DoneRight
PMA Member
Smoked another longbeard this morning. Story and pics to come. 21.5 lbs, 7/8 spurs, and 10 1/4'' beard.
Sorry for the delay on the pic and story fellas. It was kind of a rough weekend.
My buddy JW and I headed out early Friday morning and got set up in a strut zone by 5:00 AM. We didn't plan on calling much, because the neighbors have been pounding their side for weeks. The birds on this farm are always a little call shy, and always run in big family groups year round anyway. So we sat there and waited. We called every half hour or so, just to see if anything might be headed our way, but nothing answered. About 6:45, I caught a brown blur out of my right eye, and heard my buddy scream like a little girl as a coyote brushed his shoulder and snagged one of my Avian X hens by the throat and took of with it for about 20 yds. I wish I could of got a shot off at that stupid dog, but it all happened so quick, we didn't have time. The yote actually brushed against my buddy so hard it knocked him off his chair, and we didn't even know he was there in the tall grass we were in. So after things calmed down and the yote disappeared, I started making fun of my buddy for not knowing there was a dog next to him. I figured the set up was ruined, but we sat until about 8:30 when he had to get to work. I had the day off so, I figured I'd drive around the section and see if anything was out in the fields, and if there wasn't I'd head to another farm for a few hours.
As I drove around the section, I counted 4 strutters in the fields, but only one was stalkable. I called my buddy, and told him I was going to go after him and kill him. So I got back up in the field, loaded the gun, and headed off to try to kill this bird. When I first got up on him he was within 30 yds but I couldn't get a shot at him beacause of the thick cover I was in on my knees, so I let him walk. He headed south and ended up getting about 150yds out in the field before I decided to try and call him back. I gave a few fast light yelps on the slate, and he turned on a dime and headed straight back in my direction. He ran to about 75yds out and stopped. I thought maybe he might have seen me move or something, so I yelped at him again and he strutted to within 10yds of me before I let him have it.
I always kill turkeys, but I feel unbelievably blessed this year with how things have happened. Having a memorable hunt with my nephew, my father, and killing 2 birds myself, with a very limited amount of time to do it. This hunt was the 4th time out and the 4th bird down. Good luck to all that are still out after them!
Sorry for the delay on the pic and story fellas. It was kind of a rough weekend.
My buddy JW and I headed out early Friday morning and got set up in a strut zone by 5:00 AM. We didn't plan on calling much, because the neighbors have been pounding their side for weeks. The birds on this farm are always a little call shy, and always run in big family groups year round anyway. So we sat there and waited. We called every half hour or so, just to see if anything might be headed our way, but nothing answered. About 6:45, I caught a brown blur out of my right eye, and heard my buddy scream like a little girl as a coyote brushed his shoulder and snagged one of my Avian X hens by the throat and took of with it for about 20 yds. I wish I could of got a shot off at that stupid dog, but it all happened so quick, we didn't have time. The yote actually brushed against my buddy so hard it knocked him off his chair, and we didn't even know he was there in the tall grass we were in. So after things calmed down and the yote disappeared, I started making fun of my buddy for not knowing there was a dog next to him. I figured the set up was ruined, but we sat until about 8:30 when he had to get to work. I had the day off so, I figured I'd drive around the section and see if anything was out in the fields, and if there wasn't I'd head to another farm for a few hours.
As I drove around the section, I counted 4 strutters in the fields, but only one was stalkable. I called my buddy, and told him I was going to go after him and kill him. So I got back up in the field, loaded the gun, and headed off to try to kill this bird. When I first got up on him he was within 30 yds but I couldn't get a shot at him beacause of the thick cover I was in on my knees, so I let him walk. He headed south and ended up getting about 150yds out in the field before I decided to try and call him back. I gave a few fast light yelps on the slate, and he turned on a dime and headed straight back in my direction. He ran to about 75yds out and stopped. I thought maybe he might have seen me move or something, so I yelped at him again and he strutted to within 10yds of me before I let him have it.
I always kill turkeys, but I feel unbelievably blessed this year with how things have happened. Having a memorable hunt with my nephew, my father, and killing 2 birds myself, with a very limited amount of time to do it. This hunt was the 4th time out and the 4th bird down. Good luck to all that are still out after them!
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