2016 Season - 8 Updated 5/14 Final Chapter

[BBD]

Had a good start to the 2016 season in Louisiana yesterday morning.   Got on this bird early and watched him fly down.  Could see him but didn't have a shot as soon as his feet hit the ground and had to watch as he strutted over a hill out of sight.  I felt confident that my hunt was over but I was wrong.  He had quit gobbling but I stayed in the same area only moving 1 time.  At 9:37 he finally gobbled again about 300 yards away.  I hit my box call and he answered... 8 minutes later he was strutting 6 steps over my left shoulder. Pretty sure he could hear my heart beating and spooked. He pitched up to fly but my wing shootin' game was on and rolled him up     Healthy 2 yr old bird, 19.5lbs 9.75" beard 3/4" spurs   I'm going to keep this thread going and hopefully add to it throughout the spring!

[chadly]

Congrats and nice shot.

[cramerhunts]

Right on, congratulations! Good luck on the rest of the season.

[surehuntsalot]

congrats

[tomstopper]

Congrats....

[OldSchool]

Awesome, Congrats!!

The longer I hunt, the more inclined I am to stick it out if I know I'm in a good turkey place, whether I'm hearing birds or not. It's surprising how often an hour or three later I've got gobbling birds around me and I don't seem to kill any less than I did when I used to cover a lot more ground. Congrats again.

Bob

[strutnva]

congrats

[Dr Juice]

Congrats ... nice bird.

[taylorjones20]

Way to go!  Congrats!

[BBD]

Not going to lie, I had to force myself out of bed this morning since it had stormed all night, was still windy and 65 degrees at 5 a.m. but it was my only chance to go this week and I'd already bought my 1 day license. So, I made the hour drive south and got out of my truck just as the ground was light enough to walk.  Made the walk in and decided to stop short of where I did Saturday morning since I bumped a bird off the limb.  Hadn't got sat down good when one gobbled right where they were Saturday morning!  I felt like I knew what move to make so I got in gear. Circled nearly all the way around them and got on the side of the next hill over.  One bird has gobbled 4 or 5 times when I decide it's light enough for them to be on the ground so I get part of the wing out from the bird I got Saturday and "flew down" with it.   I didn't call just used the sound of the wing when the woods exploded... Little did I know there was 3 gobblers between me and the one I set up on.  I "flew down" again and within minutes I hear them start pitching out.  Couple more minutes and I catch movement to my right. A single long beard walks up on a shelf and without stopping right on over to the other side.  I am just fixing to call when I see another one coming, a hen is walking in his tracks...then I hear one drumming right over the side of the hill.  I spot the top of his fan and he is a lot closer, too close...  He struts up on the shelf about 20 steps away and I made a rookie, impatient decision...I tried to shoot him in full strut through a bunch of briars and vines. Clean missed him.  My heart sank and I felt confident my hunt was over...but little did I know it was just gettin' started.  I made another set up hoping to strike another bird but to no avail.  I moved back to the area I had killed at Saturday morning when at 8:30 he gobbles about 300 yds to the east. Game on I think.. He gobbles a couple times on his own as I'm trying to get set up when I hear the sound I'd been dreading...a box call. He had got someone else's attention and they are convinced to make him gobble to their box (if you are reading this, I apologize.)  "They" walk closer and call again and again and again.  Then I can hear them going the other way,  hooting and calling.   I hold my ground and at 9:45 he gobbles at a crow, he hasn't moved... Then another gobble and another. I announce my company and he likes it.  Within minutes he gobbles at 70 yds..drumming starts and I see him. He is working to my left and angling away up the hill.  I give him a little "I'm down here sweetie" talk and he immediately turns my way. I let him strut to an opening in the pines at 40 yds and it was all over.  A nice adult public land bird. 23 lbs 10.75" beard, 1" spurs.  I didn't rush back to the truck...I just slowly walked back and took it all in. Truly blessed.

[maytom]

NICE Bird!!! WTG on two fine gobblers!!

[OldSchool]

Congrats once again, beautiful bird!! Thanks for sharing the story. There isn't much as sweet as the walk back with a bird over your shoulder.

Bob

[SS Calls]

Congrats!!!

[TauntoHawk]

Great stories thanks for sharing

Sent from my XT1585 using Tapatalk

[Dr Juice]

That's an awesome bird. Congrats.