Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

Hey all, I know I haven't been on that much but the season's been busy. Long story short, I've chased this bird all season and had him under 60 yards on more than a half dozen times and even had him too close one day when he spooked and I missed due to a fogged scope..lol It was fogged cause of my heavy excited breathing...LOL First miss of my life but I wouldn't have missed, missing for the world. This bird was extremely call shy from the get/go. I'd get in tight on him and make suttle calls, he's clam up and walk away. I even chased him one day for 5 hours all the while he gobbled all most non stop from the tree, to 10:15 when I was at 40 yards and tried to coax him. He'd usually clam up and walk away.

The day I missed him, a week ago I set up on him on a number of occassions and he'd walk away, I figured where he was going and got in front of him. He showed up under 20 yards and that's too close for my gun/choke combo and with a fogged scope I heard a putt and sent a wad full of #5 passed his head....I layed on the ground laughing and trying to compose myself.....:D

Well this morning he made his mistake....he frequented a field where he liked to strut.....so I got there first. When he started gobblin off the limb I let him gobble and then gave him a suttle yelp with my River Valley Sweet Talker mouth call from my setup with a hen decoy in the field and a jake decoy on her tail. I never said another peep, he knew where we were and with his history it was time to let him come to me on his own. The sun was coming up and it was extrodinarily beautiful when suddenly he was silhouetted in the sun at 100 yards. He noticed the decoys, gobbled and went into strut....as he disappeared over the knoll I wondered if he would come back. He gobbled around the field for a while when they seemily became closer and closer....suddenly tail feathers and I heard him spit and drum. He was already in range but could see me easily if I raised my gun in all this sunshine. Trust your ASAT camo I said to myself. When he went behind a shrub at full strut I raised the shotgun, he entered my scope on the opposite side and BOOOM.....he never flinched....He has a 10plus inch beard with about 1" spurs...smaller than I'd expected for such a wily bird but nonetheless a fantastic finish to a fantastic season.

Here's some pics.

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...
 

Excellent!

What a beauty!

Nice pattern on his head too!

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...
 

Great end to a great season! Congrats!

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...
 

Hey Rob, congrats ol' buddy on a dandy!! Let's put it this way, your one up on me this season!!! I have to admit, this was the worst that I've seen in quite a few years now here in NY. Our season ends this coming tuesday, wish me luck so I can take one for a ride in my truck as well!! Again, WTG Rob!!!!;)

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...
 

congrats on the bird. It sounded like a great chess match for the season.

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...
 

Rob,

Nice bird! Looks a little thin from a hard season of strutting. Congrats on earning success during a tough season...

S&R

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...
 

congrats to ya....so happy for you:D

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...
 

Nice job, congrats!

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

Good to see the PA birds are still looking for some action. Took a buddy out this morning and it was dead in our woods. Trying again on saturday.
Good job Rob!
Mikey

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

Nice story and bird congrats!

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

TomC, thank you very much. You like that pattern on his head...:D almost too close again, I'd imagine my wad bouncing off his head. ;)

RIStrutStopper, Exactly, a great end to a great season indeed. But alas, I'm heading out tomorrow to listen for my friend on Saturday....wish us luck.

Maytom, good luck Maytom and thanks, this one didn't go for a ride in the truck. I walked out my front door for this tom.....and it was great for a change.

rybohunter, thank you sir, a chess match is a great way to sum this one up....I thought he was going to kick my butt but the jake decoy on the hens tail feathers must have been too much.....

Strut&Rut, I thought the beard a little thin as well. But alas, it'll look great in a flying mount for my log home. Last years bird is all but done, got a call to pick it up in a couple weeks. Half strut, gobblin off the limb if you recall last years trophy...pictures to follow.

Huntnma, thanks girl, how you makin out down south?

Bowtech9, thank you as well.

Mikey S., thanks Mike, I was glad to see the birds gobblin so much this late, in fact I've been on gobblin birds all season, it's been extraordinary.....got the spellin right this time...LOL

NewbHunter, thanks friend, I noticed some grammaticals in my story but what the hell, I was/am excited and the fingers don't match the brain sometimes. Great hunt, great season thanks, all.

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

Better late than never! A big congrats!

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

Congratulations Rob. Beautiful bird and nice pics.

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

turk2di, thanks and probably better late than early, gave the whole season to chase that bird all over....well worth the ending tho...a great finish.

PaBowhntr thanks so much.

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

Way to go Rob!!!I really enjoy the challenge of locking up with a bird like that!They always teach ya something and leave you with memories that last a lifetime...congrats on a fine gobbler!!![8D]

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

Congratulations on a great looking bird! The chase is what it is all about isn't it?

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

Bobgobble2, thanks so much, and yes, birds like him leave ya lots of memories. Last year I thumped my bird opening morning and although it was a great hunt and a better bird, it was over so fast....this bird made me work my butt off....and I wouldn't have missed the experiences for the world....

ClassyHunter, Your right, like I said to Bob....it was all about the chase on this guy, so many close calls, highs and lows, disappointments and excitement.....this season ranks as one of my best and would have had I not connected on him too. He would have haunted me til next season....LOL:D

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

Congratulations Rob!

Neat story and great pics! Just goes to show that even when things don't always go right, sometimes "hard luck" stories do have a happy ending. :)

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

Antler Eater, thanks my friend. He was frusterating but at the same time, a great bird to hunt. I really thought he'd been older but I found out Saturday, a younger man was in there hunting as well. He was off his rocker with his calling ability and started calling way to loud, way to soon. I had a friend with me trying to get one of the other birds I had heard. We set up tight to a nice sounding gobbler when all of a sudden this guy starts in on his calls....the gobbler had answered me but once the other guy started, the bird walked away....never to be heard again that day.....might answer why my bird was shy......

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

Sounds like the seasaon I had in VT! It's a great feeling when you can vindicate yourself from a miss weather it's on a turkey, deer or a missed strike from a fish:D

Congratulation on hanging in there and closing out the season with an awesome gobbler bird:D

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

MK-M-GOBL,thanks and your absolutely right. The season was fantastic regardless how I finished it but it sure did feel good. The first day I pulled two in and my mom's husband shot his first bird. I passed a jake later on in the season and chased this particular bird I shot all season.....I'm already looking forward to next year. I'll post my mount from my last years bird which I get back in about a week....

ps, it didn't strut quite as nice as that one you have in your post.....;)

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

Congrats Rob!

RE: Rob/PA scores late almost too late...(pics)
 

Thanks Silentassassin !:)