megalomaniac
Well-Known Member
Somehow I managed to extract Ethan from the bed this morning. Season is getting pretty short here, and this would prob be his last chance.
We loaded up and headed to the lease. Noone has hunted it since last Saturday.
We started out in a drain I heard one gobbling on the roost a week ago. Set up there and listened for 45 min, nothing. Called for another 45 min, nothing. After I felt sure they must be on the ground, we hit another 4 spots working our way back a mile and a half to the area where I shot the wrong bird 2 weeks ago. I felt pretty sure he'd still be in the area. We snuck into the plot, glassed it and found it empty, then picked a shady spot in a blown down tree at the edge of the plot. We sat there listening, and the swamp gobbler fired off on his own!
He sounded like he was down the gas pipeline off the plot 150yds away, so we repositioned facing that way and Ethan got the gun up. Once we were set, I called lightly, no answer. He fired off again at a woodpecker from the same spot. I called a bit louder, nothing. Not wanting to push him, we waited and he free gobbled, perhaps a bit further away. I changed calls, then gave him a 8 note loud desperate Yelp, which he gobbled to, then I cut him off with a series of cutts. He free gobbled another 2 times from the same spot, and we went back to the silent treatment. Nothing from him in 20 minutes. I told Ethan, he's either coming or has been pushed away. No sooner than I said that, Ethan said there he is, he's coming!
He popped up into the plot from the drain 100yds away. Full strut, spinning, then gobbled twice more. Working right toward us, but painfully slowly. Another 20 minutes to strut and gobble his way to 40 yards, then I told Ethan to let him have it. I probably could have let him work in a bit closer, but didnt want to chance him taking off on me for the 3rd time this season in shotgun range.
Ethan fired, and he crumpled at the edge of the plot. A quick trot to him and a check of his spurs confrmed he was my nemesis. We thanked God for him and our time together.
17lbs on bathroom scale, 9.5in thick beard, but spurs were shorter than I thought when he busted me at 8 yards earlier in the season... 1 3/8in.
He is one of my most special birds, having chased him the entire season, and it is even more special that Ethan got to take him. Hes Ethan's best bird. Hes still pumped! I'm so glad I didnt slam him back in March when he came in sneaking.
Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk
We loaded up and headed to the lease. Noone has hunted it since last Saturday.
We started out in a drain I heard one gobbling on the roost a week ago. Set up there and listened for 45 min, nothing. Called for another 45 min, nothing. After I felt sure they must be on the ground, we hit another 4 spots working our way back a mile and a half to the area where I shot the wrong bird 2 weeks ago. I felt pretty sure he'd still be in the area. We snuck into the plot, glassed it and found it empty, then picked a shady spot in a blown down tree at the edge of the plot. We sat there listening, and the swamp gobbler fired off on his own!
He sounded like he was down the gas pipeline off the plot 150yds away, so we repositioned facing that way and Ethan got the gun up. Once we were set, I called lightly, no answer. He fired off again at a woodpecker from the same spot. I called a bit louder, nothing. Not wanting to push him, we waited and he free gobbled, perhaps a bit further away. I changed calls, then gave him a 8 note loud desperate Yelp, which he gobbled to, then I cut him off with a series of cutts. He free gobbled another 2 times from the same spot, and we went back to the silent treatment. Nothing from him in 20 minutes. I told Ethan, he's either coming or has been pushed away. No sooner than I said that, Ethan said there he is, he's coming!
He popped up into the plot from the drain 100yds away. Full strut, spinning, then gobbled twice more. Working right toward us, but painfully slowly. Another 20 minutes to strut and gobble his way to 40 yards, then I told Ethan to let him have it. I probably could have let him work in a bit closer, but didnt want to chance him taking off on me for the 3rd time this season in shotgun range.
Ethan fired, and he crumpled at the edge of the plot. A quick trot to him and a check of his spurs confrmed he was my nemesis. We thanked God for him and our time together.
17lbs on bathroom scale, 9.5in thick beard, but spurs were shorter than I thought when he busted me at 8 yards earlier in the season... 1 3/8in.
He is one of my most special birds, having chased him the entire season, and it is even more special that Ethan got to take him. Hes Ethan's best bird. Hes still pumped! I'm so glad I didnt slam him back in March when he came in sneaking.
Sent from my SM-G970U1 using Tapatalk
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