What a morning! Lots make this the hunt of a lifetime. Perhaps most notably is the fact I didn't expect to be hunting at all. I hunted the first three days and then my wife broke her leg. With a 2 yr old and a 3 month old my hunting season was done due to increased Daddy duites at home. Sunday was my birthday and so my wife told me to go hunting today and she would manage the morning without me.
At 4 am I woke up and it was pouring out. Severe thunder storm warnings but nothing was stopping me. By 5:15 I was under a tree getting rained on like mad. about 5:40 the rain let up and I did a few tree yelps. I got a gobble not far but across the valley from me on the next ridge. I took the advice of previous posts from Adrian Hare and kept the calling to a minmum and just clucks and purrs (thanks Adrian). A few clucks and he gobbled again and I determined I needed to move around and get to the next ridge. It started to thunder and lightning and the rain was deafening. I used this to my adavntage and snuck around to get in a better position. Finally the rain let up and I did a few calls. he gobbled again from the roost and I knew I was in a great position. I put the call away and waited. Next thing I know from directly behind me I heard a thunderous gobble, close and coming. I quickly turned and set my myself for action.
By this time it is 6:20 or so. A few minutes pass and nothing. a little cluck from me and he gobbles again. Time passes. By 6:55am I have heard and seen nothing and I can't see my boots from the mosquitoes. They are eating my hands alive and I realize i can't wait this guy out. I know he was just over a small rise about 50yds in front so i decide to belly crawl to have a look. I use a tree as cover and slowly peek over the little ridge and sure enough there is a hen. The reason why he went quiet and stopped coming I'm sure.
Given this I know he is there so I use the tree as cover and get myself into a shooting position. One more peek around the tree and there he is!. Fanned out in full strut at about 30 yds. I take the safety off and slowly lean out so he is in my bead. I know he is going to see me when this happens so I am all prepared to shoot as soon as I lean out. Sure enough he does see me as I lean from behind the tree. He pops his head up and takes a 1/2 second to decide which way he's going to run. Well that was a 1/2 second too long. Boom! Down he goes.
Final stats from the check station:
24.5 lbs
10 1/8 "beard
1 1/18 " spur
1 1/4 " spur
Pictures will be developed and posted tomorrow. Cheers everyone!
Hunt of a Lifetime
...BT
