Rhino Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 It's been pretty tuff huntin in my neck of the woods so far this season. Gobbling activity has been shutting down anywhere from right after flydown to 45 minutes after flydown on the high side. That is when they gobbled. I actually got greedy on the 2nd day of the season passing a 2 yr. old bird that had a bigun behind him that stayed out near the 60 yard line. That's another story. I pulled the old roosted ain't roasted trick Friday morning. Had 3 gobblers roosted Thursday afternoon. Set up on the high side of them before daylight and they gobbled their heads off on the roost on their own and at me during a calling battle with a live hen. I managed to call the loud mouth hen in but the gobblers hung up in the bottom below me with another hen. Dang! They eventually went the other way. Next morning before the crack of dawn I was in the same area but closer to where I last heard them but the only turkey sound uttered was a hen making a fly down cut. That afternoon I went to roost them again. My plan was to arrive about 5 minutes before I heard them fly up late Thursday. As I arrive at my spot to listen I'm suddenly faced with a bird strutting where I had listened from the other day. Needless to say he didn't stick around long. Time for a change of luck. Leave those dang birds alone and go hunt the area where you passed up the 2 yr. old...dummy! Next morning I'm sitting next to a tree in the moonlight waiting for gobbling time. At 6:35 a distant bird sounds off to the southeast...then another to the west...then another around 150 yards north of me. As gobbling on the roost goes on, a hen cranks up about 100 yards southwest of me. Oh boy...I'm in the rocking chair. When she flew down I imitated every sound she uttered along with her answering me right back. Yep another hen calling contest happenin. The gobber couldn't stand it. He went nuts gobbling. It didn't take long for him to close the distance. About 15 minutes after flydown he steps inside the 30 yard line and catches a load of 4x6's. My 1st MS gobbler for the season weighed 19 lb. 4oz., sported a 10 9/16" beard (I shot some of it away ), and carried 1" sharp spurs on both sides. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Good story and and a really nice bird. Congratulations Al. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Way to go!! Sounds like you have had an interesting start But you won in the end :p Congrats :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Great story, great bird Alan. Congratulations! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHISKEYSWAMP Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 nice job! congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squirrelhunter91 Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohiobucks Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Very nice Alan, congrats bud! Nice bird! :cool: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhine16 Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Congratulations Al! That is awesome Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hardwood_HD Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 cool story, congrats on the bird! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jm23494 Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Congrats, nice looking bird! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntinguide Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 great bird what a rope Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckbuster11 Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Great bird Al. Always look forward to your spring turkey stories. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leo Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Nice bird Rhino! I can't bring myself to pass on a two year old. At least I haven't been able to yet. I know from deer hunting sometimes that's what you gotta do to get the big boys. So I do admire your resolve to do so. Especially, when you see a larger specimen just out of range. But something about any longbeard (and two year olds got em) says BANG! to me. In my experience the longest bearded birds aren't always the biggest or oldest. My oldest bird had 1 3/8" spurs but his beard was only 9 1/2". My longest beard bird ever had a 10 3/4" beard and 1" spurs was also the lightest gobbler I've ever taken. He weighed a measly 14lbs! Talk about skinny!!! The first turkey I killed, a jake, weighed 16 1/2lbs. So my personal rule now is if the beard is swinging and he's in range, then shoot! Opportunities vanish quicker than careful decisions can be made. If he's obviously at least a two year old then shoot. He may end up being substantially better. The good Lord sent him in range for a reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted March 24, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 I can't bring myself to pass on a two year old. At least I haven't been able to yet.....I do admire your resolve to do so. Especially, when you see a larger specimen just out of range. Leo don't think I won't bust a 2 yr. old bird too. I just passed that one up because a bird that was obviously bigger (not just his beard) was behind him that hung up. If the 2 yr. old had come in alone...BAMM Fact is I just got greedy wanting to kill that higher scoring bird for our team's score. Last year I killed a 2 yr. old runt size bird 1st before I started flipping over the bigger birds. The only other times I've passed up 2 yr. old birds on purpose was hunting Rios in Texas where it was just a matter of time before you were going to be looking down your shotgun barrel at a bigger bird. Even then some 2 yr. old birds were flopping around in the dirt. BTW...I've killed some 8 1/2 to 9" bearded birds before that had 1 1/4" spurs too. As you know, the ends of a gobblers beard breaks off all the time as it's growing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Turkeygirl Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Nice turkey! congrats rhino! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PA_Spike_King Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Very nice there Rhino, Congrats on a great bird and great hunt. I to can't wait till your season starts cuz you are the wack master of Realtree LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maytom Posted March 24, 2008 Report Share Posted March 24, 2008 Nice story and pic!! WTG!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sportsman2500 Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 good job rhino. i knew it wouldn't take you long!! congrats to you!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slughunter Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Way to go! Thats a good looking bird right there. How many more are you able to shoot this spring? -shane Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boomer Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Congrats on the bird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3seasons Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Nice bird Al, I was wondering if anyone else's birds were acting funny in South West MS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted March 25, 2008 Author Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 I was wondering if anyone else's birds were acting funny in South West MS From everyone I've talked to it's the same for all of them right now too. How many more are you able to shoot this spring? -shane We have a 3 bird bag limit in MS shane. All 3 birds for hunters 16 and over have to be mature birds (6" or longer beards or full fans). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the one Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Nice Bird and loved the story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbeard Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Way to go Rhino. Pretty bird. Congrats my friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntn4bucks Posted March 25, 2008 Report Share Posted March 25, 2008 Congratulations Al. I know exactly what you mean about silent birds. It has been very quiet around here for the past week and a half. Hopefully they'll get cranked up soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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