Strut10 Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Just a great morning to be in the woods today. Started out a tad slow. I got up late. The birds around my house were gobbling as I sat on the porch tying my boots to leave. I was going to go to the side of a ridge by my dad's place. But when I got there & parked a bird on the other side of the hollow was just gittin' it from the limb. So I hoofed down then back up and got in a great setup to kill him from. Only problem was........he didn't see it that way. First tree call I made was the last I heard from him. So about 8:00 I got up and started a cutt & run deal..............except when it's me it's more like "cutt & walk". I walked up on our resident albino doe and watched her for a while. I found a nice little 3-point shed. Saw some other deer. Found a sharp-shinned hawk's nest. Around 9:00 I was strolling across a big foodplot of ours when I heard a gobble out front. Couldn't tell where, though. I made another 500 yards or so and got up on the hill more and started calling here and there. Finally I got a comeback gobble. Then another. There were at least two.......maybe more birds. I set up a good long way across a valley from them and called hard. They were doubling and tripling, but not budging. So a big half circle around and I got to a spot where I figured I could make them come to. I sat down amongst the Five Brothers (a semi-circle of cherry trees where I've killed from before) and clucked on a mouth call. Nothing. Again........and nothing. About the 4th or 5th series of clucks and cutts I got a distant comeback. I fired right back with some hard cutts and got an immediate response from two birds. I cut them off with more hard, excited cutts and they went ballistic. I went silent and reached up to turn the red-dot on to #11 brightness. I waited a looooong couple minutes before purring. Nothing. I started popping off some clucks and was immediately answered from just over the rise about 45 yards out. I started looking for heads.......trying to predict where to put the dot. First head came over the rise slightly to the right from straight out. I moved the gun slightly and had the dot sitting on his wattles. Then I could see a full fan coming behind him........not yet in the open for a shot. I kept the dot on the lead, killable bird but made up my mind I would go to the strutter as soon as he offered a shot. The dot rode lead bird's neck for about a minute as he worked from left to right in front of me at about 30-32 yards. Meanwhile the strutter was taking his good old time behind a clump of big maples. Then the critical point came where the lead bird stopped slightly to my left......still with the dot on his neck.........but as far left as I could follow him. But the strutter was still obscured , though only a step or two from being in the open. The lead bird gave me last chance to tighten the trigger finger, but I passed. I wanted the strutter. Seconds after the lead bird stepped out of the danger zone the strutter cleared the maple clump. I slid the dot on to his wattles and sized it all up. He broke from strut and walked a little circle and when he stopped........the SX2 (which I have aptly named "No Doubt") sent a load of Wichester Supreme 6's 38 yards and across his noggin ending a VERY exciting hunt. he was a nice 3 year bird at 20 lbs. with a 10" rope and 1" spurs. In retrospect.......the lead bird who walked away had a much nicer, thicker beard. No matter. I'm happy. Here's a couple pics: The first is of my future turkey huntin' gal. She's saying "Ten inches!!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bowhunter56 Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Very nice turkey...well done.. if she says 10 then it's 10.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper Posted April 29, 2008 Report Share Posted April 29, 2008 Nice bird Don...didn't know you took time off from work. If your still off and want to hunt (call), I'll be home at 7:30am tom. morning to go out...lol Guess if your not here...I'll go at it alone! I didn't make it out today (had to take dog to the vet) but had a few close encounters with a couple of jakes on Mon. (wet) morning. Give it a shot tom. Great pictures btw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest ekudeerhunter Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 nice bird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHISKEYSWAMP Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 nice bird... congrats! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beagleboy Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Congrats on a nice bird. Awesome pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WaCoyote Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 You didn't use the 375 H&H? Great job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ccwhitey Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Great story and pics, congrats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hangunnr Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Good going Don!! Nice bird and good pix... hangunnr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3seasons Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Congrats on the bird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USAFbowhunter Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Congrats!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Nice bird. Congratulations Don. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Great story, great bird, congratulations Don. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
earnhardts12000 Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 nice bird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rem308 Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Great story, thanks for sharing that. Reading that really gets me geared up to go Friday & Saturday. Congrats on the gobbler, sounds like it was exciting. Good looking turkey gun you've got there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 great story Don!! Love the 10 picture :cool: Congrats buddy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluelund79 Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Great story with some great pics! Congrats on the bird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sportsman2500 Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 that's awesome congrats on an awesome hunt!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckbuster11 Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Nice bird Don. You done for the year or did you get that extra tag? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Strut10 Posted April 30, 2008 Author Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Nice bird Don. You done for the year or did you get that extra tag? Ohhhhhhhh.............................. I found another tag laying here. Went out this morning with my bow. May take my late grandad's old single shot Iver Johnson tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckbuster11 Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Nice. I'll be trying to apply tag #2 Friday morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RangerClay Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Great pics! I love the sticker on your gun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Nice. I'll be trying to apply tag #2 Friday morning. Not to hijack....but does this mean you was successful on bird #1....if so where is the pics and story?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PA_RIDGE_RUNNER Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 WTG Strut. Don't you just love it when a plan comes together, finally. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PA_Spike_King Posted April 30, 2008 Report Share Posted April 30, 2008 Nice going there Don. Boy when Winchesters bark turkeys hit the dirt. LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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