Life has been so hectic lately that I have been away from call making and the "roost" for the past several months, but when my good buddy Gregg Guthridge asked me to his place to spend a couple days chasing the ole longbeards, I just had to go!! Gregg tagged his bird the first day which meant I had a full time guide and access to all Gregg's best spots!!
We had a tough day Monday. Had a bruiser in close right off the roost in the morning but his hens led him away from us. We hunted hard the whole day, but never heard another gobble. We decided to get in tight to him the next morning since he seemed like the only action in town.
Tuesday morning was dreary and rainy...We got in a little disagreement with my GPS in the dark....well when daylight dawned it became apparent that the GPS was right and we were not where we wanted to be....we heard a gobble a couple hundred yards down the hill and moved that direction. We spotted a hen in the distance on the roost and quickly set up. The gobbler we moved on only gobbled a few times and three birds cut loose pretty much exactly where we had just comes from....figures.....we moved about halfway back that way and set up. Gregg started calling and four more gobblers cut loose just up the hill from us. They were on the ground and coming quick. I spun around the back of the tree and sat down just in time for them to come into view. All four gobblers came right into about 30 yards and stood there gobbling for about 10 minutes. The problem was that in my haste to spin around the tree I failed to notice a small sapling that blocked me from seeing the gobblers down the gun barrel. I watched them for what seemed like an eternity. They stood in one spot and would not move either way where I had a clear shot....finally I decided I had to make a move before it was too late. The next time they gobbled (and it was a sight in itself to see all four longbeards cut loose at the same time) I hooked the sapling with the gun barrel and finally had a clean line of site. I pulled the trigger on the first white head I could get in the scope. In total we heard nine different gobblers Tuesday morning!! What an end to a great hunt with a great friend!! And all this by 6:20!!
15 pounds, 9" beard, 1" spurs
Gregg's all terrain hunting buggy!!! LOL!!
To top it all off, even though my good buddy was not with me, I tagged out back at home the very next day using the cocobolo glass call he gave me and my padauk over butternut shortbox. Shadow Turkey Calls and Frozen Crow Calls strike twice in just a little over 24 hours!!
17 pounds, 9 1/2" beard, 13/16" sharp spurs
Gregg's opening day bird...Gregg will have to post the stats. I remember the beard is 9 1/2"
Thanks for a great time on what I hope is the first of many hunts together (if you'll have me back that is!!). Truely one of the most exciting hunts I have ever had. Thanks Buddy!
Lee
