xOZx
04-15-2009, 13:45
Here's a cut and paste of the story as Rat tells it...
Well, in our part of the world the weather has been pretty chitty - but we got a surprise of a nice day this morning. Bright moon and brighter sun - so we went out before work this morning. Heard a couple gobblers down in the bottoms but couldn't get to 'em cause ol' Eagle Eye (Oz) sees three (turns out there was four) guardians on roost so we put out a couple decoys and sat where we were. That was on a field road thru the timber but offered some visibility and good cover for us.
They were bein' pretty quiet but I could see them react to Oz's soft tree yelps and the gobblers down in the bottoms were going nuts and one sounded closer all the time. Finally - after two flew down - Oz whispers over to me. "hey - coming up the road" - sure enough I see his head sticking up and he says he thinks it's a jake. The ol' boy finally worked his way painfully slow up to where you could see most of him. I'm whispering -"Can I shoot or not - I don't see a beard" - he whispers back "I don't either" - He was facing us and silouetted and we couldn't see squat. He puffs up a couple times but never gobbles and never fanned out.
Finally turned enough sideways that I could see a small beard. "I see the beard!" -- "smoke him" comes the reply.
BOOM! - Gobbler down. Turns out the beard's about 9 3/4" and that's about twice the size I thought it'd be. The spurs are pushing an inch. Call 'em 7/8 Don't matter to me. That was sweet. Oz called it perfect and said earlier he thought anything we kill would come up the road...
Thanks Oz!
My Reply?
It was awesome! Man I love seeing these birds get wacked! I felt sure we were gonna get some action coming up the road at some point and even asked rat to turn and position himself for said activities. Sure enough I see that old head pop up. I was certain the size of the head and the bird was telling me it was a gobbler or big Jake but could not for the life of me catch glimpse of the beard. Man, Rat says, "I see it." That's all she wrote. Dude dropped him stone cold belly-up! WOOT!
Congrats again Rat. Oh and, your welcome on always harping on you to get a Benelli...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/UNOZ1/Turkey/c1t.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/UNOZ1/Turkey/c2t.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/UNOZ1/Turkey/c3t.jpg
Well, in our part of the world the weather has been pretty chitty - but we got a surprise of a nice day this morning. Bright moon and brighter sun - so we went out before work this morning. Heard a couple gobblers down in the bottoms but couldn't get to 'em cause ol' Eagle Eye (Oz) sees three (turns out there was four) guardians on roost so we put out a couple decoys and sat where we were. That was on a field road thru the timber but offered some visibility and good cover for us.
They were bein' pretty quiet but I could see them react to Oz's soft tree yelps and the gobblers down in the bottoms were going nuts and one sounded closer all the time. Finally - after two flew down - Oz whispers over to me. "hey - coming up the road" - sure enough I see his head sticking up and he says he thinks it's a jake. The ol' boy finally worked his way painfully slow up to where you could see most of him. I'm whispering -"Can I shoot or not - I don't see a beard" - he whispers back "I don't either" - He was facing us and silouetted and we couldn't see squat. He puffs up a couple times but never gobbles and never fanned out.
Finally turned enough sideways that I could see a small beard. "I see the beard!" -- "smoke him" comes the reply.
BOOM! - Gobbler down. Turns out the beard's about 9 3/4" and that's about twice the size I thought it'd be. The spurs are pushing an inch. Call 'em 7/8 Don't matter to me. That was sweet. Oz called it perfect and said earlier he thought anything we kill would come up the road...
Thanks Oz!
My Reply?
It was awesome! Man I love seeing these birds get wacked! I felt sure we were gonna get some action coming up the road at some point and even asked rat to turn and position himself for said activities. Sure enough I see that old head pop up. I was certain the size of the head and the bird was telling me it was a gobbler or big Jake but could not for the life of me catch glimpse of the beard. Man, Rat says, "I see it." That's all she wrote. Dude dropped him stone cold belly-up! WOOT!
Congrats again Rat. Oh and, your welcome on always harping on you to get a Benelli...
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/UNOZ1/Turkey/c1t.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/UNOZ1/Turkey/c2t.jpg
http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y169/UNOZ1/Turkey/c3t.jpg