Strut10 Posted April 16, 2021 Report Share Posted April 16, 2021 Still 2 weeks to wait til our ridiculously late opener. I get tired of waiting sometimes. So a couple weeks ago, my cousin and I made a whirlwind (2300 miles in 5 days to hunt 2 days) trip to Florida to chase Osceolas for the first time. I was given lots of pointers before I went. The best of them being "They don't gobble much on the ground" and "Take a Thermacell". Both spot on !!! The first morning we hunted in the Gainesville area. Cousin took a long-spurred slammer at 10:30. Then I switched my deal up in the afternoon and called in a 2 year bird...........strutting down a sand road the whole way. But never gobbled. [img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51015315845_60182c48a2_z.jpg[/img] Although taken below the "official Osceola line", this bird shows lots of Eastern influence. The next day was a travel day, on south. Day 3 we hunted a big property we'd never seen or set foot on. Called in some hens at first light with a bird gobbling hard from 1/2 mile across a "savannah" field. We decided to relocate somewhere down through an ak hammock and see what was what. We walked a ways and found just a classic looking place to call a bird. The tom that was half a mile away was still hammering. For the heck of it I ripped some yelps with a longbox and he hit me back. I cut him off and he hammers back. Told cousin at least that bird knew where we were. We sat down and I started calling a little. Wasn't long that 3 hens came up the hammock the way we had come in. I noticed the mouthy gobbler had gone quiet. With the savannah field to our left, I told cousin to keep his eye that way as the goofy thing just COULD be coming. He was. Within a minute of me saying that, he came out of the fog and right into the oaks......headed to the 3 hens that were headed to me. At just about 40 yards, he strutted out from behind a palmetto clump and my second Osceola was down. [img]https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51084592662_2ef53ec207_c.jpg[/img] I always love hunting different birds in different places and different habitats. I can't say for sure which has been my absolute favorite. They all have their attractions. But an untouched Florida oak hammock..........like pre-white man, untouched........at gobble time is just magical. I don't know if I can go back next year or if I'll never do it again. But this was one of the most incredible hunts I've ever been on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted April 16, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 16, 2021 And I have NO idea why my hosted pics won't show up..................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted April 17, 2021 Report Share Posted April 17, 2021 Glad ya got out and hunted somewhere other than home. Sounded like a great time Don. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted April 21, 2021 Report Share Posted April 21, 2021 Can't see the pics, but sounds like a great time. Congratulations Don. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted April 22, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2021 15 hours ago, wtnhunt said: Can't see the pics, but sounds like a great time. Congratulations Don. I don't understand why the images won't show. They are hosted and linked in the same format that EVERY other website accepts............. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted April 22, 2021 Report Share Posted April 22, 2021 Cooied the line in your image and looked in a new tab. Copied the picture and pasted it here. Had to upload, but can see it here now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted April 22, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2021 THANK YOU, William !!!!!!!!! I'm too dumb to figure it out. Lol !! If you get bored and wanna work your magic on the first dead link, too............be my guest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted April 23, 2021 Report Share Posted April 23, 2021 Nice birds Don. Congratulations again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted April 23, 2021 Report Share Posted April 23, 2021 nice Birds Don! Thanks William for pulling those up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted April 24, 2021 Author Report Share Posted April 24, 2021 Thanks for the kind words, fellers !!! And thanks for bailing me out on the pics, William !!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.