Osage Roost

All Hunting => Spring Turkey Hunting => Topic started by: J.L. Erb on March 24, 2011, 06:15:10 PM

Title: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: J.L. Erb on March 24, 2011, 06:15:10 PM
Here are a few Pics of the WMA I have been Hunting, Started in the Swamp, not enough knowledge of the land to be succsesfull, exspecially, opening weekend, with 200 hunters.

Moved to another on Sunday, scouted till tuesday night, opening Day, Yesterday, you can only hunt 2 days a week in there, 75 permits.

Birds are NOT gobblin here on this Magement area YET, and no Tree talk, nor, any once on the ground.

Silence, and Very Skittish Birds.

Had several Jakes and Hens come to the Light, very light, calling wednesday, had a bird gobble at 9:30, 200 yrds off, and had a fella off to the right of me about 300 yrds. Bird gobbled to my call, fist call of the morning other than a little Tree talk in the morning, never called again till 9:30, and he answered. That Ole fella went to the bird on his second gobble from my call, about 15 minutes later from the first, he was closer, and that other fella let out a series of Yelps, like cutting, loud as heck, right on top of where I heard the Bird,  :-[, When he first gobbled, the fella moved on him, in broad daylight, spooked em, never heard em again. Day went on with a few solitary Hens buggin along, no Gobblers followed.

Today, was a bit different. Earlier yesterday, I walked up onto a rise, and way off, about 600 yrds, I saw a Bird slither across the road, low, and into a pine thicket, then another,and another. 8)

They are roosting on the river bottoms, along the river, moving off to the Pines and Palmetto flats in the morning, and working back to the river bottoms at night. Her are a few Pics of the area I am hunting, river bottom, and slap yer mouth beautiful place to be.



(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/Longbeardhunter/SpringTurkee2011upperhills010.jpg)(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/Longbeardhunter/SpringTurkee2011upperhills007.jpg)

(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/Longbeardhunter/SpringTurkee2011upperhills005.jpg)

(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/Longbeardhunter/SpringTurkee2011upperhills008.jpg)


(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/Longbeardhunter/SpringTurkee2011upperhills006.jpg)

(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/Longbeardhunter/SpringTurkee2011upperhills004.jpg)
(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/Longbeardhunter/SpringTurkee2011upperhills003.jpg)

(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/Longbeardhunter/SpringTurkee2011upperhills001.jpg)

That last lil feller, was my hunting pardner yesterday.

This morning, I tree Pitted a bit, soft calls, very little, just enough to let someone know I was there, if he was close in the area, never called again until 9 a.m. This fella came in silent from the river bottom from a few Yelps on the Trumpet, within ten minutes, he was just standing there, looking for her.

18lbs. 6 oz.
 8 3/4 -9"" beard, a few of the whiskers went to 9"  ;D
 1 1/2, n a 1 5/8 inch Spurs, and a sneaky lil feller. Yet, not sneaky enough.

(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/Longbeardhunter/SpringTurkee2011upperhills011.jpg)

(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/Longbeardhunter/SpringTurkee2011upperhills012.jpg)

(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/Longbeardhunter/SpringTurkee2011upperhills018.jpg)

(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/Longbeardhunter/SpringTurkee2011upperhills014.jpg)


(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/Longbeardhunter/SpringTurkee2011upperhills015.jpg)


Love to hunt the river bottoms, the birds are feeeding on little White flowers, the size of a penny, and purple Irisus, then Ctapillars and Grasshoppers in the Pine flats, craw was full of all 4.

Beautiful place to wake up and watch the sunrise.

Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: CCCalls on March 24, 2011, 06:22:25 PM
Way to go Jeffro !!!
That's my kinda huntin right there.
Good bird too. *up* *up*

Timbo.
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: J.L. Erb on March 24, 2011, 06:24:25 PM
Thanks Timbo, My First Bird with my Trumpets.  8) Hope to see some more Posted with them soon.

Man, them birds are Spooky, and Quiet. Great Hunt. Thanks Tim.
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: superstrutter on March 24, 2011, 06:27:18 PM
You are hunting in some mighty fine land! Congrats on a goodun! *up*
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: Bulldogmikey on March 24, 2011, 06:33:40 PM
Beautiful Land! Very Nice Bird! Congrats Spur!
Mike
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: Zumer on March 24, 2011, 06:41:51 PM
WTG, Spur....... Congrats on a Nice bird! RkLu

    Wondered where ya been...... *peep*
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: drabndouble on March 24, 2011, 06:53:27 PM
Looks and sounds like you been real busy Spur,,,and were rewarded for it . Heck of a set of hooks ,,congrats.
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: J.L. Erb on March 24, 2011, 07:10:52 PM
WTG, Spur....... Congrats on a Nice bird! RkLu

    Wondered where ya been...... *peep*


I been scouting, after the first day in the Green Swamp, and 200 people, and not knowing the land, being dissabled, and not being able to get to far from the vehicle, I was done before I ever started, I decided Saturday night at 9:30 P.m., I better get off me duff, and get busy. drove the two hours home instead of hunting in the morning, and spent about 30 hrs in the next 3 days scouting, paid off. High Pressure from out of staters opening week er Two hunting them Osceolas, is insane, then she will quiet down, dumb, young birds are gone, the Long Beards will start talking more, Soon, the Hens will be on the Nest, thats, when it gets Fun. 8)
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: J.L. Erb on March 24, 2011, 07:13:34 PM
Looks and sounds like you been real busy Spur,,,and were rewarded for it . Heck of a set of hooks ,,congrats.
Thanks Buddrow,
I was grinning ear to ear, till my buddy came in about 20 minutes later, with a bird with juz shy of two inches each, curved, sharpe, Make a Turkee Bird Hunter smile, 12 1/2 in beard, and 20 lbs 4 oz. He said, whered ya shoot that lil feller?  *wha*
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: firedup on March 24, 2011, 07:50:43 PM
Man that is a nice bird! Well done!  River bottom looked dry tho....
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: GR8CALLS on March 24, 2011, 07:52:26 PM
Shoot, Jeff........I'd be plenty proud of that "lil fella"!  *up* *up* Looks plenty snakey in them river bottoms..... *peep* That would keep a few folks away from the gobblers.  ROTFLMBO ROTFLMBO ROTFLMBO ROTFLMBO Congrats on your first w/ your trumpet.......heck, congrats period! I still have three weeks to go........... *poo* *poo* *wha*

Bill
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: AlabamaDave on March 24, 2011, 08:06:46 PM
Thats A goodun!...Congrats!
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: PA Boxcall on March 24, 2011, 08:09:18 PM
Wow -- awesome turkey country (it really does look snakey!).

Congrats Jeff on a fine bird, patience pays off.

John

 *up* *up*
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: J.L. Erb on March 24, 2011, 08:18:52 PM
It is dry there, been a while since we got wet, coming this week though, the wetter, the better.

 Hopefully in the next week, they'll get to talking. They were just a few miles away in the swamp, but not here. That will change when them Ole Boys go to lookin fer them Hen's.

So many hens, I figured them Ole Boys may not be talking, Due to being just Plumb Tuckered out from the Lady's. ;D

Thanks Fellas, was a good Hunt, in a Great setting.
Had a fella I hunt with in Camp, even Made fresh Pies in a Dutch oven, Fresh vegies from the garden, Shrimp rolled in Bacon Ki bobs obb the barby, fillets in bacon, Two Venison roasts, stuffed with fresh veggies from his garden, I mean potatos, onions, peppers, and such, all from his place over the Fire, . Fresh grand Biscuits and Gravy with squirrel meat everymorning, before, we go in at 5:30,  ;D,

 Last morning we have a Hunters Breakfast, of Fresh eggs from his Hens, and sasuage gravy over Biscuits, with fresh fruit, Juice, and Hot Coffee, brewed in an Old Perculator, CowBoy coffee I'll tell ya, straight to the restroom, before the woods if ya drink it,  ;D.

 Cant wait for next week. Good Hunting to you all.

Spur.
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: J.L. Erb on March 24, 2011, 08:22:58 PM
Wow -- awesome turkey country (it really does look snakey!).

Congrats Jeff on a fine bird, patience pays off.

John

 *up* *up*

Its the Little Pigmy's, ya look fer, not so good to set on them little fellers. Had a few Buddys over the years dern near meet the Big Guy after being bit from them lil fellers. Most our rattlers are in the palmettos and such, Always have the Cotton mouths and such near the water, but they are sleeping when we go in early, and never really see many, maybe a few every year or so. Pigmys are the worry down here.

Them river bottoms are Great to hunt, and just walk through, pretty country.
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: Daryl on March 24, 2011, 09:24:26 PM
Congrats man on a great hunt. That is some tough looking places to hunt.
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: J.L. Erb on March 25, 2011, 05:23:34 AM
Congrats man on a great hunt. That is some tough looking places to hunt.

Thank you Daryl, some say, if you can kill a Bird in these Swamps, you can kill a bird anywhere. There are no 30, 40, or 50 yrd shots here. This Bird came in silent, and at about 50 feet.

Ya have to set with your gun ready in there, no way in heck of knowing, when, or where, or if, they are even there when they are this quiet. I called this Bird Ole goofy Toe Joe,  ;D, His middle Toe, had a Nail like your thumb, then, 2 little Nails sticking up from the outsides like the devils horns imself, must-a stubbed it, when he was a youngun. He was killed with just a few quiet 3 and 4 note yelps on my Burnt field grade calls I posted earlier, and I put the call down, within just a few minutes, he was just standing there, like a ghost had appeared. :ghost:

Talk of out of state pressure, In the Swamp, there was about 10 of us, 4, from Fl.
In the WMA I hunted and camped Sunday through Thursday, of about 20 campers, 6, were from fla, all others, were from out of state.  *wha*

I had 5 draws for Spring Turkey, got the 5th draw, a Late hunt, april 23, the reason we were all together in camp, was, NONE of us residents, drew a tag for any of the Wma's, the first two weeks, some of us, did not draw one at all.

So, for all you out of staters, thanks, fer droppin by. ;D Roger Parks is here this week, hunting the same areas I am. I wish him luck, and look forward to meeting him personally in the next day er two.

Again, good luck to you all this spring, hunt safe, and remeber to take a Kid Hunting.
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: Dcoleinpa on March 25, 2011, 08:10:27 AM
Nice bird Spur. That place lOOks awesome.
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: Turkeybuster on March 25, 2011, 08:26:49 AM
Congrats. Jeff ya got yourself a nice one, I like the looks of that country sure is pretty.

Jon
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: charlieparrish on March 25, 2011, 10:10:38 AM
Jeff, looks and sounds like you had a great hunt..congratulations, Great pictures..you sure can't be accused of killin dumb little ones.. that is some bird. Congratulations again! *up*
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: AlanKrow on March 25, 2011, 10:52:13 AM
Congrats.. *up*
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: Shadetree Callers on March 25, 2011, 11:05:21 AM
Congrats on that great hunt Jeff !! Sounds like some good times spent in the right places !! *up*
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: Jake St. John on March 27, 2011, 03:15:42 PM
Dang Jeff,  I have never seen spurs up this way over 1 1/2 and for your buddy to kill one better,  that's  over the top.  Sounds like you earned that bird - Congratulations!!! *up*
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: Pixie Dust on March 27, 2011, 04:51:45 PM
Thanks for filling up My Senses... The Swamp is Lovely Dark and Deep..  Good to get Ya Foot on One Too.. ;)
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: Jake St. John on March 27, 2011, 07:01:35 PM
Post a picture of the toe on Joe, Jeff.  Once saw an old bird that had a diseased foot after coming through a foul pox die off year.  Mighty ugly.
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: callmakerman on March 27, 2011, 07:10:04 PM
NIce. Love hunting swamp birds.  Bill
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: J.L. Erb on March 27, 2011, 09:47:49 PM
Post a picture of the toe on Joe, Jeff.  Once saw an old bird that had a diseased foot after coming through a foul pox die off year.  Mighty ugly.

(http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm317/Longbeardhunter/SpringTurkee2011upperhills016-2-1.jpg)



John, the Middle Toe on the right in the Pick. You could see it just has a regular looking nail like a finger we have, if it was turned around, but, you can see the 2 little Nails sticking up like horns on each side of the nail from this Pic, didnt save the feet, juz the spurs and leg bones fer callers. best pic I have of it.

I have seen alot of Messsed up toes on these Birds over the years, this one was kinda cool looking. Healthy Bird though, just a mezzed up Toe on Ole Goofy Toe Joe.  ;D
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: J.L. Erb on March 27, 2011, 09:49:07 PM
Thanks for filling up My Senses... The Swamp is Lovely Dark and Deep..  Good to get Ya Foot on One Too.. ;)

"The Swamp is Lovely, Dark and Deep "
" Many Old Gobblers to Hunt, before I sleep.

Seems I have read that afer somewhar'z.  8)
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: mikey715 on March 28, 2011, 02:20:01 AM
 *up* *aah* *up*WAY TO GO SPUR!!!!!!!! *up* *up* *up* *up*

                                                                             Mike
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: augiedog55 on March 28, 2011, 08:16:02 AM
congradulation spur *gobble* *gobble*
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: Porter on March 28, 2011, 10:21:35 PM
Way to go Spur!!!!  Nice looking tough bird there!
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: Morgan on March 29, 2011, 09:32:56 AM
Good Job Erb....Very nice gobbler....
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: Mjc21706 on March 29, 2011, 05:50:21 PM
nice Job Jeff *cheers* *cheers* *cheers*
Title: Re: River Bottom Gobbler
Post by: Pixie Dust on March 29, 2011, 07:59:47 PM
 Spur
         And many miles to Hunt before I reach my final Sleep ;D