AT Hiker
Well-Known Member
Friend of mine was gracious enough to allow me and another friend to hunt his place. Big woods, heavily cut, and his main goal is deer hunting this place. Turkey hunting it isn't for the faint of heart, they are either there or they are not. So he lets me have it, "saving his good spots for himself" as he tells me. Little does he know I prefer these challenging places, all I require is a turkey to hunt (duh).
Anyways, yesterday morning we walk up a logging road about 5:15am. Get to the high point so we can listen. As we are easing through the cedar thicket I notice something in the tree. Well, guess we are sitting here.
(Screen shot of a video I was taking)
He put on an epic show, once he woke up. Had two birds gobbling down the bluff from him for 15 mins before he even started stretching. He wasn't very vocal but the tree strutting was on point. My buddy had never seen it before, so it was that much better to experience.
I thought we might have a chance with him, a hen was behind us waking up and yelping. She even flew down and stayed up top. However, he did what most do and flew down to the creek bottom to join his other gobbling buds. Which is also on the neighbors property.
Around 7:45 we walk up the logging road towards the backside to see if we can strike anything up. No luck but it was a great morning none the less, watching and listening to him in the tree was quite a show.
The property owner has a cell camera, 7:48am he sends me this saying "I'm watching you, lol"
Guess what he sends me at 6:49am this morning! Yep, the tree strutter decided to stay on top of the ridge this morning and walk directly to where we were yesterday. Sun of a gun!
I zoomed in here, I'm not sure if his beard is as big as it appears but it looks like a mop! It appeared that way in the tree yesterday as well. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get back out there but the short history I have with this bird is for the memory bank. Something about him and the short experience is just cool. Maybe it's the irony of yesterday and today, maybe it's his unique beard, maybe it's being with my buddy who finally got to experience the show they can do on the limb. Likely, it's all of it.
This is what makes turkey hunting so special. I don't care one bit that we didn't kill this bird, nor is he my arch enemy, it's almost like we are random school boys playing a game of tag.
Anyways, yesterday morning we walk up a logging road about 5:15am. Get to the high point so we can listen. As we are easing through the cedar thicket I notice something in the tree. Well, guess we are sitting here.
(Screen shot of a video I was taking)
He put on an epic show, once he woke up. Had two birds gobbling down the bluff from him for 15 mins before he even started stretching. He wasn't very vocal but the tree strutting was on point. My buddy had never seen it before, so it was that much better to experience.
I thought we might have a chance with him, a hen was behind us waking up and yelping. She even flew down and stayed up top. However, he did what most do and flew down to the creek bottom to join his other gobbling buds. Which is also on the neighbors property.
Around 7:45 we walk up the logging road towards the backside to see if we can strike anything up. No luck but it was a great morning none the less, watching and listening to him in the tree was quite a show.
The property owner has a cell camera, 7:48am he sends me this saying "I'm watching you, lol"
Guess what he sends me at 6:49am this morning! Yep, the tree strutter decided to stay on top of the ridge this morning and walk directly to where we were yesterday. Sun of a gun!
I zoomed in here, I'm not sure if his beard is as big as it appears but it looks like a mop! It appeared that way in the tree yesterday as well. I'm not sure if I'll be able to get back out there but the short history I have with this bird is for the memory bank. Something about him and the short experience is just cool. Maybe it's the irony of yesterday and today, maybe it's his unique beard, maybe it's being with my buddy who finally got to experience the show they can do on the limb. Likely, it's all of it.
This is what makes turkey hunting so special. I don't care one bit that we didn't kill this bird, nor is he my arch enemy, it's almost like we are random school boys playing a game of tag.
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