Grizzly Johnson
Well-Known Member
Well I'm not sure where to start..... I took a trip to Chapel Hill to share a hunt with Big B of the Woodpile Boys... it all began on Friday morning when Big B and I located some birds. We moved on them and busted a hen off the roost.... we thought it was over, but the gobbler was still there gobbling.... Big B yelped and got him fired up on the limb. The tom finally flew down in the pasture with a hen, then suddenly another tom flew down with them. The cows almost messed it up for us as they started running the birds off.... the hen got separated from the toms and the same cow started the toms back our way. Big B gave me the go and I dropped the strutter at 45 yards..... almost got a double but the second tom took flight just as Big B was getting a bead on him.
25 lbs, 10.25" beard, 7/8" spurs.....
Here is a bonus that showed himself....
Friday night after work Mrs. Grizzly joined us for a Saturday hunt. We got on the birds right away based on Big B's info on the birds roosting area from the previous evening. We set up on the edge of the woods at the corner point against a huge oak tree. Bird is strutting on the limb one hundred yards away while I give him some soft yelps. Seven hens fly down into the field towards our right. The tom flys down towards our left. We can't see him due to the underbrush but with the hens out in the field, I told Mrs. G they should pull him right by us at around 20 yards..... A hen gets spooked by our decoy and flys up and out of the field.... all the others go into alert but eventually go back to feeding after a few minutes. The tom gobbles just 10 yards around the corner from us. Mrs. G wanted to see a show so I let him walk by us and he strutted a couple of times. He was on his way to the hens and at 40 yards I told her to drop the hammer.
Her FIRST turkey..... 21 lbs, 9" beard, 1/2" spurs.....
Then today Big B carried us to a place along the river in hopes the toms would fly down on our side. At daybreak the dozen or so toms were singing a tune amongst themselves. A jake came over and circled our decoy 5 or 6 times.... I told Mrs. G if she wanted him to take him, but she held off. I could hear a distant gobble but wasn't sure how close. Big B said he was in a field through the woods strutting and told me how to get up on him. Mrs. G went with Big B back to the truck so I could slip over to the tom. I got to the field edge and he was nowhere to be seen. As I headed towards the truck the tom came over the crown of the small field at a steady pace. I yelped on a mouth call and he turned towards me. I was standing and out in the open amongst the trees. I eased my hand to the stock and eased my gun up. He got nervous and started sprinting off to my right. I pulled up, got on him, and fired. He fell forward and flapped for a second... then to my heartbroken dismay he flew up and off over the finger of woods. Big B and Mrs. G saw him glide over into the next set of woods/thicket. I walked to the truck and told them the scene. I felt sure I hit that bird hard as he went right down. We decided to check the bushes as I hate leaving a wounded animal if things don't go right. We beat the brush and heard flapping. I was sure he was close and sure enough my prize was flopping in the brush... a final shot put him down for good.
19 lbs, 10.25" beard, 1 1/16" spurs...
I want to thank our wonderful host's the Johns for having us over and for some great food. They are great people and have a lovely family. It was good to see the Woodpile Boys again: Blue5, The ONE, DodgeBall, RNT, TurkeyBurd, MacGyver, The Arkansas Bunch, and it was nice meeting some of the boys' significant others...... The Mrs & I had a great time.....
Good Times Boys, Good Times!!!!
P.S. Those Hevi-13 Mag Blends are Bad Medicine for those turkeys!!
25 lbs, 10.25" beard, 7/8" spurs.....
Here is a bonus that showed himself....
Friday night after work Mrs. Grizzly joined us for a Saturday hunt. We got on the birds right away based on Big B's info on the birds roosting area from the previous evening. We set up on the edge of the woods at the corner point against a huge oak tree. Bird is strutting on the limb one hundred yards away while I give him some soft yelps. Seven hens fly down into the field towards our right. The tom flys down towards our left. We can't see him due to the underbrush but with the hens out in the field, I told Mrs. G they should pull him right by us at around 20 yards..... A hen gets spooked by our decoy and flys up and out of the field.... all the others go into alert but eventually go back to feeding after a few minutes. The tom gobbles just 10 yards around the corner from us. Mrs. G wanted to see a show so I let him walk by us and he strutted a couple of times. He was on his way to the hens and at 40 yards I told her to drop the hammer.
Her FIRST turkey..... 21 lbs, 9" beard, 1/2" spurs.....
Then today Big B carried us to a place along the river in hopes the toms would fly down on our side. At daybreak the dozen or so toms were singing a tune amongst themselves. A jake came over and circled our decoy 5 or 6 times.... I told Mrs. G if she wanted him to take him, but she held off. I could hear a distant gobble but wasn't sure how close. Big B said he was in a field through the woods strutting and told me how to get up on him. Mrs. G went with Big B back to the truck so I could slip over to the tom. I got to the field edge and he was nowhere to be seen. As I headed towards the truck the tom came over the crown of the small field at a steady pace. I yelped on a mouth call and he turned towards me. I was standing and out in the open amongst the trees. I eased my hand to the stock and eased my gun up. He got nervous and started sprinting off to my right. I pulled up, got on him, and fired. He fell forward and flapped for a second... then to my heartbroken dismay he flew up and off over the finger of woods. Big B and Mrs. G saw him glide over into the next set of woods/thicket. I walked to the truck and told them the scene. I felt sure I hit that bird hard as he went right down. We decided to check the bushes as I hate leaving a wounded animal if things don't go right. We beat the brush and heard flapping. I was sure he was close and sure enough my prize was flopping in the brush... a final shot put him down for good.
19 lbs, 10.25" beard, 1 1/16" spurs...
I want to thank our wonderful host's the Johns for having us over and for some great food. They are great people and have a lovely family. It was good to see the Woodpile Boys again: Blue5, The ONE, DodgeBall, RNT, TurkeyBurd, MacGyver, The Arkansas Bunch, and it was nice meeting some of the boys' significant others...... The Mrs & I had a great time.....
Good Times Boys, Good Times!!!!
P.S. Those Hevi-13 Mag Blends are Bad Medicine for those turkeys!!
