Very slow first 2 weeks here in Halifax County with little gobbling but they started a few days ago. Monday busted one off the roost as I was going to him, probably this guy. Today's roost gobbling was from woods across a field from where I started, went over there, no more gobbling (not sure what happened, probably got too close). Plunked down against a tree and called periodically with no response. After about an hour heard crows harassing something in woods back where I had started. Didn't sound quite riotous enough to be after a hawk so good chance it's a turkey. Went back over there, guided by crow activity, finally heard a muffled gobble maybe 150 yards back in woods. Chose a tree and sat, did a little yelping with 2 different mouth diaphragms with no response. After a few minutes decided I needed to get a little closer, stood up to move, booming gobble about 75 yards away in fortunately fairly thick woods. Appeared to react to noise of my moving so I sat back down, made a couple clucks and shut up. He gobbles a couple more times, saw him at about 60 yds, moving a little to my right. Got a full view of him at what I judged to be fringe of my effective range, held my fire but he apparently saw or heard the nervous fake hen, turned back the way he had come and I decided it was now or never. Shot him at what turned out to be 45 yards. I think the TSS (#9, 2.25 ounces) paid off here.
Heaviest one I've ever killed at 23 lbs 9 oz, 10" beard, spurs only 1" and 1 1/16" but pretty sharp and curved. After toting him uphill out of the woods to the field edge along with gun and ridiculously over-stuffed vest, I decided to bring truck to him rather than him to the truck, kind of like retrieving a deer.
| Attachments: |
|
IMG_0464.jpg [ 52.12 KiB | Viewed 1115 times ] |
|
IMG_0463(1).jpg [ 41.92 KiB | Viewed 1115 times ] |