Joined
·
2,846 Posts
By far my heaviest bird ever. 11 1/4 inch beard 1 1/4 inch left spur 7/8 right spur.
The morning started by meeting a buddy of mine and his daughter. Ive been trying to get his daughter on a bird for a couple hunts now. Today we had them gobbling on the roost in heavy wind. They flew down adn were strutting in the woodline. Couldn't get them out so early but my buddies had to leave by 0715. I saw them off and headed to another spot. While walking into the deep woods and ridges I saw 5 big toms strutting on a ridge top 60 yds from me. I'm not comfortable shooting so far so I let them walk. I snuck into position adn couldnt get them to turn. About a half mile into the woods I heard more gobbles so I chased them for a bit. They wouldnt break off hens so I decided to call it a day and head to work at about 0830. Walking out I saw a hen sneaking towards me. I sat down and picked a fight with her. She came to 5 yards from me and started to putt. I yelped as loud as I could to cover her noise but had no idea there were 3 big toms aithin 15 yards of me. All three of them fired up. One triple gobbled. I must have jumped, I'll admit the did surprise me being so close and so loud. They were at my 8 oclock posistion and I had a bush in my guns way. The hen busted me. I swung the gun in one smooth motion through the bush, aimed, and fired. Birds flew everywhere. I thought maybe I missed. No flopping in the tall undergrowth. I stood up and there lays tomzilla! My biggest bird all around. A good 3 y.o. I think. Birds started to gobble their heads off as I snuck out there must have been half a dozen toms on that ridge trying to find the feuding hens. Over and done by 0845. Thank ya Jesus! Gonna take my old bow for the rest of season now I guess!
The morning started by meeting a buddy of mine and his daughter. Ive been trying to get his daughter on a bird for a couple hunts now. Today we had them gobbling on the roost in heavy wind. They flew down adn were strutting in the woodline. Couldn't get them out so early but my buddies had to leave by 0715. I saw them off and headed to another spot. While walking into the deep woods and ridges I saw 5 big toms strutting on a ridge top 60 yds from me. I'm not comfortable shooting so far so I let them walk. I snuck into position adn couldnt get them to turn. About a half mile into the woods I heard more gobbles so I chased them for a bit. They wouldnt break off hens so I decided to call it a day and head to work at about 0830. Walking out I saw a hen sneaking towards me. I sat down and picked a fight with her. She came to 5 yards from me and started to putt. I yelped as loud as I could to cover her noise but had no idea there were 3 big toms aithin 15 yards of me. All three of them fired up. One triple gobbled. I must have jumped, I'll admit the did surprise me being so close and so loud. They were at my 8 oclock posistion and I had a bush in my guns way. The hen busted me. I swung the gun in one smooth motion through the bush, aimed, and fired. Birds flew everywhere. I thought maybe I missed. No flopping in the tall undergrowth. I stood up and there lays tomzilla! My biggest bird all around. A good 3 y.o. I think. Birds started to gobble their heads off as I snuck out there must have been half a dozen toms on that ridge trying to find the feuding hens. Over and done by 0845. Thank ya Jesus! Gonna take my old bow for the rest of season now I guess!
