One shot-- Two gobblers
Went to Dripping Springs with The Texan and The Cajun for some afternoon turkey hunting yesterday. The birds were hardly talking at all. We set up and called a few spots with no success.
Switched our game plan and began slow stalking a cedar pasture above the creek in some higher and more open terrain. We encountered 3 groups of birds, at least 5 gobblers doing this. Twice we rounded a tree too quickly and spotted the birds as they saw us.. Disappointing. We also spotted birds only 25 yards in front of us through some cedar, retreated and called very quietly with no luck.
Finally, at the last spot we sat down and decided to just let the decoys work. After 25 minutes or so, The Texan said he just saw several large birds work behind our decoys on the ridge-line and never committed. We get onto the road to give a stalk and had walked 25 yards or so and they stepped out into the open.
I had the rifle in case we saw a coyote/exotic/etc and the other two guys had shotguns. With not much time to discuss a plan, I took a knee and scoped in a bird at about 85 yards. There were 5-6 birds scattering, and I was trying to decide if I should shoot the one on the left or right of the road. I am focusing on one bird, when suddenly it has two heads. One bird was perfectly behind the other. It was now or never. The shot goes off and two birds start flapping on the ground.
Turns out both were Toms and not jakes, one even had a double beard.
Bird 1: 10.5" beard
7.5" beard
1 3/8" both spurs
Bird 2: 10" beard
1 1/8" and 7/8" spurs (one was chipped)
All in all, it was a wonderful hunt and great afternoon to be in the woods with good friends.
Switched our game plan and began slow stalking a cedar pasture above the creek in some higher and more open terrain. We encountered 3 groups of birds, at least 5 gobblers doing this. Twice we rounded a tree too quickly and spotted the birds as they saw us.. Disappointing. We also spotted birds only 25 yards in front of us through some cedar, retreated and called very quietly with no luck.
Finally, at the last spot we sat down and decided to just let the decoys work. After 25 minutes or so, The Texan said he just saw several large birds work behind our decoys on the ridge-line and never committed. We get onto the road to give a stalk and had walked 25 yards or so and they stepped out into the open.
I had the rifle in case we saw a coyote/exotic/etc and the other two guys had shotguns. With not much time to discuss a plan, I took a knee and scoped in a bird at about 85 yards. There were 5-6 birds scattering, and I was trying to decide if I should shoot the one on the left or right of the road. I am focusing on one bird, when suddenly it has two heads. One bird was perfectly behind the other. It was now or never. The shot goes off and two birds start flapping on the ground.
Turns out both were Toms and not jakes, one even had a double beard.
Bird 1: 10.5" beard
7.5" beard
1 3/8" both spurs
Bird 2: 10" beard
1 1/8" and 7/8" spurs (one was chipped)
All in all, it was a wonderful hunt and great afternoon to be in the woods with good friends.
Attached Files
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