WHISKEYSWAMP Posted May 11, 2010 Report Share Posted May 11, 2010 (edited) Saturday started out with a 3:30am wake up call. I headed over to where I shot my opening day bird to meet up with a buddy (landowner’s son) to help him get his bird. We were set up by 5:30 and by 6:30 we were heading out with a nice 2 year old tom. We spent the rest of the day moving a hunting shack and mushroom hunting with 3 and 4 year old daughters… It was a great day in the woods. Fast forward to my way home… I was looking forward to just relaxing and pretty much getting some early shut eye so I could make it up for a morning hunt. It was around 7:15pm, about 5 minutes from home, I changed plans and decided to head out and do some scouting for the morning… but, I mostly figured if I didn’t see or hear anything, I could skip the early alarm buzzer and head out later in the morning. I parked my truck, grabbed my gear, and headed for my normal scouting spot about 600 yards away. I walked about 80 yards and was about to round the corner of a newly planted field, when I noticed a big ole black butter ball struttin for his three ladies. Luckily, I was undetected, as the ladies were feeding, and his mind was on other things. I was able to slip up the edge of the woods to within 60 yards… it was quite windy so my movement and noise went easily unnoticed. I posted up by a big ole tree trying to think of plan to pull this tom away from his hens… A few minutes go by and I lose sight of them… I look ahead to see one of the hens hopping up on a log about 60 yards up the wood line... then another hen does the same. I thought to myself, sweet!!! If the tom does the same, I can try to pretty talk him in a little closer. Instead he entered the woods about 100 yards down or so… I thought about just waiting until morning to hunt him but decided to throw a few calls at him anyway... I couldn’t get a gobble out of him, but he would raise his head to see where the call was coming from… he then crested the hill, and went out of sight… I figure he was heading to his roosting tree. However, with still about a half hour left to hunt (sunset) I threw out a couple more calls, when a darn fox must have been sneaking up my backside looking for a meal, because he came running over my left shoulder a couple yards away, and then bolted the heck out of there. scared the tar out of me... it's lucky it didn’t get shot. Anyway, I again thought about waiting for the morning, but went ahead and threw out a couple more calls… a short time later, up pops a big red head over the hill about 50 yards away… he was definitely looking for something or running from a fox…lol I had to ease my gun up, but had plenty of cover to do so. He walked to within 15 yards and right into load of number 5s… bird down!!! A scouting trip that turned into to hunt… guess you never know. :gunsmilie: Measurements: 22 lbs 1-1/8”, 1-1/4” spurs 10” and 6.5” beards Edited May 11, 2010 by WHISKEYSWAMP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flintlock1776 Posted May 11, 2010 Report Share Posted May 11, 2010 Nice, I wish we could hunt late here but we can only go to noon and never on Sundays! Nice story great bird, congrats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WHISKEYSWAMP Posted May 11, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2010 (edited) Nice, I wish we could hunt late here but we can only go to noon and never on Sundays! Nice story great bird, congrats Ohio opened all day hunting for the first time this year, but only for the last 2 weeks of season. I don't know that I completely like the idea yet or not as I imagine some hunters, at least some around here, will just sit where they roost and wait... it definitely felt a little weird shooting my first late day bird even though I was nowhere near their normal roosting area. thanks for the congrats! :gunsmilie: Edited May 11, 2010 by WHISKEYSWAMP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pointing_dogs_rule Posted May 11, 2010 Report Share Posted May 11, 2010 congrats!!! good luck to all the dog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Goinghuntin Posted May 11, 2010 Report Share Posted May 11, 2010 Nice, I wish we could hunt late here but we can only go to noon and never on Sundays! Nice story great bird, congrats We can hunt all day every day. I guess they put that rule into effect after observing my Dad and I hunt :jaw: Congrats on another bird! He sure is a good lookin' fella. Nathan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rem308 Posted May 11, 2010 Report Share Posted May 11, 2010 Great bird 'swamp...way to take advantage of the opportunity. 22 lbs is a brute! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohiobucks Posted May 11, 2010 Report Share Posted May 11, 2010 Atta boy Rodney, great bird! 22lbs this late in the season is a whopper, that old boy could have been pushing 26-28 lbs earlier this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diamond Archer 01 Posted May 11, 2010 Report Share Posted May 11, 2010 Congrats on a real nice bird!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted May 12, 2010 Report Share Posted May 12, 2010 Too cool Rodney! Great bird! We only get to hunt til noon here. I have hunted all day down south with Leo and to say the least it was different. I almost connected at last light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
maytom Posted May 13, 2010 Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 Awesome bird!!! WTG!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redbeard Posted May 13, 2010 Report Share Posted May 13, 2010 Nice 'un! Congrats Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhino Posted May 17, 2010 Report Share Posted May 17, 2010 Yep...you never know. Congrats on a great trophy double beard! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorden Posted May 23, 2010 Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 Very nice bird, congrats!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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