2022 Opening Day Gobbler

[Big H]

Set the alarm for 3:30 on Friday night, but didn't need it, I was up at 3:26 and out the door at 3:45. Got down to Jefferson County at 5:30 and got up the hill on the 4 wheeler by 5:45. I walked in to my normal listening spot about 150 yards from where I parked and heard a barred owl off in the distance, a very distant gobble responded. Good start I'm thinking. The birds here usually gobble around 6:00, and I was really hoping I would hear one on our place. At 6:01, BAM, nice long gobble about 200 yards away on the next ridge over! Sweet! I have a downed tree along the field edge that I have killed quite a few birds from so I walked over and set a couple of hen decoys up in the field and got set up. Same bird gobbled again, and another tom that was quite a bit deeper, answered him. They were both in the tree because the closer bird kept turning on the limb and gobbling down the valley and then up the hill towards the field I was set up in. Normally I would cut the distance and get closer, ( I promised Kristi I wouldn't exert myself TOO much), more on that later. I made a few calls, just enough to let him know that I was over here looking for some action. Both birds gobbled sporadically for the next half hour and then went quiet like they usually do before they flew down. Acrow flew over and cawed and the bird gobbled again, answered by the deeper bird. Both on the ground this time. I threw a few yelps at them with my box call, followed up with a custom glass call I have and got an almost immediate answer! Then, the closer bird started gobbling and walking away towards the area that the other bird was also sounding off at. Shit! By now, it is almost 7:00. I called a little louder and he answered, but I was thinking he had hens and was gone. I made a couple more yelps around 7:30 and got cut off! He was very close to where he had been roosted! I called to him, he answered, and then walked away again gobbling. Ahhh, he is in his strut zone, I kept thinking I need to get over there when he gets to the far end and set up, but I was afraid I would bust him. I knew the logging road that he was on, but it would be risky. I decided to stay put. He repeated that same scenario 3 times over the next hour or so. He was honoring my calls, but he didn't want to come my way.

More to follow....

 

[Jackalope]

Getting good!

 

[Big H]

Shortly after 9:00, a hen started cutting and yelping in the field behind me. So, I cutt back at her and that really got the gobbler fired up, but he still wouldn't commit. I let things settle down for a about 10 minutes and then did some cluck and purrs on a mouth call followed up by some yelping on the box call. She was not TOO happy with me and started cutting again, so I had little argument with her and next gobble I heard was at the end of the logging trail at the edge of the field, still 150 yards or so away, so I shut up. A few minutes later I saw him strolling down the edge of the woods along the on the field and he was gobbling at every call I made. Now it's really game on! He disappears into a dip and then I see his fan and two! big red, white and blue heads. Then a jake clucks and walks out of the woods to join them. They are at 75 yards or so slowly working towards my decoys spitting and drumming all the way. The strutter was in the back and when they got to 35 yards I almost shot him but wanted them to get closer to the decoys. Mistake, they ended up dropping over the crest in the field and while I could hear them and I couldn't see them. I even stood up and could just see their fans. Every time I called, they answered back, but kept walking up the field towards the area that the live hen had been all irritated with me earlier. At this point, I am figuring I blew my opportunity. I stand up again, and they are about 100 yards away.

So I started calling pretty aggressively and they started heading back, gobbling all the way. Then, another bird with a totally different voice joins in on the gobbling fest from the opposite side of the field and he is getting closer. Eventually, the birds were once again right by me, but hidden by the crest of the field, gobbling at every call. At this point, I'm thinking I am golden and going to score. Wrong again!

They showed up, on the flat of the field about 70 yards away, heading back to where the birds had originally came from, and there were four (4) longbeards!! At this point I am kicking myself for not shooting the strutter when I should have. So, they walk all the way up the field edge and I can just make out movement once in a while. BTW, they are still gobbling at every call I make, all 4 of them! So, I am thinking it's over, and I blew it, should have killed him when I could, maybe should have belly crawled into the field so I could see over the crest, blah blah blah. Long story short, I have killed plenty of turks, I love the chess game and want them to come to my calls.

Anyhow, I decided to turn it up a notch and really poured the calls to them, box call, two different mouth calls and two different pot calls with different strikers. I mean I hammered them, they went nuts double and triple gobbling! I look that way, and here they come, giddyup! I can't believe I am getting another chance. Well, 3 longbeards came in again, but they didn't come to the decoys, they walked on the other side of the field from me, just over the crest of the hill, out of sight. SOB! I had pretty much shut up when they committed this last time only doing some leaf scratching and a couple low key mouth calls. Once again, I was considering the belly crawl to the crest of the field and standing up to shoot, I talked myself out of that. Maybe with age comes a little more wisdom? Definitely I have gained more patience. So, I cranked up the calls again, they all really liked the box call and they were now past me on my right side gobbling like idiots. I had already realigned myself so I could shoot if one of them decided to show his head. And then another bird gobbled to my left! I glanced over there, turned my head back to my right and then I heard it, FTTTTTT UMMMMM, I saw his fan come over the crest of the hill right by the decoys and BOOM, he took a dirt nap at 20 yards! He ate a face full of 5's in full strut at 20 yards. A nice bird, 1 1/8" spurs, but only a 8.5" beard.

Those of us that chase these birds in the spring know what it is like when they are so close that you can feel them gobble in your bones. I had that feeling 3 times within an hour and a half Saturday morning. It was a great morning and the fact that it ended with a bird over my shoulder on the way out, was the icing on the cake. Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to try and share as much of the hunt as I could.

 

[Big H]

So, the rest of the story. Some of you know that I went through Covid back in October and killed my buck I nicknamed "The Covid Buck" 3 days after I got out of the hospital. I need to do a write up on him, since Kristi claims it almost killed her helping me get him out, anyhow, I think she is exaggerating a little...

I had cardiac ablation surgery for AFib about 5 five years ago, and I have been having some issues with it for the past year or so. It has become more of an issue since having Covid. My doctor wanted to do another surgery to try and hopefully fix it before I have a stroke or something. Well, the earliest they could get me in was June 1st, but I was #1 on the cancellation list. They called last week and had a cancellation for Tuesday, so I'm going in tomorrow to get this taken care of again. It could be a couple hours or it could be like last time and take 5.5 hours, we will see. So I am going to name this year's gobbler, "The Ablation Gobbler"

I told Giles that I need to write up a story with my last few bucks and the health problems I associate with them. LOL

 

[Trueroots]

Congrats on the bird! And best of luck with the surgery!

 

[Spencie]

That is the type of hunt we all dream of. Congrats on keeping it together during all this! Thoughts and prayers on your surgery tomorrow.

 

[Jackalope]

Man what an awesome story. That's what its all about. Hearing them gobble that close. And NOTHING beats a bird spitting and drumming. It's the coolest sound. I've wracked my brain thinking how someone could make a call to imitate that sound but nothing small enough to carry through the woods comes to mind. Awesome hunt buddy and thanks for sharing it. Hope they get you fixed up tomorrow and you're back at it.

 

[Big H]

Posting a few pics. Maybe it will help with my story. Birds came from that ridge up to the left. And you should be able to see the crest in the field past where Ole Tommy Three Toes took a dirt nap.

 

[Big H]

More pics

 

[giles]

Good luck tomorrow man!

 

[Big_Holla]

Congratulations on a well earned bird!! Good luck tomorrow, we all will be thinking of you!

 

["J"]

Helluva recap, Ron! Good luck tomorrow. Hopefully it goes well and you’re back up on your feet doing what you love!

 

[Bankfish]

Great story and bird. Hope all turns out well tomorrow!

 

[triple_duece]

Awesome write up, almost felt like I was there. Kinda similar to the opening weekend hunt I made. Before that I’ve only experienced 2 year olds where they run up like a teenager in heat. Good luck w your procedure. Congrats on the great bird.

 

[Redhunter1012]

Good luck tomorrow! Congrats on the bird

 

[Curran]

Good stuff and congrats!! Best of luck tomorrow too!

 

[switchhitter]

That is an epic turkey hunt
Congratulations
Good luck tomorrow

 

[hickslawns]

Sounds exciting. Hearing a gobble up close when you weren't expecting it is quite a rush. Not enough to buy a tag for me, but it is an awesome rush. Lol

Great write up Ron. Best of luck in your surgery tomorrow.

 

[Hedgelj]

Great write up and good luck on the procedure