deerhunter93
Well-Known Member
Sorry for such the long story, it wasn't your textbook call them off the roost and shoot him 30 minutes later type deal.
Rewind to third season and it was my turn to kill a bird since both my dad and brother had. I kept watching the weather for the weekend during the whole week. I was super excited to get out but a little nervous with the forecast calling for rain both days.
At 3 a.m. I jumped out of my bed and was running around ready to go. We hoped in the truck and started the 50 minute drive south in pouring rain. I was checking the radar on my dad’s blackberry every 10 minutes to try and see if the rain was going to pass. We got to our spot and started getting our gear ready when it started raining hard again. So we jumped back in the truck for 10 minutes and let it pass.
When we got to our normal creek crossing we soon found out that they got a little rain that night and the day before. The normal 8 foot wide and 6 inch deep creek was now a river, probably 20 feet wide and it looked really deep. So while looking for a place to cross I spotted a turkey in a tree and we just waited a bit. We only heard one gobble before 3 toms, 4 jakes, and 3 hens flew into a nearby field. After eventually calling in a jake and passing on him we backed out as the toms headed the opposite direction.
Dad and I decided to give it a whirl and cross the creek, what a nice cool sensation it is having water come in over your rubber boots. Not much happened at that spot so we decided to bail and see if we could hunt a place that we got permission to over the summer.
After getting there we drove around and saw a tom strutting on a grassy hill side. By this time it was 5 p.m. The stalk was on and we set up on a fence row about 150 yards from where we thought he was. After a while of calling I looked to my left and saw a red head coming over the hill. I thought they were going to come in but I don’t think they could see the decoy and stayed about 50 yards out. They didn’t hang around long and I told my dad we should head to the lower end of the field to get out of the wind. When we got to the bottom I told my dad “If they are still here, we are CLOSE!”
I had to set up at the base of a tree with absolutely no cover and I was looking up the hill, so I knew if they came in I was going to have to make something happen quick. My dad was behind me and started calling. Before we set up he told me if I saw them coming to give the thumbs up. Well he called; looked at his watch and said, Drew said we can go in 20 minutes. He then added up when he could get to bed and said he looked over at me and saw a thumb up. I saw there was two gobblers and took the first good shot. He didn’t flop much after getting hit with a 3 ½ inch, 2 ¼ oz heavy shot headed his way. From getting set up to the shot was no more than five minutes, honestly it was probably closer to three. It was a crazy day and I am so thankful to have such a great guide, my dad.
He wasn’t the biggest bird ever but I am super pumped!
21 pounds 2 oz
9 ¾ inch beard
Both spurs were right at 7/8 inches
Rewind to third season and it was my turn to kill a bird since both my dad and brother had. I kept watching the weather for the weekend during the whole week. I was super excited to get out but a little nervous with the forecast calling for rain both days.
At 3 a.m. I jumped out of my bed and was running around ready to go. We hoped in the truck and started the 50 minute drive south in pouring rain. I was checking the radar on my dad’s blackberry every 10 minutes to try and see if the rain was going to pass. We got to our spot and started getting our gear ready when it started raining hard again. So we jumped back in the truck for 10 minutes and let it pass.
When we got to our normal creek crossing we soon found out that they got a little rain that night and the day before. The normal 8 foot wide and 6 inch deep creek was now a river, probably 20 feet wide and it looked really deep. So while looking for a place to cross I spotted a turkey in a tree and we just waited a bit. We only heard one gobble before 3 toms, 4 jakes, and 3 hens flew into a nearby field. After eventually calling in a jake and passing on him we backed out as the toms headed the opposite direction.
Dad and I decided to give it a whirl and cross the creek, what a nice cool sensation it is having water come in over your rubber boots. Not much happened at that spot so we decided to bail and see if we could hunt a place that we got permission to over the summer.
After getting there we drove around and saw a tom strutting on a grassy hill side. By this time it was 5 p.m. The stalk was on and we set up on a fence row about 150 yards from where we thought he was. After a while of calling I looked to my left and saw a red head coming over the hill. I thought they were going to come in but I don’t think they could see the decoy and stayed about 50 yards out. They didn’t hang around long and I told my dad we should head to the lower end of the field to get out of the wind. When we got to the bottom I told my dad “If they are still here, we are CLOSE!”
I had to set up at the base of a tree with absolutely no cover and I was looking up the hill, so I knew if they came in I was going to have to make something happen quick. My dad was behind me and started calling. Before we set up he told me if I saw them coming to give the thumbs up. Well he called; looked at his watch and said, Drew said we can go in 20 minutes. He then added up when he could get to bed and said he looked over at me and saw a thumb up. I saw there was two gobblers and took the first good shot. He didn’t flop much after getting hit with a 3 ½ inch, 2 ¼ oz heavy shot headed his way. From getting set up to the shot was no more than five minutes, honestly it was probably closer to three. It was a crazy day and I am so thankful to have such a great guide, my dad.
He wasn’t the biggest bird ever but I am super pumped!
21 pounds 2 oz
9 ¾ inch beard
Both spurs were right at 7/8 inches
