Rhino Posted April 5, 2015 Report Share Posted April 5, 2015 Been a tough season for me so far...that and I haven't been able to spend time in the turkey woods like I usually do. The 5th hunt of my season sure was a charm though...here's how it went. Decided to try a new area. Knew there was at least 1 bird somewhere in there. Set up before the crack of dawn to listen and see if I needed to move. Seemed like forever till I heard the 1st gobble...a distant bird I could barely hear. About 5 minutes goes by then a bird ~200 yards behind my tree gobbles. In business! Steep slope on the backside so I do a 90 to my left on the tree. Another 5 minutes or so passes then he gobbles again on the ground...I think directly behind me from where I'm facing now. Do another 140 around the tree to my right. I cut back at him with my diaphram and start some soft calls with my Madhatter 3 track slate. Not answer. About 10 minutes passes before he gobbles again...to my left. Dang he's just making a circle around me! Deliver another cut...he gobbles...start clucking and purring again. Seemed like forever again before he gobbles to my left again. Slight adjustment on the tree then I cut at him again...he gobbles back strong this time. Getting close. Back to the cluck & purr calls. Another 5 minutes or so passes when he gobbles to my left and sounded further away. Not looking god! I get aggressive with my calling. He works his way back and gobbles close to the same spot where he was when he gobbled close earlier. Weapon at the ready position but all goes quiet. About 15 minutes passes before he gobbles again...this time in the bottom. Time to make a short move adjustment. I ease around on the downhill side opposite from the bottom he's in then crawl up the edge of the ridge. For a few minutes I watched for movement...nothing so I ease up against a tree on the edge looking down toward the bottom. Break out the Madhatter 3 track slate and start clucking & purring. He immediately cuts me off with a double gobble. He's so close I could hear the air rush out after each of his gobbles were delivered but I can't see him. Back to the cluck & purr...no answer. About 5 minutes passes when I see movement. My bird is in the bottom scratching leaves and feeding. Throw our some more clucking and purring...no response. He's making so much noise scratching leaves I don't believe he could hear the call. I ease up my binocs and discover...he's got more than 1 beard. Ease them back down & wait till he stops scratching before I call. This time he picks up his head so I know he heard it but...he goes back to scratching. I notice more movement...2 deer moving toward him. Not good...the deer cause him to flap across the dry drainage & disappear behind foliage. I start dishing out louder clucks & purrs...no answer. Sit tight & see what happens and keep up the clucks & purrs. About 5 minutes passes when a head pops up out of thin air at ~40 yards. Figure it has to be him but waiting to make sure it's a legal gobbler for MS. One of the deer starts approaching the bird. The gobbler starts easing toward me. Now in full view at ~35 yards I'm on him but can't shoot without hitting the deer too. He slowly closes in...finally the deer eases to the left & the gobbler eases to the right neck stretched out at ~30 yards. I got that shot! Nitro load sent his way that flips him toes up. WOW! He rolls all the way back down the the bottom & into the dry drainage...stone dead! Drop everything i have on top & work my way to him. OMG...great triple beard. Wag him up to the top for the pics. My 1st MS gobbler for the season has an 11 1/2" beard, a 9 1/4" beard, and an 8" beard. Both spurs are 1" and sharp too. The 28 3/4" of beards on this gobbler is the most I've ever had on a bird I killed. Now that's the way to kick off a season! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dogdoc Posted April 5, 2015 Report Share Posted April 5, 2015 Great story---awesome bird!!! congrats todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun_300 Posted April 5, 2015 Report Share Posted April 5, 2015 Exciting story Al, congratulations on an awesome bird! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pointing_dogs_rule Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 way to go Al... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 Very nice Al. Congratulations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OKstate Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 Congrats! That's definitely a Boss!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3seasons Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 Congrats Al I know the season has been tough so far. Hoping it will start to pick up soon. Heck of a bird. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 Great pic Al! Thanks for sharing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cdeskins7 Posted April 6, 2015 Report Share Posted April 6, 2015 Congratulations. A very nice bird 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhine16 Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 Congrats Al! Awesome bird... glad to see you're back into these MS birds! Great story as always! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 I want Al on my turkey team!! Great story!! Congrats on the bird! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted April 7, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 Thanks everyone...hope to hit the woods 1 more time before the Kansas hunt. I have to go do some chores in MO early next week then heading to Kansas from there on 4/16. Then back to MO from Kansas for the MO opener on 4/20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 I want Al on my turkey team!! Great story!! Congrats on the bird! was my exact thoughts too...cept he don't sign up..and we aint having teams as it looks right now:( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 What a TANK of a bird !!!!! CONGRATS Al !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VermontHunter Posted April 7, 2015 Report Share Posted April 7, 2015 What an awesome gobbler, CONGRATS Al. If it's one thing I've learned from reading about your hunts, it's to be patient, especially when the bird goes silent, and not to over call. ,,, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colorado bob Posted April 8, 2015 Report Share Posted April 8, 2015 Nice bird!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pruts Posted April 10, 2015 Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 Wow, that's cool. Congratulations Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted April 10, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2015 Thanks again everyone. I did hit the woods one more time in MS...gobbling activity was very poor. Hot, humid, windy and overcast so not good turkey hunting conditions. Heard 1 bird gobble once on the roost in the distance but he never gobbled again. Found a couple of others gobbling at crows ~8:00. By the time I got close enough to set up...they quit. Waited 45 minutes and never got an answer to any call or the crows flying overhead either. Had to walk away & head back home to get some things done before I hit the road. Heading to MO tomorrow to take care of some chores on the farm. From there heading to KS on the 16th for the RT Spring Turkey Hunt...so next hunt KS. For those that are making the RT Kansas hunt...see y'all there. For those that aren't...you will be getting some successful turkey hunt pics & stories from the KS hunting crew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosierhunter Posted April 11, 2015 Report Share Posted April 11, 2015 Great bird Al!!! Sorry I'm so late on the post, I haven't been on much recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted April 13, 2015 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2015 Thanks Pat...good to see you drop by the campfire. Walked out to listen off the back deck at the camp in MO yesterday morning ~6:00. WOW...there was a flock of crows going nuts that were close to multiple roosted gobblers to the S. The gobblers were gobbling their heads off at them. From the the back deck there's a creek bottom generally to the W. From SW to NW birds were gobbling from one end to the other along the creek. I couldn't begin to guess how many birds were gobbling. I'll just say a lot. Sounded like they were on the ground by ~6:20. Easy scouting off the back deck with a cup of coffee in hand. Yea...I know...lazy man's way too. Had farm chores to get after yesterday. Got all the chores that were on yesterday's plans finished by ~5:30. More to do through Wed. Went to bed last night with plans to listen to another area this morning. Forecast last night was 20% chance of rain. This morning I got up at 5:00...100% chance of rain and raining with a strong wind out of the S. Oh well...won't be listening for birds in a new area this morning. Instead...here on the forum for a little while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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