Post by davep on Apr 20, 2010 18:44:32 GMT -5
Congrats guys!
Just finished picking one myself!
Went back to where I took my daughter on Saturday.
Heard a fair number sounding off starting about 0550, but down in a bottom.
While heading for one, ran into a couple!
They were on a ridge, and I was across a ravine, in some pines.
I eased almost to the edge, where it started to open up into hardwoods.
Set up, yelped a little and shut up.
They were firing each other up, and started cutting each other off and double gobbling.
Then a poor gobble, from the left.
Meanwhile, I can hear some yahoo closing in with an owl hooter, but he's still a long ways off, and I know there's a swamp in between us.
Birds flew down, and it sounded like they went away from me.
I yelped a few times, and nothing.
I started getting aggressive, and they started replying.
Couple more minutes and I could HEAR them walking.
Finally a head pops up about 30 yds out, literally behind the LAST bit of cover, then gobbles.
No strutting, just gobbling,then another gobble, and one just behind it, but out of sight, just over the ridge.
Suddenly, it turns and is GONE! I can hear them walking straight away, and if I called agressively, they respond, but still leaving.
I did the flydown with my hat, beating the heck out of myself, and then switched calls.
They started responding, then I could hear them coming back.
I could JUST see a fan out, mature bird, but that was all I could see.
It folds, and seconds later, a head pops up a couple feet to the right, looks straight at me at 25 yds, and says PUTT!
I pull the trigger.
Instantly A BIG bird, beard aswaying starts winging it STRAIGHT up, and lights in an oak about 35 yds from me.
HUH?
HOW did I miss?
I'm about to hammer it again, thinking it's crippled, when I hear flapping in front of me.
Bird down.
I stand up, and the one in the trees lights out for the next county!
Wound up shooting a jake, 6" beard, nubbins for spurs, 14# 8oz!
Must have been 2 or 3 feet to the right of the bigger bird, and was JUST cresting the ridge, as the other one dropped his fan.
Back at the truck at 0639.
Oh well, haven't shot a jake in a bunch of years.
Picked out beautifully-smeared inside and out with lard, and low and slow in the oven!
Mmm.
Now, to get the kids back out!
Just finished picking one myself!
Went back to where I took my daughter on Saturday.
Heard a fair number sounding off starting about 0550, but down in a bottom.
While heading for one, ran into a couple!
They were on a ridge, and I was across a ravine, in some pines.
I eased almost to the edge, where it started to open up into hardwoods.
Set up, yelped a little and shut up.
They were firing each other up, and started cutting each other off and double gobbling.
Then a poor gobble, from the left.
Meanwhile, I can hear some yahoo closing in with an owl hooter, but he's still a long ways off, and I know there's a swamp in between us.
Birds flew down, and it sounded like they went away from me.
I yelped a few times, and nothing.
I started getting aggressive, and they started replying.
Couple more minutes and I could HEAR them walking.
Finally a head pops up about 30 yds out, literally behind the LAST bit of cover, then gobbles.
No strutting, just gobbling,then another gobble, and one just behind it, but out of sight, just over the ridge.
Suddenly, it turns and is GONE! I can hear them walking straight away, and if I called agressively, they respond, but still leaving.
I did the flydown with my hat, beating the heck out of myself, and then switched calls.
They started responding, then I could hear them coming back.
I could JUST see a fan out, mature bird, but that was all I could see.
It folds, and seconds later, a head pops up a couple feet to the right, looks straight at me at 25 yds, and says PUTT!
I pull the trigger.
Instantly A BIG bird, beard aswaying starts winging it STRAIGHT up, and lights in an oak about 35 yds from me.
HUH?
HOW did I miss?
I'm about to hammer it again, thinking it's crippled, when I hear flapping in front of me.
Bird down.
I stand up, and the one in the trees lights out for the next county!
Wound up shooting a jake, 6" beard, nubbins for spurs, 14# 8oz!
Must have been 2 or 3 feet to the right of the bigger bird, and was JUST cresting the ridge, as the other one dropped his fan.
Back at the truck at 0639.
Oh well, haven't shot a jake in a bunch of years.
Picked out beautifully-smeared inside and out with lard, and low and slow in the oven!
Mmm.
Now, to get the kids back out!