The Ghost of Poncho

[huntinguide]

Well my thoughts go out to poncho on this bird, he has caused alot of lost sleep for the poor southern boy. Openin weekend the georgia boys head up to oklahoma for some rio action. Right off we get the run around by a bird so we move. We where crossing a field when i saw poncho the bird runnin at us. Daves callin had made him cross a wide creek and he was runnin some 800 yards fast. so dave puts the decoy down and me and poncho jump in the fence row. dave had to guard the decoy at arms reach because he couldnt get back in time. well the bird ran in so fast with out stoppin and poncho the person missed, we thought. this is how the bird became poncho. Well after holdin back the anger all of us ate lunch and split to roost some birds. Dave and i went out and dave was fortunate enough to smack one. Poncho took my double bull and sat on a field that was a pre roost field. Well sadly enough me and dave get a phone call at dark......I missed him at 50. Yes poncho has burned 2 lives.
So after me and dave pull out our big bird ponchos soul hit the ground. The weather didnt help it rained all the next day, there last day here.

One week later i go out blind just goin to a hot spot and hope. Bout half way across the field i here a bird chime off right where i thought they would be. I get in and it is late i bump a hen off the roost.....crap. so i sit where i am on the edge of a creek not up against a tree or anything. 15 or 20 minutes go by and i here a bird straight up, i look and its just a jake. well thats the only bird i here so il just sit and see. i wasnt goin to shoot a jake i was kindof bummed. Then a jake flies down right at me, like a goose legs down in the decoys. 20 yards in front right on the other side of the creek. I had no idea he was there, he passed 5 steps from me followin a cattle trail. then the hens started fallin followin his steps, ok now 6 hens and 2 jakes have walked within feet of me. Then i see a hen in front walkin at me, with a bird behind. I see a red head then a swingin beard....yes i thought. where did he come from, oh well hes walkin to me. The hen gets to the creek and the big boy is behind, so i click my safty off. she didnt like that and putted and flew off. The big boy was still behind the tree i hoped. after what seemed like 5 minutes he steps out at 10 steps.

Now this is the catch, sometime when i was walkin in i managed to knock the fiberoptic off my front sight. I realized this when i went to aim at his head. All i had was a ramp and thats it. so i find the top of the ramp and center it in my rear sight focused behind his wing, because i had no way of being precise at 10 steps. After knowin what i could do at 16 in georgia. The benelli barked and he rolled 6 feet back, it looked like a pillow had busted open. I go look at him he has great spurs one was 1 3/8 the other was a little less had a good beard 9.5, but he was light weight. Then i noticed his bottom beek was gone and scabbed over. that explains his light weight and no gobblin on the roost, then it hits me, poncho hit this bird. so i go back and look at the video and shure enough im pretty shure he did. so im so glad i was able to kill him and enjoy him because there is no way he would live. sorry poncho

[chaseasl]

congrats

[KirkV]

Way to stay with him and take him out, since he could not have made it on his own. Congrats!

[3seasons]

Thats cool, congrats on the follow up.

[fly]

That's one unique story. I'm speechless (as was the bird).
Congrats once again.

[Covehnter]

Unbelieveable. When I called him with the story yesterday he said, "thats makes my stomach turn." HaHa

Glad you were able to track him down in time! Congrats on the sharp stickered Rio!!

[WHISKEYSWAMP]

nicely done... congrats!

[Rhino]

Congrats huntinguide. Nice set of hooks.

So Poncho gives him an overbite and you finished him off eh. Attaboy.

[BAMABUCKS]

Congrats on the bird. Sounds like you put the nail in the coffin for both Poncho the bird & THE PERSON!!!!

[Jorden]

Congrats

[huntinguide]

you know it his left eye was blind also looked like it got shot out

[poncho0206]

Congrats man! i'm glad you got him, i sure was hopin i could try to make it back up there in a few weeks to try again...it's one thing to miss a turkey but to drive 800 miles basically to hunt one day and miss...that's ****!! i still get sick at my stomach when i think about it!! i wish i could of thought to shoot at his body the first time when he was steady walkin at 6 steps with the pattern the size of a golf ball...oh well, chalk it up as a lesson learned! Congrats again on the bird.......

[huntinguide]

this bird will never be forgotten

[Dakota]

That is awesome! Glad you were able to take care of him!

Dakota

[huntn4bucks]

Congrats Huntinguide!

Poncho will remember this bird more for the experience of missing than he ever would if he had actually killed the bird...and that's what it's all about...the experience and memories. Better luck next time bud.