Was not sure how to title this post, but what a day Friday was. I went to join Freddy with WVBoy(Randy) for a hunt Fri am. I was the tag along and was there t enjoy friendship. As we climbed the mountain early we heard a few gobbles up higher than we were so we climbed as close as possible to the birds. After flydown they shut up and a few hens came in to join in on our conversation. We thought the gobbler would be in tow, but he was not. After this conversation with the hens and us calling and having a good time, we get up after the hens walk off and make a call...GOOOBBLE, way off. We start toward him and after about 100 yards call to check his position..GOBBLE he is CLOSER. We move about 30 yards and check him again, he is close so we set up FAST. After a few soft calls there he is head up and then strutting at 60 yards. All of a sudden he lifts his head putts and goes over the hill. I have no idea what he saw but he did not like something and spooked, so we called agian and he gobbled just over the lip of the ridge. In an attempt to pull him back up I belly crawled up the hill to make him think the hen was leaving. He gobbled at us a few more times as I called from a distance and then nothing. After checking a few spots we headed to another spot. I hit the crow call and we heard 2 gobblers...WAY OFF. We walked quite a ways and heard a few more gobbles. After getting about above where he was I crow called agin and the far bird gobbled. We got set up. Randy and I sat Side by side ona big oak and Freddy was behind us filming. I laid my gun down beside me and Randy used my knee as a rest. The close bird boomed at Freddy's calls and came up the ridge. We then saw him in FULL STRUT. He was missing 2 tail feathers and looked like a nice bird. We watched him for at least 20 minutes as a tree kept blocking the shot.Finally he came up the hil and raised his head Randy took the shot, or should I say attempted the shot. A LOUD CLICK resonated from his gun. As he tried to rack another shell in I saw an open chamber. I made a snap decision picked up my gun and shot the gobbler. My shot was a bit low so he flopped. I ran after him so he did not roll all the way down the mountain. In the process I twisted my ankle pretty bad. We still heard the other bird gobbling so we went after him. As we got to the bottom he shut off. Freddy called again and at 40 yards a COYOTE popped up. My gun was unloaded and Randy did not see him until he blted. Game over. After we got back to the truck and climbed out the bird gobbled again way down in the hollow. It was 11:45 so time did not allow for a setup. What a great day. I had a blast even though I have a bum wheel now. I will let Randy and Freddy chime in to this post. I know Randy felt pretty bad about the incident but I think he redeemed himself..We'll let him tell that story I know Randy will be hunting the WV opener so he will not post for a while.
My bird was a mountain warrior. He had thick black 1 1/8 spurs and an 8 inch beard. HE only weighed 14.5 pounds. We were very surprised at his weight, and I promise you he had been doing some serious strutting and fighting.
Thanks to Freddy and Randy for quite an enjoyable outing.

Congrats and it sounds like it was non stop action of some kind all morning. Better get that ankle healed quickly!

great story!!!sounds like all had lots of fun,also hope your ankle heals up okay. im going to ask,was he using winchester HV shells?i had a misfire a couple of weeks ago on a nice gobbler,this has happened twice with my gun using win. HV's,once last spring with 3 1/2' and this spring with 3"...i dont know whats going on with winchester HV's but im not using them any more.

Shopson, dont worry I will be in shape for TN by Thur. Cant wait for this hunt. I actually stumbled out yesterday. I taped it up and it was slow going. Ridgerunner, all I can tell you is that it was not the shells fault and I was using Win HV, and they worked fine. I have used them for quite sme time now, I am curious were they the new batch or the older ones?

Hody... Sounds like you all had a great hunt and a great time together. Hope your ankle gets better.

Doug

Sorry to hear about your ankle Hody!! But that sure sounded like one fun filled morning for sure!! WTG!!

Hody,these were older shells,i bought the 3 1/2" last spring and the 3"i think are maybe 3 years old.i bought a new box of 3 1/2" this year,but havent had any problems with them,yet...the 3 1/2"i bought last spring were sent back to winchester,but they told me nothing were wrong with them(said it appeared to be a light firing pin strike) and they replaced them with a $20 coupon for more shells.i did notice on the 3" HV's some of the shell rims are thinner than others.i have shot many remington and federal shells through this gun and never had a problem.i think now that may be the problem,some of the shells are just a fraction to far into the chamber,and the firing pin dont strike hard enough...????im going to use remington heavy shot shells from now on with my mossberg 835.

Sounds like an exciting morning to say the least! Congrat's on the gobber Hope your ankle is feeling better!!

Congrads guys.. the fooatage is COOL!!... take care of that ankle boy!!

Congrats on the bird Hody, even if it did cost you a bum ankle. Sounds like a fun hunt indeed. Can't wait to hear the rest of the story.

I saw a monkey running through the woods carrying an unfired shotshell.... by any chance could Max's monkey have taken the shell out of WVBoy's chamber???? You know how those monkeys are!!!! Sounds like all ended up working out, and you collected a fine trophy. Good luck with the ankle and in TN.

Congrats. Great story.

Hey with great times like those afield, i'd take a bummed ankle anyday! haha! ...but really, hope your ankle isnt hurt too bad, and that your able to get back after em soon! ...Congrats

I'd pay 1 Sprained Ankle for a Gobbler!!

Congrats!

Sorry I missed that hunt. Oh Yeah, Hody you know how I love just running up those mountains

Sounds like shades of our hunt with Freddy last spring

Congratulations Sorry WVBoy didn't get his bird thou. Hey we live to hunt another day