swampbuster

Hang in there talondale, keep after it will all come together. Went out this morning decided to go after this bird that's close off the road, but he has been gobbling every morning. He gobbled two or three times on the roost. Heard one other gobble way off in the distance,That was it. I don't know if they are henned up right now or the pressure is getting to them or a combination of both. What do you guys think?

blackheel

Got us another bird. Not better than my first but a really nice bird. Crazy hunt. Details to follow.

swampbuster

Congrats blackheel can't wait to see pics and hear story

blackheel

Today was a crazy day of turkey hunting. After the misfire on opening day, my goal was to get my nephew another chance at a longbeard. We arrived at our spot at 5:15 after a 2 hour drive from the Outer Banks. We loaded our stuff and headed towards an area where I wanted to hunt and on our walk in a tom sounded off right where I had wanted to walk through! Thank God that he gobbled so early to let us know where he was otherwise we would have surely busted him off the roost. We ducked into the field to our right, used the overgrown ditch bank as cover, and after some time, found a decent place to jump the v-ditch. We eased into the field edge and pushed as close as I felt comfortable. We weren’t set up too long when the tom came into the field, probably about 6:15 or so. He started towards us but was headed off by hens. For the next 2 hours he spent more time in strut then not but never got any closer than 125 yards. With his gobbling, he had attracted a nice harem of hens. They worked to our left out of sight and after about 10 minutes or so, I eased through the brush to check to see if they had moved into the field we had eased through first thing. Nothing. Eased back to my nephew and finally figured they had just gotten behind a slight bend in the field edge we couldn’t see. While he and his now harem of 4 were out of sight, we were able ease maybe 30 yards closer but that was it. He was still strutting almost constantly. Over the next hour and 45 minutes, the birds worked back across the field and were looking like they were going to leave the field to the north. I actually hoped they would so we could make a move on them. They slowly turned like they were going to maybe work our way but in no hurry. Then about 10:30ish the craziness began. Out of nowhere I spied a bird that I quickly could see was a tom coming into the field from the north. He was accompanied by a running mate. Their heads turned burning white as they rounded the edge of the field and headed towards the tom and his remaining hens. The tom we had watched all morning began sprinting towards us with the hens about 40-50 yards behind him and the two challengers about the same distance behind the hens. It didn’t take long and our long watched tom was standing 40 yards away in strut. I didn’t feel great about my nephew shooting at this bird with his 20 gauge and the two challengers were closing on a path that would bring them closer to us. It was all coming together, the 2 challengers were just about to where I was going to tell my nephew to shoot when it all changed in a flash! The first tom charged the 2 challengers and they started chasing each other in circles and within seconds he chased them to the east and out of sight in the brush! He was heartbroken as was I. I was wishing I had switched guns and let him get the single tom with my 12. A hen was left and I tried to pull her across the field with no dice. She melted into the brush too. I told my nephew that we would give it 5 minutes and try to see if they were in the field to the east. Time crawled. After 5 minutes I explained this was an all or nothing gamble because if we bust them, it’ll all be over. I gave him the option and he said go. Across the field we went. There was no way to quietly jump the v-ditch so I waded it, up to my knees in the water after last night’s rain. I crawled through the briars and eased my head out like a bear. No birds close. Further scanning confirmed that they were gone. Dejected I waded back to my nephew, who I had left on the dry side, and we started to ease back out. He said, “Uncle Brian, I think I see a hen up the field, come here.” I get to him, throw the binocs up and to my surprise here comes a tom hustling down the field, not spooked, but on a mission. His running buddy appeared working the brush edge that we were concealed within. They were after my jake decoy we had left out! I quickly called my nephew into the best position we would have. The farther tom quickly closed to about 30 yards and I had a shot but he said he didn’t. He was getting first crack. I had lost site of the second tom when all of the sudden there he was, 4 yards in front of me!! He knew something wasn’t right, his head changed colors, and he quickly walked to our 10 o’clock position which was a bad move. I told my nephew to “Shoot him, shoot him, shoot him” BOOOM. First one down at 10 yards! The second one ran about 10 yards, paused, and I dumped him at 41 yards! Our second public land double and his third tom, all public land birds!! This was definitely a day of highs and lows and I am so thankful that it all worked out. We punched tags with the spurs (new tradition started opening day) and were just ecstatic! I was glad after the opening day debacle that it all worked out! On another note, there was a pretty graphic first too. A portion of the shot cup from my nephew was buried deep in his bird’s head!

Final stats – Nephew’s bird – 18 lbs 8 oz 10.5” beard 1 3/8” and 1 1/4” dagger spurs
Mine – 18 lbs 12 oz 10 1/8” beard 1 3/16” and 1 1/8” spurs

Phil from Maine

Way to go blackheel!! We can hardly wait to hear the story!!

I am hoping to get us a decent Tom monday to put us back up in second or if we are lucky into first place ratings.. But we are going to need a few more birds inorder to keep us there from some of the others on the team! Congrats again blackheel!

We must have posted at about the same time!! LOL Now that is a first for me..


Great Story and I am very glad to hear that you and your nephew both got one!! I need a rough estimate on time and rt. or lft spurs? I am calling the biggest spur as the right spur.. The state is North Caroliner?

Phil from Maine

I have a score as follows...

Your score is 18.75 + 11.875 + 11.25 + 20.25 = 62.125
Nice bird for sure!!

Way to go everyone! My turn will be here before you know it.. All you folks getting birds is getting to me.. But, my turn to tryit soon enough now! I hope I can get a couple of them as well! Actually I will be glad if I can get one at these bird sizes! Congrats to all of you getting the birds. This bird clearly adds to our total of birds.. We are slowly but surely getting up there!!

I am wondering how all the others are doing. We have not heard very much from quite a few team members! Pull up a chair and chime in! We really want to know how the hunting has been. We maybe of help to you. Or you maybe of help to us as well.. So chime in and let us know what is going on out there in you world of hunting..

Phil from Maine

This what I have so far.. If anyone notice something I may have missed or have wrong let me know..

SS 1 bird 57.75
BH 2 birds 70.375 - 62.125
CK 1 bird 60.75
SB 2 birds 55.25 -- 55.125
KQ 2 birds 33 --- 60
The totals for best bird per hunter so far is 304.125
The total for all team birds so far is 454.375
This is a great score for having 8 birds so far!!

Which is currently keeping us in a great position! We can win this contest! We are that close if we can get a few more members posting a bird or two.. So lets go team we can do it!!!

swampbuster

Blackheel you were right that was a crazy hunt, but a awesome hunt and story as well. Thanks for sharing. Congrats to you and your nephew on y'all's double!

blackheel

Yes North Carolina eastern.

Thanks guys.

Hope you get on a nice one when your chance comes Phil!

Phil from Maine

Thanks blackheel! I am hoping to as well. I want to try and do my part and help get the score up. I actually believe we are in a great position to win this little contest. I will do what I can to help make it happen. The area I am going to I have hunted the past 3 years and have gotten my tags filled each year. I am hoping for the same results. I had just now got home from work and have 1 more night left?? I may even call in. The mrs. says no but, I am leaning toward a yes.. lol.. Anyways if I do work I would be leaving about right now. I did see a couple of birds on the way home all puffed up and strutting.. Only they were on private land go figure..

Also do not forget I need some sort of time you shot your bird.. Thanks..