jmoose
PMA Member
Saturday morning, Muddy teamed up with my brother (cymoose42) and I to hit up a spot we've been hearing up to a dozen gobblers in the mornings. We got the blind set up where we wanted it on a logging road and put out Muddy's two DSD hens and his full-strut stuffer. Let me say this...3 above-average sized dudes do not belong in one blind! It was tight quarters, but we made it work.
The birds were pretty much where we thought they'd be around 100-150 yards away in the bottom and they started gobbling early. Muddy and I each called a little bit to let them know we were there and then waited for fly-down. Shortly after it got light, I spotted a couple of tail fans in the bottom. There were 3 toms dancing around a couple of hens. We called at them a little bit and a couple minutes later, Muddy spotted two of them coming up the hill...FAST! Everything after that, happened quickly, I drew my bow, the birds came around the corner of the trail, saw the strutter decoy and decided they weren't in the mood for a fight so they started to skirt us. Muddy ranged them at 18 and 25 yards. I settled my pin on the closest bird and let the arrow fly! The bird did a back flip and ran down the hill.
About the time my arrow hit that bird, my brother (who had a 3rd season gun tag in his pocket and a shotgun in his hands) shot at the other bird. In all the excitement, he must've pulled his head, because he shot right over the bird. He was mad, because it was a chip shot and we should've had a double, but it happens and it was a fun hunt anyway! 6:10 AM and we had a bird on the ground!
I thought the shot was true, but I hit the bird a little high and we found him in the bottom still alive...fortunately I had one of the best bird dogs around in my blind....MUDDY!! He chased down that bird, dove on him through some thick brush, and gave him a whack on the head! I told him to "heel" and he brought me my bird! "Good boy!" (Thanks again Muddy!)
22 lbs
10 7/8" beard
1" & 7/8" spurs
Joel redeemed himself and got his revenge yesterday after a couple close encounters again on Sunday....but I'll let him tell that story! His is nothing like Thomas' monster, but it is one heckuva bird!! Stay tuned...
The birds were pretty much where we thought they'd be around 100-150 yards away in the bottom and they started gobbling early. Muddy and I each called a little bit to let them know we were there and then waited for fly-down. Shortly after it got light, I spotted a couple of tail fans in the bottom. There were 3 toms dancing around a couple of hens. We called at them a little bit and a couple minutes later, Muddy spotted two of them coming up the hill...FAST! Everything after that, happened quickly, I drew my bow, the birds came around the corner of the trail, saw the strutter decoy and decided they weren't in the mood for a fight so they started to skirt us. Muddy ranged them at 18 and 25 yards. I settled my pin on the closest bird and let the arrow fly! The bird did a back flip and ran down the hill.
About the time my arrow hit that bird, my brother (who had a 3rd season gun tag in his pocket and a shotgun in his hands) shot at the other bird. In all the excitement, he must've pulled his head, because he shot right over the bird. He was mad, because it was a chip shot and we should've had a double, but it happens and it was a fun hunt anyway! 6:10 AM and we had a bird on the ground!
I thought the shot was true, but I hit the bird a little high and we found him in the bottom still alive...fortunately I had one of the best bird dogs around in my blind....MUDDY!! He chased down that bird, dove on him through some thick brush, and gave him a whack on the head! I told him to "heel" and he brought me my bird! "Good boy!" (Thanks again Muddy!)
22 lbs
10 7/8" beard
1" & 7/8" spurs
Joel redeemed himself and got his revenge yesterday after a couple close encounters again on Sunday....but I'll let him tell that story! His is nothing like Thomas' monster, but it is one heckuva bird!! Stay tuned...
