Osage Roost
All Hunting => The Ol' Skinnin' Shack => Topic started by: J R Hunt Camp on March 27, 2011, 06:34:01 PM
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I ran across this fine MS gobbler earlier in the week – we had a very interestin’ session of gobbler cluckin’ & yelpin’ on that fine mornin’…
… he had gobbled just twice, & then went right into the clucks & yelps, I responded with the same – this back & forth exchange between us went on for a surprisingly long time …
But no matter what, this guy just would not show himself - for days ... :-\
... he stayed in a small triangle of hardwoods with the property line right at the back edge of ‘em, this is just off the back powerline field …
Day after day, his hens would come out & feed a few times a day on the far end of the field, with him never leavin’ the woods ...
... he just sit back in there struttin’ around; gobble every now & again to some callin’ – but he just didn’t come out ………….. ‘till yesterday mornin’, that is … ;D
Here’s some Saturday mornin' pics of him finally showin' himself - struttin’, breedin’, all happy with himself, & sayin’ "see ya’ later" … ROTFLMBO
He had come into the field & the closest he got was 46 yds - most of the pics were taken with him at about 55 yds; but I thought he would end up comin' closer – NOPE !!!
(http://img853.imageshack.us/img853/8408/a1stlookstrutting.png) (http://img607.imageshack.us/img607/8291/bstruttingwithhishens.png)
(http://img508.imageshack.us/img508/6861/cbreedingahen1.png) (http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/9066/dbreedingahen2.png)
(http://img88.imageshack.us/img88/9929/efinishingbreedingahen3.png) (http://img42.imageshack.us/img42/6484/fbacktostrutting.png)
(http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/1526/gbacktothewoods.png)
Yep - he strutted with his hens, bred the hen, fed a little, took a drink from a tractor rut, & disappeared back into the hardwood triangle ... :(
... oh well, so much for "the best laid plans" – but, at least I got to finally get a look-see at him … 8)
Well, this Sunday mornin’ (today) got started up when he gobbled & apeared to be headed away from me ...
... I was doin’ a little tree talkin’ & soft cluckin’ & yelpin’ on a MKW trumpet, which drew his hens into the area ...
... followed up with some more aggressive clucks & yelps compliments of one of Ernie's fine slate callers - his response gobbles let me know he was still around …
But then started the "same ol’ same ol’ " – the hens would come out to feed for a while at about 60 to 70 yds from me, with him struttin’ in the triangle of hardwoods all of the time ...
... this scenario happened twice throughout the mornin’; & then it started to thunder a little off in the distance …
… ‘bout the 3rd time he gobbled to the longer type thunder, I decided to hit him (them) with a new hen that had showed up on the scene ... ;)
I ran a very aggressive cluckin’ series on the slate followed with some immediate loud yelps – he gobbled immediately & the hens went off as well ...
... I keyed in on the hens & hit that slate for all it was worth, he gobbled again, the hens went nuts, & one came out to the field edge to investigate ...
... I hit her hard again, & she responded with some angry hen talk & he gobbled again …
The next series of aggressive cluckin’ did the trick; she went off on ‘em, he gobbled again, & this time she headed into the field towards my set-up, from some 75 yds away …
She was followed by the other 6 hens, & this time they were all movin’ down the field in my direction – I toned the clucks down a little, & bingo, he was standin’ there on the field edge …
… I clucked twice, the hen clucked back, & he gobbled & strutted … 8)
At that point I shut-up, & let nature take it course … :-X
The lead hen kept comin’, followed by the other hens, & I guess he thought the hens were leavin’ him, so he came right along after 'em …
... I ranged him at 45 yds & then he crossed over to my side of the field; he was at 50 yds accordin’ to the RF …
... he came forward to the point were he was kinda’ in the middle of the hens, & I guessed that he had come another 15 or 20 yds closer …
Then I think a hen that was now behind him musta’ clucked, ‘cause his head shot up & he turned to go to her …
… nope, not happenin’ – the safety went off, followed by a trigger squeeze, & down he went …
(http://img17.imageshack.us/img17/4159/p3270007b.jpg)
… as the adrenalin drained off; I sat there & thought about the fine mess of encounters with this bird & his hens, & thanked the Lord for a great final hunt for this guy … 8)
(http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/1691/p3270025q.jpg)
... there was surely nothin' suicidal 'bout this two year old - & "it's always better when ya' got one hangin' "... ;)
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Way to go Jim. All you needed was some cold wet weather. *lol* Those 80 degree temps last week had them messed up. Congrats on a fine gobbler. Gotta love them two year olds but this ol' boy sure did not act like your typical two year old.
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Way to go Jim !!!! *gobble* *gobble*
Timbo.
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Congrats. on a good story and a fine bird it dont get any better than that.
Jon
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Congrats Jim on an awesome hunt. Love playing the game and that was a good one. Bill
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great pictures ... congradulations... love the turkey porn RkLu
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Congrats JIm!!!!
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Fine bird, well earned. Congrats Jim.
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Congrats Jim on an awesome hunt. Love playing the game and that was a good one. Bill
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Jim, what a wonderful story...you told it well with key details and I felt as though I was sittin right a long side of you, congrats on a fine and welll deserved gobbler.
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Congrats!!!!
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Congratulations Jim !
Andy
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Fine bird, well earned. Congrats Jim.
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Second times the charm!
Turkey huntin and posting. ;)
Congrats! *up*
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Way to go Jim!!!
The tough birds are always the best ones *up*
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Congrats Jim!
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Good job JR....you should be out there this morning after his brother..... ;D
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Congrats Jim. Go get ya another one !!
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Awesome pictures, story and bird!
Congrads! *up*
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Congrats, Jim......great story... ;D
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Congrat's Jim. Awesome story.