The hunt that almost didn't happen...
So my wife and I went out last night (which is a rare occasion with Landon) but it was one of my college roommate’s surprise 30th birthday party. Due to not getting out as a couple much we stayed out till 1. I finally got to bed around 1:45 so when the alarm went off at 4:00 I was real close to saying "fugg this...not today!"
But I didn't. I dragged my ass out of bed, filled 2 thermoses with coffee and headed out the door at 4:30 for my 50 min drive.
I get to a good spot in the woods to hear birds and don't hear a thing. Now I am really thinking I should have skipped it. As it is really cracking light I decide to head to the one side of the property and just setup and pray. While walking I hear what I thought was a faint gobble way back across the other side of the property, but probably on the neighbors. I just pause and wait a few minutes and hear him go off again. Game on!
I hustle back across the property. As I near the property line I pull out my box call and put my diaphragm in my mouth. I hit the box once with some soft tree yelps to see if he would respond and too try and get a better gauge on his location. He hammers back and I figure he is about 100 yards off the property. I move in and setup about 50 yards inside the property line and figure I won't shoot beyond that. I take a seat and hit the box again with some soft tree yelps. He hammers back again. I shut up. He comes out of the roost and I catch glimpses of that baseball bobbing through the woods as he is closing the distance. He gobbled 3 times while coming in and I responded to each with the diaphragm. I then lost him behind some thicker stuff. The 4th time he gobbled from the ground I couldn't see him but knew he was close. I putted twice and with that he pops his head out from behind a tree. He was 43 yards away from me. The only thing he was showing from behind the tree was his head and neck. I was debating being patient for him to become more exposed (some briars between us) but he started to look real nervous not seeing a hen. I said, goodnight and let the 870 Express Super Mag Turkey Gun rip. Love the 3 1/2" Winchester Supreme #5's! I knew I would graze the tree he was hiding behind but felt confident with the gun and the ammo.
He folded up and it was all over by about 6:15am.
I just sat with him and watched the rest of the sunrise on a great morning.
So my wife and I went out last night (which is a rare occasion with Landon) but it was one of my college roommate’s surprise 30th birthday party. Due to not getting out as a couple much we stayed out till 1. I finally got to bed around 1:45 so when the alarm went off at 4:00 I was real close to saying "fugg this...not today!"
But I didn't. I dragged my ass out of bed, filled 2 thermoses with coffee and headed out the door at 4:30 for my 50 min drive.
I get to a good spot in the woods to hear birds and don't hear a thing. Now I am really thinking I should have skipped it. As it is really cracking light I decide to head to the one side of the property and just setup and pray. While walking I hear what I thought was a faint gobble way back across the other side of the property, but probably on the neighbors. I just pause and wait a few minutes and hear him go off again. Game on!
I hustle back across the property. As I near the property line I pull out my box call and put my diaphragm in my mouth. I hit the box once with some soft tree yelps to see if he would respond and too try and get a better gauge on his location. He hammers back and I figure he is about 100 yards off the property. I move in and setup about 50 yards inside the property line and figure I won't shoot beyond that. I take a seat and hit the box again with some soft tree yelps. He hammers back again. I shut up. He comes out of the roost and I catch glimpses of that baseball bobbing through the woods as he is closing the distance. He gobbled 3 times while coming in and I responded to each with the diaphragm. I then lost him behind some thicker stuff. The 4th time he gobbled from the ground I couldn't see him but knew he was close. I putted twice and with that he pops his head out from behind a tree. He was 43 yards away from me. The only thing he was showing from behind the tree was his head and neck. I was debating being patient for him to become more exposed (some briars between us) but he started to look real nervous not seeing a hen. I said, goodnight and let the 870 Express Super Mag Turkey Gun rip. Love the 3 1/2" Winchester Supreme #5's! I knew I would graze the tree he was hiding behind but felt confident with the gun and the ammo.
He folded up and it was all over by about 6:15am.
I just sat with him and watched the rest of the sunrise on a great morning.
. Heck of a nice bird right there.
