CamoGuy
05-09-2007, 11:12 AM
I have hunted this bird 4 times this season. The first time, 2 weeks ago today, I nearly nailed him but at 42 yards he hung up and eventually got nervous and left (no decoy). He would answer my calls but every gobble was farther and farther away. I held off on the shot because there was a few small pine tree limbs between us and I wanted to make sure it was a good shot. Even at that range I could tell he had a nice beard and looked really big bodied. One thing I noticed was that he had a "different" gobble. It was more of a Go-ock-ock-oobble and sounded different from any I had heard before.
The 2nd and 3rd times I hunted him I never heard a peep from him. On both occasions it was cloudy and overcast and a storm front was approaching.
This morning started out bad. I could see the sky was covered with clouds and I was feeling negative. As I drove in to my spot I passed 3 different trucks, all within a mile or so of where I planned to hunt. Just as I rounded the turn, there wasa 4th truck parked right where I planned to hunt and right where I had seen the big tom on the first day. I said a few curse words under my breath and kept driving.
I stopped about 3/4 mile up the road at a spot I had never hunted before. There is a hiking trail here so I wasn't feeling too positive about it. I figured that between hikers and hunters walking the trail that there couldn't be much there. As I was pulling on my vest I heard a very faint gobble. It was so faint I couldn't even pinpoint it. I grabbed my gun and headed up the trail. After about 200 yards I stopped to listen on a high point and right after some crows called I heard another distant gobble but still wasn't sure where it was.
I moved another 200 yards and decided to call and after a short set of yelps I heard him gobble again. This time I could tell he was somewhere ahead but still couldn't tell exactly where. I moved another 100 yards or so and just as I was about to call he gobbled 150 yards ahead of me to the left in a ravine. That was why he sounded so distant, the ravine had muffled his gobbles until I was on top of him.
I backed off a few yards and set my decoy right in the trail and stepped 20 yards off to the right into the woods. The set-up was perfect because the trail ahead was straight, so if he stepped into it he would see the decoy. Also, there was a low hump right in front of me so he wouldn't be able to see me until he was inside of 30 yards.
I worked him for about 10 minutes. I never called unless he gobbled first. He always answered my calls with another gobble but then would go silent. Finally he came within 75 yards or so. I still couldn't see him but he let out a Go-ock-ock-obble and I instantly recognized it as being the bird from day 1. After another minute I spotted the top of his fan over the hump and I knew he would be in my sights in a few seconds.
After he cleared the hump I couldn't help but watch and enjoy the show. He strutted and pirouetted, spitting and drumming the whole time. It really was beautiful. At about 25 yards he picked me out in the brush, folded up and rubber-necked at me. He turned to vacate the premises and as he passed behind a tree I got the gun up and as he came out the other side I nailed him.
I have been back in WV for 6 seasons and this is my best bird since I came back, by far. I have killed two with longer beards but this guys weight and spurs really set him apart from the others.
He weighs 19 pounds, 10 inch beard and (the best part) has 1 3/8" spurs. I have killed 7 birds prior to this one and several of them had beards over 11 inches but none had spurs over an inch. This is my first true "limbhanger".
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i297/duane1969/Z%20Hunting%20Pics/a.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i297/duane1969/Z%20Hunting%20Pics/f.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i297/duane1969/Z%20Hunting%20Pics/c.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i297/duane1969/Z%20Hunting%20Pics/e.jpg
The 2nd and 3rd times I hunted him I never heard a peep from him. On both occasions it was cloudy and overcast and a storm front was approaching.
This morning started out bad. I could see the sky was covered with clouds and I was feeling negative. As I drove in to my spot I passed 3 different trucks, all within a mile or so of where I planned to hunt. Just as I rounded the turn, there wasa 4th truck parked right where I planned to hunt and right where I had seen the big tom on the first day. I said a few curse words under my breath and kept driving.
I stopped about 3/4 mile up the road at a spot I had never hunted before. There is a hiking trail here so I wasn't feeling too positive about it. I figured that between hikers and hunters walking the trail that there couldn't be much there. As I was pulling on my vest I heard a very faint gobble. It was so faint I couldn't even pinpoint it. I grabbed my gun and headed up the trail. After about 200 yards I stopped to listen on a high point and right after some crows called I heard another distant gobble but still wasn't sure where it was.
I moved another 200 yards and decided to call and after a short set of yelps I heard him gobble again. This time I could tell he was somewhere ahead but still couldn't tell exactly where. I moved another 100 yards or so and just as I was about to call he gobbled 150 yards ahead of me to the left in a ravine. That was why he sounded so distant, the ravine had muffled his gobbles until I was on top of him.
I backed off a few yards and set my decoy right in the trail and stepped 20 yards off to the right into the woods. The set-up was perfect because the trail ahead was straight, so if he stepped into it he would see the decoy. Also, there was a low hump right in front of me so he wouldn't be able to see me until he was inside of 30 yards.
I worked him for about 10 minutes. I never called unless he gobbled first. He always answered my calls with another gobble but then would go silent. Finally he came within 75 yards or so. I still couldn't see him but he let out a Go-ock-ock-obble and I instantly recognized it as being the bird from day 1. After another minute I spotted the top of his fan over the hump and I knew he would be in my sights in a few seconds.
After he cleared the hump I couldn't help but watch and enjoy the show. He strutted and pirouetted, spitting and drumming the whole time. It really was beautiful. At about 25 yards he picked me out in the brush, folded up and rubber-necked at me. He turned to vacate the premises and as he passed behind a tree I got the gun up and as he came out the other side I nailed him.
I have been back in WV for 6 seasons and this is my best bird since I came back, by far. I have killed two with longer beards but this guys weight and spurs really set him apart from the others.
He weighs 19 pounds, 10 inch beard and (the best part) has 1 3/8" spurs. I have killed 7 birds prior to this one and several of them had beards over 11 inches but none had spurs over an inch. This is my first true "limbhanger".
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i297/duane1969/Z%20Hunting%20Pics/a.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i297/duane1969/Z%20Hunting%20Pics/f.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i297/duane1969/Z%20Hunting%20Pics/c.jpg
http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i297/duane1969/Z%20Hunting%20Pics/e.jpg