I set out and accomplished what I wanted this season. I could care less to shoot one myself. But my goal was to get Joe and my girlfriend a bird.
My girlfriend(Cecily), Joe and I had hunted this bird on 3 different occasions. Each time henned up, but giving me curtosey gobbles. Opening morning we had him at full strut at 60 yards. Last saturday I got him to shock gobble, heard hens with him, and we snuck close. I peeped around a bush and saw him at 20 yards, luckily his ass end was facing me while he was in full strut. I grabbed Cecily, had her walk slowly backwards to get ready to lay him out. It failed lol. The week went by, I figured this bird has to be receptive soon and without hens. As I was setting the decoys out in an area he struts, he started hammering about a hundred yards away. I didnt want to give him the same tunes I shoved down his throat the past 3 times, so I switched up and imitated 2 hens. He hammered everytime back at me. I told Cecily this birds going to fly down any second, and no sooner than I said that i looked up, out of no where, this bird is gliding through the air, and landed.
6:14 AM
10 Inch beard
3/4 inch spurs
No idea on the weight yet.
I put alot of energy into this thing. But Im happy I didnt spoil her from the get go. Surprisingly Cecily kept up lol. This bird kept us thinking, moving, setting up, moving again etc. She never dragged ass. Always persistant as I was was.
Thanks all and Joe for giving me the oppurtunity to share this story. Ive learned alot over the years from you all. For sure a memorable hunt.
My girlfriend(Cecily), Joe and I had hunted this bird on 3 different occasions. Each time henned up, but giving me curtosey gobbles. Opening morning we had him at full strut at 60 yards. Last saturday I got him to shock gobble, heard hens with him, and we snuck close. I peeped around a bush and saw him at 20 yards, luckily his ass end was facing me while he was in full strut. I grabbed Cecily, had her walk slowly backwards to get ready to lay him out. It failed lol. The week went by, I figured this bird has to be receptive soon and without hens. As I was setting the decoys out in an area he struts, he started hammering about a hundred yards away. I didnt want to give him the same tunes I shoved down his throat the past 3 times, so I switched up and imitated 2 hens. He hammered everytime back at me. I told Cecily this birds going to fly down any second, and no sooner than I said that i looked up, out of no where, this bird is gliding through the air, and landed.
6:14 AM
10 Inch beard
3/4 inch spurs
No idea on the weight yet.
I put alot of energy into this thing. But Im happy I didnt spoil her from the get go. Surprisingly Cecily kept up lol. This bird kept us thinking, moving, setting up, moving again etc. She never dragged ass. Always persistant as I was was.
Thanks all and Joe for giving me the oppurtunity to share this story. Ive learned alot over the years from you all. For sure a memorable hunt.