Zona Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 I was very fortunate this year, as the draw gods blessed me with my second Arizona goulds turkey tag in three years . Both times permit #5 of 5. The plan from the beginning was I was going to shoot one with my bow. Well as most good intentions, the plan didn't go that way. My brother and I got to my unit Thursday afternoon. We got camp all set up around three o'clock and headed out to do some scouting and to try to roost a bird at dark. We found fresh turkey sign everywhere we checked and also drove up on two big toms with 5 hens. Finally right at dark we were able to get one to gobble out of his roost so we had a plan of attack for the morning. Opening morning we arrived at our spot well before daylight with windy conditions. Not good. As a matter of fact the forcast for the weekend was not good at all wind wise. We finally got the tom to shock gobble. We set up on him, me carrying both gun and bow, and started giving him our best impression of a love sick hen. However, with the increasing winds he did not want to talk much at all. He would basically only gobble when my brother would cackle at him. We heard him fly out of his roost and the last two gobbles we heard were of him going up and over the mountain he was on. We decided to go hit some other spots where we knew birds were but with the increasing howling winds getting a tom to talk was not going to be easy. For the next 3 1/2 hours we were running and gunning trying to get any kind of noise out of a gobbler. Nothing. The wind now blowing so hard that hearing one was going to be a chore. We kept at it when finally around 9:15 we got a tom to answer. Problem was he was probably only 125 yards away. He was down off in a creek bottom and the next time he gobbled we could tell he was getting closer and moving down the creek. So I decided that with the weather conditions and the high wind forcast the best thing was to just take my shotgun and ease down to the side of the creek. Just as I got set down I could see a hen coming right to me, and then another, and then the gobbler. I have yet to call once at the turkeys and they were coming right to me. As they were getting closer the one hen and the tom vered off to my left into some really thick stuff. As a matter of fact all I could see is pieces of them walking through the brush. As the one hen walked through the tinyest of holes I knew the tom would be right behind her. So I eased my gun up, scrunched down and leaned over as far as I could to be able to shoot the hole. The tom stepped into the hole at 12 yards and all I could see was his head which was enough and I rolled him right there. I was tickled pink with my second goulds turkey. I was also glad that I had my shotgun because where he was going through I would have never had a shot at him with my bow. It's not everyday you kill a goulds turkey with a shotgun and a release on your wrist lol . He is a big mature tom, quite a bit bigger than my first one. He has a heavy, 10.5" beard and spurs that measure 7/8" and 1". It was a great, fun, exciting hunt with my brother. The only thing that could have been better was the wind. Did I mention it was bad. Here are a few pictures. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pruts Posted May 1, 2011 Report Share Posted May 1, 2011 Congratulations. Nice looking bird, I especially like the white on the fan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 Congrats on your 2nd Goulds! Great story & pics! They sure are beautiful birds! You earned that one, especially dealing with the wind. Way to hang in there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHISKEYSWAMP Posted May 3, 2011 Report Share Posted May 3, 2011 wow, talk about a great looking bird... nice hunt! congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted May 4, 2011 Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 A heavy Gould's with both spurs (and long at that) and a good beard........................... better score that one and see where he ranks in the NWTF listing. Could be higher than you might expect. CONGRATS on el pavo !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted May 4, 2011 Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 One heckofa bird ! One heckofa hunt! Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colorado bob Posted May 4, 2011 Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 Hope you bought some "Power Ball" tickets. Looks like you have the luck. That's a dandy bird-----a big CONGLADS. CB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zona Posted May 4, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 Thanks everyone for the kind comments. I do feel lucky and blessed to not only be able to hunt them once but twice in my home state. The goulds population here is really booming and expanding. A true success story for sure. Brian Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun_300 Posted May 4, 2011 Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 Great looking bird Brian, congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntnfish Posted May 4, 2011 Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 Awesome bird. Great story too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted May 4, 2011 Report Share Posted May 4, 2011 Thanks everyone for the kind comments. I do feel lucky and blessed to not only be able to hunt them once but twice in my home state. The goulds population here is really booming and expanding. A true success story for sure. Brian that's good to hear. hopefully it'll allow for more hunting opportunities in the future. congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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