Hoyt 03 Finally (pics)

[jbeck]

The opening day was this past saturday, Hoyt 03 and I stayed at camp the night before and headed out at 4:30 am for the property we were hunting. Now Hoyt was supposed to get up there and pattern the birds, but I think his fiance took priority over this endevor. LOL

We headed to an area we had been on birds last year and waited for them to open up. 5:45 am two gobblers announced that they were looking for love. We set up within 150 yards of the birds, we couldn't get any closer with the open timber. Just as we were setting up we found we had company, yep we could hear the hens. One hen did a flydown cackle and headed for the birds. They continued to gobble to invite us to the party as they moved away.

Time for some cutting and running, at least we can look the property over and see where the birds are working.

7:10 we strike a gobbler and set up. This bird lets me know he's coming and cuts off my second series of calls. I keep quiet and let him come.

7:20 I see Hoty lay into the gun and point slightly up the mountain. I can see the fan coming, looks to be about 55 to 60 yards from Hoyt. I can't wait to see this bird work down to me and set right up in front of Hoyt. BANG BANG BANG, gobblers running, I'm up and running just in case he got enough into him to slow him down. He didn't, I chased that bird up to the first bench on the side of the mountain and he was legging it alot better than me. If he would have had to lay down to catch his breath like I did I would have caught up with him. LOL
Hoyt is heart broken, he can't believe he got on that bird when it was to far to shoot. I tried to calm him down, saying we still had time and not to worry, we'd just try to strike another one.

8:10 we had moved west on the mountain approx. 250 yards, I think I hear a gobble answer my calls. I set Hoyt up and move down in a ravine, I was there for 10 min. scratching the leaves and purring. Nothing, I was starting to doubt if I'd really heard a gobble. I did a little more aggressive calling and they light up. GGGOOOOBBBBLLLEE, sound like jakes. I'm watching Hoyt, because I can't see anything from the ravine I'm in. The gobbles get louder and louder, Hoty signals that 3 are coming. 8:20 he lays into the gun and I did a little cutting to get them to lift there heads. BANG, only one that is a good sign. I run up the bank and there is on happy hunter at the top with his first bird.

Sorry so long, but I hope you enjoyed this hunt with us.

[WHISKEYSWAMP]

congrats!

[Rhino]

Congrats on your 1st Hoyt

[ccwhitey]

congrats and great story

[jm23494]

Congrats Charlie! That's a nice looking bird.

[toddyboman]

great story!!

Congrats Hoyt

[bowhunter56]

Well done, he's a dandy...

[snapper]

Congrats on a fine bird....great story and pics. as well!

[huntinguide]

ataboy

[beagleboy]

Congrats and well done

[USAFbowhunter]

Congrats !!!!!!

[LifeNRA]

Cool! Congrats teammate!!! Great story too!

[jbeck]

Cool! Congrats teammate!!! Great story too!

I'm telling ya John, if he would have connected on that first bird he would have scored well. What a dandy that one was, nice full fan and a good beard. LOL

He was crushed when that bird ran up over that mtn.