Been done for a few days but just aint had the time to sit and type. Raining here right now so I'll put my typing finger to work.
The season began a bit slow due to farm machinery jakes and coyotes. Corn planting on one side of the farm the first week then the excavator that tore out about a half acre of trees and shrubbery which was followed by the bean planter there and over the rest of the farm. Opening morning I had a gobbler in with a hen only to have a "group of seven" jakes come on board creating a diversion followed by another group of three for a total of ten jakes harassing the poor gobbler. One I saw breed one of the hens.
The "group of seven showed up a few more times to ruin my hunt, a sport they shared with coyotes sometimes two at a time. Plenty of gobbling in the morning but the birds seemed to want to stay in the bush more than come out.
One morning as I was heading out to do the other things in life I had a gobbler sound off in what I call the sugar bush. I'm hoping it was one of the two I'd had to hold my fire on a couple days before due to noggins being too close together until they were out of range. Yup! I had no striker as I'd given away the one in my vest and hadn't replaced it so a Bic pen and a corn cob was what I used. It sounded great
I stalked to within a safe calling distance and my glass over slate call Delilah did her dirty deed as she has quite a few times in the past. I'd watched this bird pre-season through a varmint scope and had seen his spectacular beard but was still surprised to measure it at 12 3/8 inches.
The one legged limb hang in the woods
23.8 on the scales at home
Bird Two
After a long day, much longer than usual bird two came along after beating on a 12" Birdseye Maple and Purple Heart boxcall in conjunction with a Maple Burl slate over glass and Delilah. I spooked this guy then went down to the river with my rod and caught a 12.1 Channel Cat while things calmed down. Calm down they did and this guy got the pill at 47 yrds while three hens led hen across the corn field to new call I use for late day hunting. I refer to it as The intermittent Snore Call. Best used under a shade tree on a hot day.
22lbs 4oz 10 and a "c" hair beard 11/8 spur on one side and a broken off 5/8 on the other.
Good year I reckon with calling a bunch of birds and taking two that I targeted. Did not however get one other bird that I have a grudge on with but he'll be there next year. Called some birds in for other too. Back to work tomrrow
The season began a bit slow due to farm machinery jakes and coyotes. Corn planting on one side of the farm the first week then the excavator that tore out about a half acre of trees and shrubbery which was followed by the bean planter there and over the rest of the farm. Opening morning I had a gobbler in with a hen only to have a "group of seven" jakes come on board creating a diversion followed by another group of three for a total of ten jakes harassing the poor gobbler. One I saw breed one of the hens.
The "group of seven showed up a few more times to ruin my hunt, a sport they shared with coyotes sometimes two at a time. Plenty of gobbling in the morning but the birds seemed to want to stay in the bush more than come out.
One morning as I was heading out to do the other things in life I had a gobbler sound off in what I call the sugar bush. I'm hoping it was one of the two I'd had to hold my fire on a couple days before due to noggins being too close together until they were out of range. Yup! I had no striker as I'd given away the one in my vest and hadn't replaced it so a Bic pen and a corn cob was what I used. It sounded great
I stalked to within a safe calling distance and my glass over slate call Delilah did her dirty deed as she has quite a few times in the past. I'd watched this bird pre-season through a varmint scope and had seen his spectacular beard but was still surprised to measure it at 12 3/8 inches.
The one legged limb hang in the woods
23.8 on the scales at home
Bird Two
After a long day, much longer than usual bird two came along after beating on a 12" Birdseye Maple and Purple Heart boxcall in conjunction with a Maple Burl slate over glass and Delilah. I spooked this guy then went down to the river with my rod and caught a 12.1 Channel Cat while things calmed down. Calm down they did and this guy got the pill at 47 yrds while three hens led hen across the corn field to new call I use for late day hunting. I refer to it as The intermittent Snore Call. Best used under a shade tree on a hot day.
22lbs 4oz 10 and a "c" hair beard 11/8 spur on one side and a broken off 5/8 on the other.
Good year I reckon with calling a bunch of birds and taking two that I targeted. Did not however get one other bird that I have a grudge on with but he'll be there next year. Called some birds in for other too. Back to work tomrrow
