jkratz5
Well-Known Member
Well I have been playing guide for most of the spring and having quite a bit of success I decided it was my time to put the hurtin on a gobbler. After a very eventful morning that ended with birds hung up just out of range and then buggered up by mushroom hunters I decided to make a move to another farm. As we arrived at the farm I noticed a strutter working his way across a bean field toward the north end of the property and decided I would try and make a move on him. Luckily for me the north end of the property has some pines that provide great cover and I was able to slip within 150yds of the bird. I got setup and as I hit the call for the first time the gobbler stepped out of a strip of CRP and ino the grass clearing I was setup near. He stood for a few minutes and watched and then went back to he CRP. I quickly learned why when I saw two lady friends moving through the CRP just ahead of him. With the amount of time I had left in my hunting day (I had a work meeting I couldn't miss) and knowing the bird was going the other way with the hens I decided to put "The Chicken" to the test.
The Chicken (Old Buckwing half strut Jake cutoff and attached to a full fan)
As I got the modified fan out and made my way around 2 haybales, I noticed the gobbler immediately go into strut. I slid out into the grass clearing about 10 yards and it was on!!! The gobbler began working my slowly in full strut, as I continued to move just a few feet at a time and let The Chicken do his dance. Once the gobbler got to about 80yds he decided he had enough, folded the fan up and did the mean run right at me. I stuck The Chicken stake into the ground and when the bird hit a small dip just 15yds in front of me I brought the gun up. When he crested the dip he stopped, went back into strut and was coming to put the hurtin on the Chicken. At this point, out of self defense, I settled the Xtrema 2 on the gobblers head and let her eat. Game over. The turkey was just 5 steps from me when I shot and never came out of strut, so needless to say his head and about half of his tail fan were ripped clean off. I have to admit it was pretty freakin awesome.
I guess some would call it cheating, I just call it another tool in the bag of hunting tricks. Biggest bird I have killed since my first back in 1993, and out of all the birds I have ever killed probably one of the coolest hunts I have been on:
27.5lbs, 1 1/2" spurs and just a shade ove 12" on the beard
One State left to hunt. Hopefully, I can find some time to head to Illinois and cap off the season.
Kratz
The Chicken (Old Buckwing half strut Jake cutoff and attached to a full fan)
As I got the modified fan out and made my way around 2 haybales, I noticed the gobbler immediately go into strut. I slid out into the grass clearing about 10 yards and it was on!!! The gobbler began working my slowly in full strut, as I continued to move just a few feet at a time and let The Chicken do his dance. Once the gobbler got to about 80yds he decided he had enough, folded the fan up and did the mean run right at me. I stuck The Chicken stake into the ground and when the bird hit a small dip just 15yds in front of me I brought the gun up. When he crested the dip he stopped, went back into strut and was coming to put the hurtin on the Chicken. At this point, out of self defense, I settled the Xtrema 2 on the gobblers head and let her eat. Game over. The turkey was just 5 steps from me when I shot and never came out of strut, so needless to say his head and about half of his tail fan were ripped clean off. I have to admit it was pretty freakin awesome.
I guess some would call it cheating, I just call it another tool in the bag of hunting tricks. Biggest bird I have killed since my first back in 1993, and out of all the birds I have ever killed probably one of the coolest hunts I have been on:
27.5lbs, 1 1/2" spurs and just a shade ove 12" on the beard
One State left to hunt. Hopefully, I can find some time to head to Illinois and cap off the season.
Kratz
Congrats Brotha, great bird :way:
