn high above the tom.  He went silent on us, but I didn't want to make a peep until we were set.  We made it to the creek, hunkered down, and I threw out some sweet talk.  He cranked it back up gobbling every breath,  this dude was on fire.  He starts heading twds us and freaking hangs again. What we didn't know was the creek made a big S curve about 60yds in front of us.  I told Mitch I was going to just shut up and see what he did.  We waited a bit and I whispered to Mitch to rake the leaves while I gave him a few purrs and clucks.  He couldn't take it, that rascal crossed the creek and headed for us.  I saw him when he made it to around 50yds, but Mitch couldn't see him yet.  I kept a bead on him in case something went wrong.  He was about to be right on top of us, so I whisper take him and Mitch doesn't shoot! It's crunch time and I didn't know Mitch had a bunch of saplings inbetween him and the bird.  Finally, Mitch let him have it when he hit a small opening.  It's always a great experience to catch a lonesome tom late morning, especially when they are on fire. I bet that tom gobbled 100 times, Mitch and I will never forget it.

He had a 9-1/2" beard and 4 spurs!  He had a ¾" and ½" spur on one leg, ¾" and ¼" nub on the other.  The nub sort of looked like he may have broken the spur earlier on.





Have a good one,

Reloader

[redarrow]

COOL !

[Spring_Woods]

wow, that is frickin sweet. Congrats.

[Shotgun]

Nice 

[hookedspur]

COOL !

very

[Flydown]

AWESOME! I love those freak birds!

[GOLD HUNTER]

 

[nctrkyhntr]

 

[TnTurk]

Cool bird, congrats.

[TANK]

Awesome , is he gona mount it?

[timbrhuntr]

Double beard now double spur! Crazy!

[Reloader]

Double beard now double spur! Crazy!

Then the gooden I shot this afternoon..... I think I'd explode if it got any better

I love it when a plan comes together.

Have a good one,

Reloader

[Reloader]

Awesome , is he gona mount it?

Tank,

He just throws the beards in a cabinet and doesn't keep the spurs.  I do

[FttFttVroom!]

That is awesome, congrats on the nice bird!

[alloutdoors]

Sweet!