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brwndg
King of Spring
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2005 11:01 am Posts: 635 Location: Bluemont, VA
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Happy (day after my 50th) Birthday to Me!!!!!
Arrived at my listening spot @ 0545. Was going to go to a spot and set up cold cuz I know they like to roost along this creek in there (been hunting this farm since 1989 so I know the birds pretty well). Decided I should answer "natures call" before the birds started gobbling. Just as I was completing my task a bird sounded off in the opposite direction from where I was going to set up....so much for 23 years of experience! Made a plan & then made the move and headed in his direction. He was gobbling good, once every minute or two, and I was able to get within 80 yds of him. I was in some thick stuff & had missed a bird last year opening day in almost the same spot due to the heavy cover. I set out my deke, Hazel, about 10 yds to my left and got myself set up. He gobbled three more times while I was getting comfortable and around 0610 I gave him a few tree calls. He responded immediately. I waited a bit then called again; and again he responded. By 0620 he was on the ground gobbling to my left and slightly downhill. I called softly and he didn't respond. After a few minutes I heard a bird gobble 100 yds behind me on the ground. I thought he had circled me and given me the slip. I was just about to get up and go after him when my bird let out a gobble 60 yds below me. Glad I didn't move. I still could not see him and he seemed stationary as he gobbled three more times from the same spot. I called softly to him and did some purrs, which he really liked and showed by responding with a gobble. This continued for awhile until he stopped answering my calls. I decided to give him the silent treatment for a bit. I could hear another bird gobbling far away and it sounded like he was moving in my direction. I debated moving from this bird thinking he was never going to commit and come in closer. Figured he might have hens or just was one of those Toms that wants the hen to come to them and this was as far as he was going to go to meet Hazel. But I figured you don't leave fish to find fish, so I stayed put and then...... GOBBLE GOBBLE! My silent treatment worked. He had cut the distance in half and we played the "hung up" game again. I was contemplating a move to a tree 10 yds in front of me and just as I had decided how I was going to move to get there I see him coming up the hill. Again, I was so glad I had not moved. This bird definitely required some patience. Because it was so thick, I didn't have a shot until he got to about 12 yds and then hew went behind a large pine. This gave me the chance to swing my gun onto his position. I had just got the barrel lined up on the pine when his head came out from behind it and he let out a thundering gobble directly at me. Now, I have had some birds gobble close before, but never this close and never directly at me!!! I swear it made my ribs vibrate!!! He withdrew his head back behind the pine. I sat there with the front bead dead center in the tree waiting to see which side he was going to come out on. He turned to my right and took two steps. As he lifted his head to look for Hazel, he was rudely introduced to a load of #5 Winchester X-tended Range. Very good bird 1 1/8" spurs (ivory body w/ black tips), 9 3/4" thick beard, and weighed 19 lbs. First gobbled @ 0600; Killed him @ 0645! Great birthday present to myself!
_________________ "If turkeys could smell, you'd never kill one" - Bud Trenis my turkey hunting mentor & dear friend
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Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:21 pm |
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Bird Dog
King of Spring
Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2004 4:50 pm Posts: 2650 Location: central Va
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Re: Happy (day after my 50th) Birthday to Me!!!!!
Happy hunting and Happy Birthday! congrats
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Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:47 pm |
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Dale
King of Spring
Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2004 9:27 am Posts: 1907 Location: Roanoke, VA
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Re: Happy (day after my 50th) Birthday to Me!!!!!
Congrats and Happy Birthday. High Fives all around.
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Sat Apr 14, 2012 2:44 pm |
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Doug
King of Spring
Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 2:25 pm Posts: 2092
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Re: Happy (day after my 50th) Birthday to Me!!!!!
Definetly a great Birthday present for sure!
Doug
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Sat Apr 14, 2012 2:56 pm |
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Gobblenow
Co-Owner/Dog Feeder
Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 10:20 am Posts: 3806
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Re: Happy (day after my 50th) Birthday to Me!!!!!
So you are saying that Xtended range shell os good stuff at twelve yards?? Hhaaa. Just shows what a good patient player can do. Older you get the easier that patient part becomes. Very good.
_________________ "even after almost a half-century of hunting of the noblest game bird I am going to confess that I am still in the kindergarten; and I doubt if any human being ever acquires a complete education in this high art."
- Archibald Rutledge
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Sat Apr 14, 2012 3:09 pm |
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LXshooter
2 Year Old
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 3:34 pm Posts: 50 Location: Frederick County, Va
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Re: Happy (day after my 50th) Birthday to Me!!!!!
Congrats
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Sat Apr 14, 2012 3:38 pm |
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Gobblevt
King of Spring
Joined: Fri Apr 06, 2007 9:36 am Posts: 1063 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Catlett, VA
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Re: Happy (day after my 50th) Birthday to Me!!!!!
Awesome...congrats and happy birthday!
_________________ It's not who you are, it's what you do that defines you.
GO HOKIES!
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Sat Apr 14, 2012 6:51 pm |
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vagrousehunter
King of Spring
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2005 12:41 pm Posts: 813 Location: WV Eastern Panhandle
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Re: Happy (day after my 50th) Birthday to Me!!!!!
Way to go............... and happy birthday.
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Sat Apr 14, 2012 8:04 pm |
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Bigmeat
King of Spring
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:23 am Posts: 670 Location: Hagerstown, MD
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Re: Happy (day after my 50th) Birthday to Me!!!!!
Nice story, congrats!
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Sat Apr 14, 2012 8:20 pm |
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Greyghost
King of Spring
Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:12 am Posts: 2451 Location: Midland, VA
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Re: Happy (day after my 50th) Birthday to Me!!!!!
Congratulations and Happy Birthday. Great story and short hunt, gotta love them.
Earl
_________________ God, Family, Country, Corps and then the Wild Turkey.
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Sat Apr 14, 2012 9:40 pm |
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huntingwhoas
King of Spring
Joined: Sat Apr 19, 2008 5:27 pm Posts: 462 Location: Augusta County, VA
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Re: Happy (day after my 50th) Birthday to Me!!!!!
Good story and congrats! Any pics of those hooks?
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Sat Apr 14, 2012 10:37 pm |
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punz
2 Year Old
Joined: Fri Apr 15, 2011 12:09 pm Posts: 56 Location: Waynesboro
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Re: Happy (day after my 50th) Birthday to Me!!!!!
Birthday bird is alwat's special,congrats!
_________________ "get his attention and lay a heavy dose of silence on him, patience is your greatest virtue!"
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Sun Apr 15, 2012 9:23 am |
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WVBOY
King of Spring
Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2004 1:33 pm Posts: 3038 Location: Powhatan, VA
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Re: Happy (day after my 50th) Birthday to Me!!!!!
Congrats man.. way to get it done..
_________________ RB
Take me Home Country Roads.
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Mon Apr 16, 2012 12:53 pm |
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Jeff S.
2 Year Old
Joined: Thu Mar 31, 2011 12:56 pm Posts: 96 Location: Northern Virginia
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Re: Happy (day after my 50th) Birthday to Me!!!!!
Great story and bird. Thanks for sharing the experience - knowing that patience works for other people motivates me to stay still a couple of more minutes.
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Mon Apr 16, 2012 1:37 pm |
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Vic
King of Spring
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2005 7:40 am Posts: 2706 Location: Baltimore, MD
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Re: Happy (day after my 50th) Birthday to Me!!!!!
Nice gift! Now all you need is a father's day present!
Vic
_________________ Vic
Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you!
-Pericles (430 B.C.)
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Mon Apr 16, 2012 4:32 pm |
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