I finally got him! Just yesterday I posted a thread about how they were kicking my butt! I went to my #1 spot this morning and someone was already in there. I started to make the long 3 mile hike anyways thinking surely this guy wasn't that far in there but decided to let him have it since he woke up earlier than me and got there 1st. Leaving a spot where I've heard as many as 5 gobblers this year and going to another spot where I haven't heard a thing this year I said a little prayer. "God please let me work a bird this morning, I don't have to kill one but just work him a little to get some confidence back." I was about 1/2 way into my walk in at 6:04am when I heard a bird gobbling his head off on the roost. I slipped into what I thought was about 150yds from his tree and waited for it to get a little lighter. He was absolutly HAMMERING, every 5 seconds for an hour!!! When he pitched out of the tree I realized I was only about 50yds from him, and thought he had seen me since he flew about 200yds behind me and to my left
He gobbled a couple of times as soon as he hit the ground and I did some light calling with no responce. I decided to make a big half circle to see if I could cut him off and I set up on a fire break. I did some light clucks and purrs and I heard a bird gobble about 200yds behind me, then the one I was after gobbled from right where I had just been set up!
I made a few soft yelps and he gobbled again even closer! I waited a few min and clucked a coupled more times and he cut me off VERY close! I set my glass call down and put in my diaphram and made a few soft yelps, he fired right back. I could hear him drumming so I aimed in a spot that I "knew" was just too easy for him to come out in and saw his head poke out above the ridge. Thats when the nerves REALLY took over! I haven't been that shaken up since I missed that 140" 9pt at 24yds in October. I couldn't see him strutting and I didn't want to shoot a jake so I waited looking down my gun barrel. He broke strutt and looked up for his lovely sounding Delighla and I could see his beard hanging so I let the ol 870 bark!!! Good Tom Down!!!
I said my thanks and grabbed up the bird to make the short walk back to the truck and got all twisted around. I went about 6 miles in the wrong direction and came out about 15 miles by road from my truck!!! I hadn't walked long when a gentleman named Mr. Morgan was making his rounds for the county saw me and asked if I needed a ride. I couldn't have been more greatful! He said he wasn't really supposed to give rides but he didn't mind giving a fellow hunter a ride. Mr. Morgan doesn't turkey hunt but he is an avid deer hunter and we had a good chat about deer hunting and how it used to be when he was my age (about 40 years ago). What an awesome day all the way around. I checked my bird in at Coleman's Store in Zavalla, Tx and visited with a man that lives not far from me in Huntington. My bird was 2 years old, weighed 19lbs, had a 10.25" beard, and 1" spurs. Not a monster by any stretch but a soilid East Tx bird! Thanks to all on this site for sharing these memories with me, Thanks to Mr. Morgan for the ride, and thanks to NWTF and SFA for all the hard work they have done on reintroducing these birds to East Tx!!!
For some reason I can't get pics to load, I'll keep trying!
He gobbled a couple of times as soon as he hit the ground and I did some light calling with no responce. I decided to make a big half circle to see if I could cut him off and I set up on a fire break. I did some light clucks and purrs and I heard a bird gobble about 200yds behind me, then the one I was after gobbled from right where I had just been set up! I made a few soft yelps and he gobbled again even closer! I waited a few min and clucked a coupled more times and he cut me off VERY close! I set my glass call down and put in my diaphram and made a few soft yelps, he fired right back. I could hear him drumming so I aimed in a spot that I "knew" was just too easy for him to come out in and saw his head poke out above the ridge. Thats when the nerves REALLY took over! I haven't been that shaken up since I missed that 140" 9pt at 24yds in October. I couldn't see him strutting and I didn't want to shoot a jake so I waited looking down my gun barrel. He broke strutt and looked up for his lovely sounding Delighla and I could see his beard hanging so I let the ol 870 bark!!! Good Tom Down!!! I said my thanks and grabbed up the bird to make the short walk back to the truck and got all twisted around. I went about 6 miles in the wrong direction and came out about 15 miles by road from my truck!!! I hadn't walked long when a gentleman named Mr. Morgan was making his rounds for the county saw me and asked if I needed a ride. I couldn't have been more greatful! He said he wasn't really supposed to give rides but he didn't mind giving a fellow hunter a ride. Mr. Morgan doesn't turkey hunt but he is an avid deer hunter and we had a good chat about deer hunting and how it used to be when he was my age (about 40 years ago). What an awesome day all the way around. I checked my bird in at Coleman's Store in Zavalla, Tx and visited with a man that lives not far from me in Huntington. My bird was 2 years old, weighed 19lbs, had a 10.25" beard, and 1" spurs. Not a monster by any stretch but a soilid East Tx bird! Thanks to all on this site for sharing these memories with me, Thanks to Mr. Morgan for the ride, and thanks to NWTF and SFA for all the hard work they have done on reintroducing these birds to East Tx!!!For some reason I can't get pics to load, I'll keep trying!
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