Post by songdog on Apr 29, 2006 14:02:01 GMT -5
Opening morning I heard a few birds gobbling but never got too close to any of them , finally worked a pair of birds about 1pm but they walked away gobbling so I figured they probably were henned up .Any way I spent the rest of the day hunting mushrooms and ended up being blessed with 4 1/2 pounds of those fellows. Pretty good day.
Next day , Thursday , I was blessed with just being out in the woods on a beautiful day. Actually had a nice bird strutting in front of me at about 65 yds. I had hit my glass just to try to elicit a gobble so that I could make a better set up , instead he chose that time to decide to come calling. I knew I was in a bad spot so all I could do was watch. No point in opening an artery yet it was only the second day.
Yesterday , Friday , I once again was hearing a few birds but barely audible and they only gobbled once or twice. After spending the morning listening to little birds ,deer snorting me ,and being chewed out by squirrels I decided to head to a different spot .
As I was heading out I watched a bird crossing a field heading into the same area that I was leaving.Got my field glasses and saw that it was a gobbler . I stopped my car on the road and did a long sneak around the field through a thicket . I,m talking about 400-500yds.
The bird has already left the building by then but I decide to try my diaphragm call. I give it a few yelps and hear a distant gobble but not from the area that the bird I was watching went. I haul my butt up off the ground and up and down a couple of billy goat hills and decided today he was going to have to come in close . No strut watching for me today.
I let go with a little love music on my diaphragm and all of a sudden I hear birds gobbling all around me . 11.30 in the morning in the same area that I have been mind numbingly nuts for the last two morning , I have three birds going. This time however I set up too tight and all I could do was listen as the birds gobble in anticipation . I decided not to call back as they were already real close and I figured they knew where I was so I would let them come looking. No such luck . The next time I hear them they are down the ridge heading into another area. I quickly got up moved up about another 50 yds. And started my serenade all over , immediately got an answer so I started pounding them . Every time I let go they answered and I could tell that they had turned and were coming back. I learned a trick from a really good turkey hunter who told me he always called on his knees so he have a better view , that advise has paid off before so I tried again. I watched and in no time I see three mature birds almost racing each other along the next ridge . I had plenty of time to sit down ( about a minute ) And I watch as the three of them raced to see who would collect first prize of a load of #5s.They all arrived about the same time but one was particularly enthusiastic and I deemed him the winner/loser.
22lbs, 8 1/2 inch beard ,one spur 1 1/8 inch the other 1 inch. Praise the Lord.
Will post pictures later.
Next day , Thursday , I was blessed with just being out in the woods on a beautiful day. Actually had a nice bird strutting in front of me at about 65 yds. I had hit my glass just to try to elicit a gobble so that I could make a better set up , instead he chose that time to decide to come calling. I knew I was in a bad spot so all I could do was watch. No point in opening an artery yet it was only the second day.
Yesterday , Friday , I once again was hearing a few birds but barely audible and they only gobbled once or twice. After spending the morning listening to little birds ,deer snorting me ,and being chewed out by squirrels I decided to head to a different spot .
As I was heading out I watched a bird crossing a field heading into the same area that I was leaving.Got my field glasses and saw that it was a gobbler . I stopped my car on the road and did a long sneak around the field through a thicket . I,m talking about 400-500yds.
The bird has already left the building by then but I decide to try my diaphragm call. I give it a few yelps and hear a distant gobble but not from the area that the bird I was watching went. I haul my butt up off the ground and up and down a couple of billy goat hills and decided today he was going to have to come in close . No strut watching for me today.
I let go with a little love music on my diaphragm and all of a sudden I hear birds gobbling all around me . 11.30 in the morning in the same area that I have been mind numbingly nuts for the last two morning , I have three birds going. This time however I set up too tight and all I could do was listen as the birds gobble in anticipation . I decided not to call back as they were already real close and I figured they knew where I was so I would let them come looking. No such luck . The next time I hear them they are down the ridge heading into another area. I quickly got up moved up about another 50 yds. And started my serenade all over , immediately got an answer so I started pounding them . Every time I let go they answered and I could tell that they had turned and were coming back. I learned a trick from a really good turkey hunter who told me he always called on his knees so he have a better view , that advise has paid off before so I tried again. I watched and in no time I see three mature birds almost racing each other along the next ridge . I had plenty of time to sit down ( about a minute ) And I watch as the three of them raced to see who would collect first prize of a load of #5s.They all arrived about the same time but one was particularly enthusiastic and I deemed him the winner/loser.
22lbs, 8 1/2 inch beard ,one spur 1 1/8 inch the other 1 inch. Praise the Lord.
Will post pictures later.