No Bunnie this Easter, All turkey.

Covehnter · April 18, 2006

I called my duck hunting side kick up his first longbeard Sunday morning before hurrying off to the Sunday service. This was one of those nerve rattling, heart pounding hunts that cause us to do what we do day in and out.

After a dull Saturday in the turkey woods, hopes for a quick Easter longbeard were diminished, not that we would miss a sunrise or anything. So the first hints of day found me on the border of a big field and a burn, facing the corner of the field toward a big swamp that birds love to roost around. My buddy was a half mile away on a hill overlooking a big cow pasture where we've been dealing w/ Hewy, a bird that has more lives than an alley cat ( yep, Redbeard i'z think bout your titles when i slapped a name to this bird), Hewy is short for Huedeanie (sp?). But anyways thats another story/day. We decided to split b/c Hewy's been missing for a couple days and i saw some birds in the burn on Saturday. At first light, i attempted to wake ole 3-toe a little early with my best impression of a barred owl, with no success on the turkey end, i did manage to aggravate a pair of owls just 50 yards up the field edge. With their chorus of laughs and whines they choked a gobble out of a bird on the other side of the swamp. Not being quick to radio for the relocation, i waited to see if the bird was going to fire up and to give my buddy time to listen for Hewy. As the owls continued it provoked another respond from the prey about 5 minutes later. Realizing i had a good bearing on the birds location i quickly came to the conclusion that i knew where that bird was headed off the stick, if he continued to gobble or not.

A quick phone call to my buddy had him at my side, we moved across the field and made or way down the edge, stepping over in the burned pines to hide ourselves from birds that could possibly be wrapped around a limb close by. Arriving at the corner of the field the bird gobbled for the 4th time that morning telling us he was a mere 100 yards up the open swamp bottom. We slipped ever so quietly through the bottom crossing one of its fingers, about 60 yards wide and posted up on the fringe of a smaller field that borders the swamp. With honeysuckle vines and briar bushes proving it a challenge to make a comfortable setup which we were never able to find, none the less my buddy leans against a small tree about half dollar size and i just lean back on my hands after pulling back some vines to provide him a lane directly out into the field. With daylight upon us, i float a few soft tree yelps into the Easter morning air, which was greeted with silence as i expected. A couple silent minutes and a few more yelps crossed my lips and again silence. I followed this will a clumsy flydown, using a wing i store in my vest just for these occassions. A few moments later several turkeys glided into the field 100 yards out. The the gentleman of the hour make his appearance mandatory by displaying for his lady friends once his landing gear had him planted firmly in the wet grass. After glassing, it was known that 3 jakes, 2 hens, and the man were laying claim to the field this morning for their enjoyment, we had other plans. Stepping up on the calling, the birds began drifting to our right skirting us at 70-80 yards. Just as our hopes were fading the hens decided to change the route and come back across the field. They passed at 50 yards and melted into the woods edge, leaving the boys 50 yards behind still in the field. More calling, again taking one more step up the ladder was more than the youngsters could handle. They moved in on us, and i'm talking IN on us. When they got to the edge in which we were tucked back from 6 yards, they knew a sweet talkin' companion should be waiting. The first jake crosses the lane at 6 steps, stretching his neck with that curious look. He passes by only to enter the woods and walk down the side of us at 5 yards!! At the same time jake #2 enters the lane, 6 yards and follows his brother down my right side. Jake #3 walks across and is investigating from about 8 yards out. At this point i can see the longbeard fixed like a statue at 30 yards, he's behind a clump of honeysuckle for my buddy. The longbeard is intent on what the jakes are finding but dares not come any closer. Eventually, i heard what all of us hate to hear, jake #2 putts about 4 yards off my right shoulder. Jake #1 is obviously comfortable with the situation and calms him with a few cluck/purr combos so the jake's putts turn into more of a curiosity cluck. For 5 minutes (w/ not a second of exaggeration) these 3 jakes we burning holes through us in search of the hens they heard earlier. Finally, after the content talk from the juveniles i see the longbeard make a move, instead of moving out into the lane, he turns to come directly at us. I'm giving my buddy the over the shoulder play by play. . . he's coming, he's coming, fixing to step out, 8 yards, and there he is! No more that 8 good steps he's straining hard to check things out. I hear my buddy say, i cant. . . . the jakes. A few moments was enough for the longbeard, he takes a couple quick steps away and begins to make his departure. I glance down to see my buddy's head ease down on my shotgun which he was holding. An echoing bark from the 870 proved to cut the exit short for the man at the end of the gun barrel as the remaining pattern blew a mist across the damp grass beyond the longbeard. At 25 yards the Winchester #6's had again flexed it's muscles. An awesome end to an incredible hunt on Easter morning. The bird sported a healthy 11 1/8 inch beard but to my amazement had slick legs with only pink circles where the spurs were suppost to be. None the less, a great bird for a first!

Drew on location.

And a couple more. . .

HuntnMa · April 18, 2006