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tree_ghost

tree_ghost

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 19, 2014
Messages
7,795
City & State/Province
Temperance Hall
I had the privilege again this year to guide for the Oneshot hunt. My hunter was a retired Army veteran who has had to have his left leg amputated from the knee down. I had some birds roosted Friday night in a great spot for us to access them easily on Saturday morning. I knew the forecasted weather was going to be rough but I was hoping that the heavy thunderstorms would hold off for the first 45 minutes of daylight and us staying dry in the blind would make the hunt worthwhile for Beau. Well Saturday morning arrived and the weather was looking more favorable than previously expected. With high hopes we headed down to our hide and settled in. As we carried on casual conversation between us the treetops erupted with a symphony of gobbles! My hunters eyes lit up immediately with adrenaline and anticipation. I knew there were 6 longbeards roosted from the night before of to our left but to my surprise another pair of strutters had apparently slid in on the creek bottom to our right about 200 yards and gave away there location where they gobbled back. At 6:20 I tree yelped softly 3 notes on @StringMusic new purple slate he turned for me last month. The boys almost fell out of the tree they gobbled back so hard! 2 minutes later I heard them pitch down and spotted them coming around the point in the field. The rain at this point began to fall more steadily and the birds slowed up and stopped talking. I could tell they were trying to locate the source of my calling but they weren't yet in position to see my decoys. I yelped softly about 5 or 6 times and when I did the dominate bird broke into strut and began working his way towards us. As the other 5 hung back to watch him this big Tom put on a show for me and Beau. At 31 yards I gave him the "all clear" and he let the old 12 ga eat! His first longbeard ever!!! As the bird flopped on the ground all his commotion caused #2 in the pecking order to assume command and he came running in to finish off his pal! A dead sprint from about 90 yards to my gun barrel and as luck would have it we doubled! I'm honored to be able to help these incredible men and women who have sacrificed so greatly for our freedom. It's truly humbling when you stand in the shadows of such mighty men...

Beaus bird
23.25lb
11" beard
1-1/4" spurs

My bird
16.5lb
10-1/2" beard
1-1/4" spurs
 

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The best post yet and one I cannot commend you enough for. Thank you for guiding Beau and making memories that will last a lifetime for you both! Also, thank you for sharing with the group here.
 
tree_ghost said:
I had the privilege again this year to guide for the Oneshot hunt. My hunter was a retired Army veteran who has had to have his left leg amputated from the knee down. I had some birds roosted Friday night in a great spot for us to access them easily on Saturday morning. I knew the forecasted weather was going to be rough but I was hoping that the heavy thunderstorms would hold off for the first 45 minutes of daylight and us staying dry in the blind would make the hunt worthwhile for Beau. Well Saturday morning arrived and the weather was looking more favorable than previously expected. With high hopes we headed down to our hide and settled in. As we carried on casual conversation between us the treetops erupted with a symphony of gobbles! My hunters eyes lit up immediately with adrenaline and anticipation. I knew there were 6 longbeards roosted from the night before of to our left but to my surprise another pair of strutters had apparently slid in on the creek bottom to our right about 200 yards and gave away there location where they gobbled back. At 6:20 I tree yelped softly 3 notes on @StringMusic new purple slate he turned for me last month. The boys almost fell out of the tree they gobbled back so hard! 2 minutes later I heard them pitch down and spotted them coming around the point in the field. The rain at this point began to fall more steadily and the birds slowed up and stopped talking. I could tell they were trying to locate the source of my calling but they weren't yet in position to see my decoys. I yelped softly about 5 or 6 times and when I did the dominate bird broke into strut and began working his way towards us. As the other 5 hung back to watch him this big Tom put on a show for me and Beau. At 31 yards I gave him the "all clear" and he let the old 12 ga eat! His first longbeard ever!!! As the bird flopped on the ground all his commotion caused #2 in the pecking order to assume command and he came running in to finish off his pal! A dead sprint from about 90 yards to my gun barrel and as luck would have it we doubled! I'm honored to be able to help these incredible men and women who have sacrificed so greatly for our freedom. It's truly humbling when you stand in the shadows of such mighty men...

Beaus bird
23.25lb
11" beard
1-1/4" spurs

My bird
16.5lb
10-1/2" beard
1-1/4" spurs
Click to expand...
Thank you for treating our service men so nice. I thank them for their service!
 
tree_ghost said:
I had the privilege again this year to guide for the Oneshot hunt. My hunter was a retired Army veteran who has had to have his left leg amputated from the knee down. I had some birds roosted Friday night in a great spot for us to access them easily on Saturday morning. I knew the forecasted weather was going to be rough but I was hoping that the heavy thunderstorms would hold off for the first 45 minutes of daylight and us staying dry in the blind would make the hunt worthwhile for Beau. Well Saturday morning arrived and the weather was looking more favorable than previously expected. With high hopes we headed down to our hide and settled in. As we carried on casual conversation between us the treetops erupted with a symphony of gobbles! My hunters eyes lit up immediately with adrenaline and anticipation. I knew there were 6 longbeards roosted from the night before of to our left but to my surprise another pair of strutters had apparently slid in on the creek bottom to our right about 200 yards and gave away there location where they gobbled back. At 6:20 I tree yelped softly 3 notes on @StringMusic new purple slate he turned for me last month. The boys almost fell out of the tree they gobbled back so hard! 2 minutes later I heard them pitch down and spotted them coming around the point in the field. The rain at this point began to fall more steadily and the birds slowed up and stopped talking. I could tell they were trying to locate the source of my calling but they weren't yet in position to see my decoys. I yelped softly about 5 or 6 times and when I did the dominate bird broke into strut and began working his way towards us. As the other 5 hung back to watch him this big Tom put on a show for me and Beau. At 31 yards I gave him the "all clear" and he let the old 12 ga eat! His first longbeard ever!!! As the bird flopped on the ground all his commotion caused #2 in the pecking order to assume command and he came running in to finish off his pal! A dead sprint from about 90 yards to my gun barrel and as luck would have it we doubled! I'm honored to be able to help these incredible men and women who have sacrificed so greatly for our freedom. It's truly humbling when you stand in the shadows of such mighty men...

Beaus bird
23.25lb
11" beard
1-1/4" spurs

My bird
16.5lb
10-1/2" beard
1-1/4" spurs
Click to expand...
Congrats!
 
Wonderful! I bet both of you were so happy for the other! Not often the guide gets a chance after working so hard for whom they take. I hope the other veterans had just as good of a hunt as Beau did!
 
As a vet myself, I appreciate what you are doing for my brothers-in-arms. Great hunt, great birds.
 
tree_ghost said:
I had the privilege again this year to guide for the Oneshot hunt. My hunter was a retired Army veteran who has had to have his left leg amputated from the knee down. I had some birds roosted Friday night in a great spot for us to access them easily on Saturday morning. I knew the forecasted weather was going to be rough but I was hoping that the heavy thunderstorms would hold off for the first 45 minutes of daylight and us staying dry in the blind would make the hunt worthwhile for Beau. Well Saturday morning arrived and the weather was looking more favorable than previously expected. With high hopes we headed down to our hide and settled in. As we carried on casual conversation between us the treetops erupted with a symphony of gobbles! My hunters eyes lit up immediately with adrenaline and anticipation. I knew there were 6 longbeards roosted from the night before of to our left but to my surprise another pair of strutters had apparently slid in on the creek bottom to our right about 200 yards and gave away there location where they gobbled back. At 6:20 I tree yelped softly 3 notes on @StringMusic new purple slate he turned for me last month. The boys almost fell out of the tree they gobbled back so hard! 2 minutes later I heard them pitch down and spotted them coming around the point in the field. The rain at this point began to
Click to expand...
 
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Very cool. Give freely of your time, talent and treasure and it comes back to you. By the looks on both your faces in the pics, it looks like it already did. Awesome job!
 

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