What a great hunt that far exceded my expectations! First of all thanks to Freddy Maxx and Tim. Lets start at the beginning of this most memorable day. First of all Freddy called a bird in to 20 yards of me, it came in at a blind spot and not in strut and quiet the last while, at 25 yards he was out of site down the hill. Anyway no shot. About 30 minutes later the same thing happened a couple hundred yards down the hill. This gobbler stuck his head up for 1 second and dissappeared . We went down the hill on the bottom side of this bird that was still gobbling and started to callagain. We pursued him for about hour, no luck. Now it gets good. We moved to a different farm a thunderstorm moved in by 8:45, Freddy asks me if it scares me to hunt in a lightning storm, I said noway I came here to hunt, whats the odds of getting struck by lightning! By this time we could just here gobblers going bananas at all the thunder. So we start after a flock that is going at it nonstop. We start up a small hill, they are on the top. We are stalking up the side to get closer, it is raining alittle so noise was not an issue. ALL OF A SUDDEN WE THOUGHT A BOMB HAD JUST GONE OFF BESIDE US. WE BOTH HIT THE DECK , WE WERE BLINDED FROM THE FLASH AND DEAF FROM THE BIG BLAST. I COULDNT BELEIVE LIGHTNING HAD JUST STRUCK 20 YARDS AWAY FROM US. FREDDY ASKED IF I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE TRUCK NOW. I SAID WHATS THE ODDS OF THIS HAPPENING 2 TIMES IN 1DAY. AS WE STOOD THERE SHAKEN OUR FLOCK OF TURKEYS FLEW OFF. We ended up sitting under a pine tree for 45 minutes until it calmed down raining so hard. All the while every gobbler from miles keep on gobbling. So once again we pursue more birds and set up on a few but they would not come in or answer. So we try another strategy, hike around them to get on top of them. While enroute I dove to the ground seeing 2 gobblers strutting about 75 yards away and try to yell softly to Freddy to get down. We crawled ahead another 20yards to be at a spot where I could make a great shot . Eventually they moved in our direction. If I can be alittle cocky, I made one great shot right in his noodle and down he went . 18pounds 9 1/2 beard. 3/4 hooks baby! NOW THATS WHAT I,M TALKING ABOUT! Now was that quite a day of hunting or what. Thats why they call me Hammerdog! Hey Shaggy , awesome hunt, I dont think a hunt could better!

Welcome to the board Hammer Dog... It's about time you learned how to use those fancy computers...

Here's you're pic...

Congratulations on your bird! I am glad you got him. but my first reaction to your story is you were stupid and lucky. Lightning is nothing to be fooled with. I have had 2 close calls while being safe I thought. Circumstances would only have had to be a tiny bit different to have been disasterous for either of us so Thank God it turned out great! Congrats on the nice gobbler.

Bird Dog - I agree with you that lightning is nothing to be fooled with, however, after hearing the first hand account from Freddy and Hammer Dog I don't think they ever thought they were in any danger. I was hunting within a few miles of them and the thunder and lightning had stayed off in the distance for a while before they got caught up in it. I don't see them making the same mistake again and it's probably a great lesson for all of us.

Way to go. Congrats.

Shaggy, I hear you. Hindsight is 20/20 This is what got me:



[/quote]Freddy asks me if it scares me to hunt in a lightning storm, I said noway I came here to hunt, whats the odds of getting struck by lightning!.........I COULDNT BELEIVE LIGHTNING HAD JUST STRUCK 20 YARDS AWAY FROM US. FREDDY ASKED IF I WANTED TO GO BACK TO THE TRUCK NOW. I SAID WHATS THE ODDS OF THIS HAPPENING 2 TIMES IN 1DAY[quote]

No Turkey is worth your life.

Congrats Hammer but you better watch who you hang out with people will talk about you.Ain't life great.You were really blessed my friend it wasn't luck.Be careful out there.

Man, good job. I think me and Freddy hunted that farm last season in the afternoon, no luck. Seems to me it is loaded with birds now. What you plantin in those woods to make all those turkeys

Good job, Congrats to all

My season has slowed to a crawl, I do not even hear birds gobble much if any. At the first of the season they were everywhere, now it is quite. Hopefully it will pick up soon. I hunt three different areas and all gobbles have stopped. Bum luck I guess. I still do see them on the ride home though in someone elses filed. Oh well.

Jon

Congrads!! I had a blast with ya Thursday!

Congrats again, cant wait to hook up again and hunt. Glad you scored and did not get Struck.

WTG!!! Great pic as well!!

That sounds like the hill side that Freddy, Hody, and I had to climb!

Congratulations

We always knew Freddy had supernatural powers. Just think, he called that lightening strike just close enough to make it seem real that danger existed, yet far enough away so as not to cause harm. Sounds like a great hunt with ol' Three Toes.

Congrats again Hammer Dog... that was an incredible hunt and one that I will remember for a lifetime!

We pressed our luck a little too much on that one for sure! While we were hunkered down under that little pine in the downpour Hammer Dog said... "What a story if I were to kill a turkey now!"... that's exactly what we did!

Exciting for sure .. glad you guys came out unscathed.. and congrats on the bird..