bearcatbaseball10
Member
Well my season came to an end this morning at 9:15....but back to yesterday first.
Opening morning I couldn't help but think "what am I doing" when I got out of my car to 40 degrees and blowing 40 mph...but despite my negativity, I couldnt sit out an opening morning, and especially after 15 strait days of work. Got set up well before sunlight in my favorite spot and to no suprise didnt hear a single gobble till at least 645...It was slow at first, but knowing our farm well, the hot time would be after 8:30 and before 11. I don't know what it is, but in the 12 years its been in my family, there is one extremely important lesson I learned and thats at 830, for some reason, birds make the rounds and end up back on our food plots.
Well 830 rolled around, had already seen 3 long beards, but they couldnt see me, or hear me in that howling wind. One advantage was I knew the longer I sat, the more the wind would die down. Several birds spotted later, 2 jakes strolled through at 15 yards...they always get a free pass. Several birds were sounding off in the timber, and one was making headway till I heard the shot, and they all shut up. Our part owner in the farm just filled his tag. :moon:
It wasnt but 30 minutes later I could see a cerious head pop over the small rise and immediately come running for my pretty boy, but short stopped him at 30 yards....leaving hen behind until she ran after. Several seconds later, he offered me a shot and I let the arrow fly. Quartering away the arrow exited right under his beard...he tried to take off running but all he could do was push himself with his wings. The chase was on and 20 yards later, a head stepping, and feeling like a world class sprinter I had a HOSS of a bird in my hands. 26 lbs, 1 1/4 and 1 3/16 spurs, but a short 8" beard.
Gotta love rocket hammerheads!
After seeing 13 longbeards and several jakes, I couldnt help but go back and sit the afternoon where I had seen numberous toms come out of a fence line. A short hour into my sit, I was supprised by a hen coming out to my left...huh...they were all coming out to the right that morning, and I had faced my pretty boy to be looking right where she magically popped out. Without warning out popped a big ole long beard. 30 yards, but no shot. After a several minute stare down, he began to work away from me, 50 yards then 80...gobbling spitting drumming, but did not want to commit. Eventually he worked over a small hill, no more than several seconds after leaving I spot a bird coming from the north...lets out a gobble and starts running for me. Unfortunately, he spotted the first bird and went to him instead. Just my luck. I could see their tail fans every once in awhile 100 yards away or so when all of a sudden out of a small ditch rises a sneaky bird....he spotted the other birds and took several steps there way, after I got drawn I tried to stop him guessed 20 yards and watched the arrow sail right under him....:thrwrck:. He bugged out immediately but left the other two hanging out. After a long hour or two eventually those birds moved off and the evening was over. That put me at 16 long beards for the day, 7 hens and 9 jakes spotted. Easily the best day ever in my books for action.
Today, I left the blind standing over night, and thankfully I did. Running late after forgetting to set an alarm I stolled in as birds were firing all around our farm. Again they were chirpy on the roost but 730-830 nothing. It wasnt until 9 am when I stepped out the back door to do some "business" I heard a bird fire off several hundred yards to my south...after a grass treatment and sneak back into the blind I got him to fire off several times. I went quiet to see what he would do, and to my plan he closed the distance in a hurry. Sounding off 150 yards away several times he made his way to me. I took several snap shots of him closing the distance.
At 80 yards it was time to put the camera down and start preparing for my shot. He walked RIGHT up to the pretty boy to get face to face with him since he was purposely faced away from that opening. At 12 yards I released my arrow and watched him try to head for the fence...again my sprinting and long legs closed the distance and got ahold of him. A short head pull later and I was tagged out! 22 lbs, 3/4" spurs, and 10" beard.
Spot the long beard! (hint, look by the tree)
Last picture as he closed the distance....
Where he was shot....
Easily my shortest and best year ever for myself. Now the focus is entirely on getting my girlfriend her first long beard ever (she killed a jake last year with her gun) and with a bow to boot! And helping out my dad and friends with their birds...what can I say, I'm a thunder chicken addict.
Some other nature shots...
Opening morning I couldn't help but think "what am I doing" when I got out of my car to 40 degrees and blowing 40 mph...but despite my negativity, I couldnt sit out an opening morning, and especially after 15 strait days of work. Got set up well before sunlight in my favorite spot and to no suprise didnt hear a single gobble till at least 645...It was slow at first, but knowing our farm well, the hot time would be after 8:30 and before 11. I don't know what it is, but in the 12 years its been in my family, there is one extremely important lesson I learned and thats at 830, for some reason, birds make the rounds and end up back on our food plots.
Well 830 rolled around, had already seen 3 long beards, but they couldnt see me, or hear me in that howling wind. One advantage was I knew the longer I sat, the more the wind would die down. Several birds spotted later, 2 jakes strolled through at 15 yards...they always get a free pass. Several birds were sounding off in the timber, and one was making headway till I heard the shot, and they all shut up. Our part owner in the farm just filled his tag. :moon:
It wasnt but 30 minutes later I could see a cerious head pop over the small rise and immediately come running for my pretty boy, but short stopped him at 30 yards....leaving hen behind until she ran after. Several seconds later, he offered me a shot and I let the arrow fly. Quartering away the arrow exited right under his beard...he tried to take off running but all he could do was push himself with his wings. The chase was on and 20 yards later, a head stepping, and feeling like a world class sprinter I had a HOSS of a bird in my hands. 26 lbs, 1 1/4 and 1 3/16 spurs, but a short 8" beard.
Gotta love rocket hammerheads!
After seeing 13 longbeards and several jakes, I couldnt help but go back and sit the afternoon where I had seen numberous toms come out of a fence line. A short hour into my sit, I was supprised by a hen coming out to my left...huh...they were all coming out to the right that morning, and I had faced my pretty boy to be looking right where she magically popped out. Without warning out popped a big ole long beard. 30 yards, but no shot. After a several minute stare down, he began to work away from me, 50 yards then 80...gobbling spitting drumming, but did not want to commit. Eventually he worked over a small hill, no more than several seconds after leaving I spot a bird coming from the north...lets out a gobble and starts running for me. Unfortunately, he spotted the first bird and went to him instead. Just my luck. I could see their tail fans every once in awhile 100 yards away or so when all of a sudden out of a small ditch rises a sneaky bird....he spotted the other birds and took several steps there way, after I got drawn I tried to stop him guessed 20 yards and watched the arrow sail right under him....:thrwrck:. He bugged out immediately but left the other two hanging out. After a long hour or two eventually those birds moved off and the evening was over. That put me at 16 long beards for the day, 7 hens and 9 jakes spotted. Easily the best day ever in my books for action.
Today, I left the blind standing over night, and thankfully I did. Running late after forgetting to set an alarm I stolled in as birds were firing all around our farm. Again they were chirpy on the roost but 730-830 nothing. It wasnt until 9 am when I stepped out the back door to do some "business" I heard a bird fire off several hundred yards to my south...after a grass treatment and sneak back into the blind I got him to fire off several times. I went quiet to see what he would do, and to my plan he closed the distance in a hurry. Sounding off 150 yards away several times he made his way to me. I took several snap shots of him closing the distance.
At 80 yards it was time to put the camera down and start preparing for my shot. He walked RIGHT up to the pretty boy to get face to face with him since he was purposely faced away from that opening. At 12 yards I released my arrow and watched him try to head for the fence...again my sprinting and long legs closed the distance and got ahold of him. A short head pull later and I was tagged out! 22 lbs, 3/4" spurs, and 10" beard.
Spot the long beard! (hint, look by the tree)
Last picture as he closed the distance....
Where he was shot....
Easily my shortest and best year ever for myself. Now the focus is entirely on getting my girlfriend her first long beard ever (she killed a jake last year with her gun) and with a bow to boot! And helping out my dad and friends with their birds...what can I say, I'm a thunder chicken addict.
Some other nature shots...
. So I still have "season left" per say with both of them with 2 tags...