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2nd longbeard down!

Carpn

*Supporting Member*
2,234
87
Wooster
My turk season has been kinda sketchy. My buddy matt and I were lucky enough to double up on longbeards opening day but since then it been tough. Between work, rain , and getting ready to put the house on the market and move 2.5 hrs away it been rough to find time to go and when I did weather was always a battle. I was off Thurs-Mon this past weekend but only got to hunt thurs then had to wrok on the house or watch the kid while the wife got some R&R with her mom for mothers day. I had mosta our stuff done and the realtor wasn't gonna be at the house till 1 on Monday to take pictures and sign the contracts. I was gonna try and make a quick hunt Monday by god...
Anyways, I woke up at 3:45 to make the 1.5 drive to Adams county. My plan was to get setup in a cow pasture my buddy matt had heard several birds around Thurs. The birds where roosted right over the field so I had to get setup in the dark. All was going to plan until I locked my keys in the cars while getting gas 20 min from my destination. I was lucky to get some help from a passer by and borrow a big screw driver to pry the door and use a coat hanger to hit the switch and unlock the door. It ended up taking about 15 min but now I am running late.
I get to the farm and the sky is starting to get pretty light. I throw on my boots and camo and grap my hen and strutter decoy and start hoofing it acroos the fields...I had to walk about 800-1000 yds to get to the area I wanna setup. I get there and nothin has started gobbling yet so i go ahead and place the dekes and setup and wait for the birds to wake up. Long story short even though the birds were gobbling around me the only birds roosted close to that field were some really vocal hens and they stayed in the tree real late which makes me think they saw me setup in the pre dawn light.
By 7:30 I make up my mind to pickup and try and make something happen. My plan was to be heading home by 830 or 9 to get my chores done. I look at my phone and the wife already texted me asking when I was gonna be home...god dammit...lol
I strt wroking my way down the farm and call very few hundred yrds. I cover about 800 yds and stop overlooking a creek bottom and let out some loud yelps....about 20 seconds later....Gooble-ooble- ooble acorss the creek about 300-400 yds away...By now the wife has txted again "any turkeys? when u be home?".
I have a idea where the bird was as there are a couple fields across the creek they keep going too....So I get heading that way and cross the creek. I cautiously ease out into the corner of the first field and wait a few minutes to see what I hear...Nothin...
To be continued...after lunch.
 

Carpn

*Supporting Member*
2,234
87
Wooster
Sooo....I ease thru the pasture field towards the next field hugging the edgo of the creekbottom woods. I get almost to the end of the pasture field and stop before I break over the lip of the hill....I let let out some yelps and they hammer back in front of me but about 200 yds away in the next field...I creep up and peak over the lip of the hill and see 2 gobblers out in front of me....I hunker back down and crawl up the hill slightly to a clump of brush and snuggle in...The only thing that concerns me is there is a fenceline and small treed ravine seperating the two fields about 60 yds in front of me...The hill rolls over about 30 yds in front of me so they birds are likely gonna pop up right in my face in the wide open if they do indeed cross the fence and ravine. I have had way to many bird hang up over simple obstacles.
Over the next 15-20 minutes the birds work towards me gobbling occasionaly...I call sparingly but they answer right back when I do call....Before long I see a strutter just on the other side of the ravine...He slowly works down the hill and dissappears into the rivine...At this point I got the cheek on the gun and am waiting...After 5 minutes he gobbles directly to my right within 40 yds! He had slipped into the main woods...I quickly swivel 90% and reposition...I let out some yelps and he cuts me off...I start cutting and he double gobbles....Its at this point I realize its fixing to happen....I take of the safety and try to pick the gap in the multifloral rose he is gonna appear....Then I hear Pfffft...Pffft...The sound of drumming....I am settled tight in the gun when his head appears....He stops to scope the surrondings and I wait for a better shot...The he sticks his head up a couple more inches......Fuck it...he is at 25 yds.....BOOOOM!....I quickly jump up and run to see if I was succesful....and there he is doin the turkey flop down the hill...I look at my watch...830 am....
Stats are 25#, 1.5" spurs and 10.5" beard. My heaviest bird ever and tied with my best set of spurs.

 
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