DoneRight
PMA Member
My buddy and I left the metro early this morning with high hopes. Nice clear and cool morning. We headed out to try to get him his first bird ever. As we were setting up in the dark, I found what was left of a shed between the trees we were going to sit between ( sorry forgot to take an atl). I told him that it is either going to be a horrible day or an awesome day. ( My previous luck with finding sheds while hunting has been horrible luck, so my heart sank a little bit.) We got all set up and waited as the light began to fill the sky. As it was getting light, we waited to hear the first gobble and we waited and waited and waited. Nothing. We sat till about 6:30 am and we heard a bunch of crows carrying on a couple hundred yds to the north. So based on my previously obtained knowledge of crows vs turkeys, we hit a ditch to see if we could find some birds. We slowly made our way down a drainage ditch to find ... absolutely nothing. So we headed back our previous set -up. I decided on the way we should check out the short grass field to the south. As I looked into the field I saw some hens further out in the field but no toms. So I stood up so I could hopefully see over a little rise in the field and.... BUSTED!!!!! My heart hit my boots. 3 toms not 80 yds away. They scattered into the timber. So we headed back to our set -up which was only 100 yds away and set down and called a little more, but nothing. Well, after what had already happened I was feeling pretty down. So we sat till about 7:50, freezing cold, my buddy wanted to get going. So we started picking up, but I convinced him to go check out the short grass again before we left. So guns in hand we slowly headed along the tree line to the south. We were about 40 yds from the field when all of a sudden GOBBLE, then another and another. I was all of a sudden sky high, and I hadn't even seen the birds in the field yet. We belly crawled up to a little cedar that I thought we could hide behind. I got on my knees and located two birds. They were about 150 yds out. So I called real soft and they responded, and then I noticed the third bird to my right strutting and only 80 yds out. So I called again a little louder and all three birds double gobbled. I knew we were in for a wild ride if this works out. I shut up on the calling as I told my buddy to get ready, as I watched the closest tom makes his way slowly towards us strutting. As he got closer ( he's in shooting range now) he hung up behind some multi-flora rose. I can see him and shoot him, but my buddy can't. So I pull my buddy towards me a little bit so he can see the bird, and BOOM. Smoked him. All this time keeping my eye on the other two birds who hadn't moved up to this point. As my buddy's bird was flopping around I saw the birds at their previous location & then lost them. I raised my gun hoping they were headed for their buddy doing the death flop. Sure enough they were. I picked one and shot and missed, the next shell was a dud for some reason. I jacked the dud out and fired and dropped a bird in his tracks. DOUBLE. I turned to my buddy and all I saw was a grin from ear to ear. In fact I don't think he has quit smiling yet. Some bad luck & some very good luck from the shed beneath the tree.
My bird 20.5 lbs, 7/8 " spurs, 9" beard. My buddies first bird 19.5 lbs, 9" beard, 7/8" spurs.
What an awesome day. It is always an extremely enjoyable experience to get another person a bird. Both Birds
,
What an awesome day. It is always an extremely enjoyable experience to get another person a bird. Both Birds
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