BV
Well-Known Member
Well, I killed two nice toms in the first two days of the season and have been after this particular bird ever since.
I have hunted the same bird at least ten times this season. He is right behind my house and always gobblin his fool head off on the roost and doesn't make a sound once he is on the ground. Every single time I've been after him he has flown away from me, or something has happended to mess it up.
I roosted him yesterday evening. Got up this morning, made my way to the woods through the rain. Slipped within about 60 yards or so of him and got ready to sit down. I was on a ridge and he was all the way at the end of it roosted on a point. Right before I sat down I busted some hens off of the roost. With it raining quite a bit, I don't think he knew exactly what happened, he just gobbled at them as they bolted away.
I sat down and let things settle a bit. He kept on hammering. I decided that since this bird was called to so much ( by me and every other hunter around) I wasn't going to yelp at him at all. I gave a couple of clucks and flapped my hat. He hammered. I purred a little and gave a few more clucks. He hammered again. I could hear him drumming on the roost.
I sat there waiting. Silent. At 6:15 I heard his big wings flap and saw him diving out of the trees. He hit the ground 40 yards from me. By that time I had the bead on his head. I squeezed the trigger and the old Mossberg 835 did its job. He was a Cowboy for sure. 11 inch beard, 1 1/4 spurs, 23 lbs. I have been after this bird since the first of April and this was the first time I actually saw him. I will try to post the picks later. Man what a great hunt.
I have hunted the same bird at least ten times this season. He is right behind my house and always gobblin his fool head off on the roost and doesn't make a sound once he is on the ground. Every single time I've been after him he has flown away from me, or something has happended to mess it up.
I roosted him yesterday evening. Got up this morning, made my way to the woods through the rain. Slipped within about 60 yards or so of him and got ready to sit down. I was on a ridge and he was all the way at the end of it roosted on a point. Right before I sat down I busted some hens off of the roost. With it raining quite a bit, I don't think he knew exactly what happened, he just gobbled at them as they bolted away.
I sat down and let things settle a bit. He kept on hammering. I decided that since this bird was called to so much ( by me and every other hunter around) I wasn't going to yelp at him at all. I gave a couple of clucks and flapped my hat. He hammered. I purred a little and gave a few more clucks. He hammered again. I could hear him drumming on the roost.
I sat there waiting. Silent. At 6:15 I heard his big wings flap and saw him diving out of the trees. He hit the ground 40 yards from me. By that time I had the bead on his head. I squeezed the trigger and the old Mossberg 835 did its job. He was a Cowboy for sure. 11 inch beard, 1 1/4 spurs, 23 lbs. I have been after this bird since the first of April and this was the first time I actually saw him. I will try to post the picks later. Man what a great hunt.
