rhine16 Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 I got an invite to hunt with a buddy Sunday morning, and to say I was excited to go up and hunt on his turkey paradise for the first time in a couple of years was an understatement. We had plenty of time to scheme on our hour and thirty minute drive to his property, and after much thought and discussion, he decided that he would go mess with the birds that had been giving him fits for the past few hunts. That decision was more than okay with me, as it meant that I would get to listen from the crossroads, an area where two large logging roads converge on a high ridge and a loading zone had been pushed out there during the timber thinning last summer. I have enjoyed a handful of good hunts there the past few springs but have never been able to connect on the ridge running gobblers. He dropped me off and I was able to finish my twenty minute walk just in time to catch my breath before the gobblers started sounding off. The first ones sounded off to the east about 800 yards followed by a bird to the south about 500 yards. Both sets of birds were hot, but I waited in hopes that a bird would be roosted nearby on the ridge to the west. After what seemed like an eternity but must've only been 4-5 minutes, a bird sounded off where I expected/wanted him to be at ~300 yards to my west. I probably could've gotten tighter to his roost tree, but I elected to sit down at the base of the pine I was listening from as I figured it was best not to be aggressive on a buddy's land. Not long after, another bird fired up a hollow north of the other bird, and soon they were seeing which one of them could blow the woods down. I threw a few sets of tree yelps out and they both cut me off each time. At flydown, the bird to the north stayed hot, but the bird on the ridge to the west shutup as I figured he had a harem of hens. I tried to keep tabs on their location every few minutes, and they gobbled at every call I made. My aggressive yelp at 7:10 was answered by the other bird a good 250 to my northwest, and silence for the first time from the bird on my ridge. I finally gave in to the pain in my knee(I found out I was getting too old for basketball a few weeks ago) figuring he was taking care of business, and straightened my legs out and laid my gun across my lap. Wrong move! No sooner had I done that did a hen pop into the loading zone, followed by the ol boy in full strut and two hens tagging behind him. They cut the distance to me as I knocked my safety off and gently dropped my slate and striker. The hen came to a mere 5 yards before figuring out that the hen she was after must've have walked down the road to the east. The gobbler followed, but then decided that the roadway was the perfect spot to stop and strut around a few times in the sun before continuing following her lead. That was his fatal move, I shouldered the gun as he faced away, scratched a yelp with my voice when he turned, and rolled him over when he popped his head up at 15 yards. 10" beard and 1 1/8" hooks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zizzer59 Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 Nice lookin' bird! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maytom Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 Wow!!! Like when a plan comes together!!! Congrats!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 Congrats, nice bird & story...Rhine,..now Eric's Crossroad tune stuck in my head..lol Went down to the crossroad, to get me a jellyhead... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 Congratulations Rhine! Glad your plan came together except for the surprise arrival. I can certainly relate to the knee problems...no cartilage in my right knee. Fortunately my left knee's fine for a shotgun rest. Sounds like they are still henned up pretty bad in your neck of the woods. I'm told they are around here too. Only time I've been in the woods turkey hunting so far this spring was in AL last Thursday...henned up bad there. A few birds were gobbling some on the roost early then nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhine16 Posted April 1, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 Rhino, I'm afraid they're always henned up in my neck of the woods. Montgomery and Grenada counties don't really have the rep for having an over abundance of birds, but on my place(Montgomery) and my buddies(Grenada) we are loaded down. 6 came off my place in the first two weeks, and there are a few gobblers left still. We are trying not to hunt them too much and maybe leave them for seed(though there are plenty of jakes, called in ten on the youth opener). I hate that you aren't getting to hunt in ms anymore. Not sure if you've tossed out the idea of public land, but it's really not bad. Especially not for a veteran like you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 Rhine...I may be heading to a friend's place near Port Gibson to turkey hunt for a few of days. When, depends on the weather and if he has to go to S. America the beginning of next week or not. Weather looks good for Monday & Tuesday of next week. Weather conditions sort of suck right now for him to justify taking off of work to turkey hunt. Thought a little about trying some public land during weekdays but haven't done it yet. Haven't had a lot of free time here in MS though lately. I spent the 1st 8 days of the MS season in MO taking care of some chores on the farm with my buddy that owns most of the property. Time includes a day returning home. That kept me busy but I enjoyed it up there. Drove up there the day before the MS opener. Had to spend some time catching up when I returned home. He & I are also in the process of trying to sell a company we jointly own. That's kept us both busier than usual for this time of year. Next Thursday I'm heading to SE Kansas to hunt with Tim Andrus, colorado bob, and a few others for 3 days. Looking forward to that. MO season starts on April 21st but my buddy & I need to go there several days ahead of time to take care of some more chores on our list. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3seasons Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 Thats awesome congrats. Good luck Al Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 Sounds like a great hunt Rhine. Congratulations on that nice bird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maine Hntr Posted April 1, 2014 Report Share Posted April 1, 2014 Great story Rhine, you sure do put your time in and it pays off! Congrats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdoc Posted April 2, 2014 Report Share Posted April 2, 2014 fun hunt!!! congrats on the nice bird. todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHISKEYSWAMP Posted April 7, 2014 Report Share Posted April 7, 2014 good stuff... congrats on a dandy! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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