International Bird
International Bird
Went to a favorite spot on land which was recently burned. It's a longleaf pine hill bordering a swamp. Birds started up at 7:00 a.m., three came in and 2 left at 7:15. Sometimes it's easy. In my haste to get out of the woods and back home, while reeling up the string he came in on, string got tangled up on burned palmetto fronds, abandoned and the key to success fell out of my pocket so they aren't in the photos. American Wild Turkey shot with Chinese shot (1 5/8 oz. TSS9) out of an Italian hull, through a Russian 20 ga. Baikal MP-18 single-shot, aimed with a Burris red dot Fast Fire III made in the Philippines. Trigger-jerker Georgia Cracker. Called in with a rivercane "yelper" made from rivercane cut during the woodcock season. Beard not much, 9.5", left spur 1 5/16 inch; right, 1 1/4".
99% of my success was just showing up. For every easy bird like this one was, the others put you through the wringer, and then you don't succeed. I don't weigh birds anymore as it is bad enough from their vantage point to shoot them, but it would be worse to deprive them of gaining weight in the future years when I recount his story.
The oral history of the location is that during the Civil War, locals hid their cattle and valuables in the swamp to protect them form plunder by Hazen's Division of Sherman's Right Wing as the marched through Georgia to the sea. The open swamp is surrounded by titi ("tie-tie") shrubs ("hells") which can grow 20' feet tall, often laced with cat claw briers and are almost impenetrable to move through. I know a few ways into it, but they still present challenges. I almost went into one of those areas, but even on a good day they can be challenging. I had flashbacks of getting cut up, losing calls, Thermocells, etc. moving through that crap. Glad I took the path of least resistance and showed up where I ultimately went. Gil
99% of my success was just showing up. For every easy bird like this one was, the others put you through the wringer, and then you don't succeed. I don't weigh birds anymore as it is bad enough from their vantage point to shoot them, but it would be worse to deprive them of gaining weight in the future years when I recount his story.
The oral history of the location is that during the Civil War, locals hid their cattle and valuables in the swamp to protect them form plunder by Hazen's Division of Sherman's Right Wing as the marched through Georgia to the sea. The open swamp is surrounded by titi ("tie-tie") shrubs ("hells") which can grow 20' feet tall, often laced with cat claw briers and are almost impenetrable to move through. I know a few ways into it, but they still present challenges. I almost went into one of those areas, but even on a good day they can be challenging. I had flashbacks of getting cut up, losing calls, Thermocells, etc. moving through that crap. Glad I took the path of least resistance and showed up where I ultimately went. Gil
Last edited by GLS on March 28th, 2018, 1:13 pm, edited 3 times in total.
-
- Posts: 112
- Joined: February 16th, 2015, 8:41 am
- Location: Social Circle
Re: International Bird
Congrats Gil on the successful hunt and thanks for great story. The only thing that would have made the hunt and story better was if it were me sitting in the beautiful charred swamp, squeezing the trigger with the business end of my scatter gun pointed at the unsuspecting bird.
Re: International Bird
Congrats on the bird! Great story as always.
-
- Posts: 764
- Joined: February 13th, 2013, 9:01 am
Re: International Bird
Congrats!
Gotta love the easy ones!
Gotta love the easy ones!
Re: International Bird
that will do.....nice story and nice spurs
- Spuriosity
- Gobbler Nation
- Posts: 2766
- Joined: April 23rd, 2012, 10:12 pm
- Location: Western North Carolina
Re: International Bird
WTG, Gil!
- Hognutz
- Gobbler Nation
- Posts: 8209
- Joined: June 28th, 2011, 5:29 pm
- Location: S.E. Wisconsin. Global Flatulater
Re: International Bird
Nicely done. Congrats, Gil!
May I assume you're not here to inquire about the alcohol or the tobacco?
I am the man from Nantucket.
“Leave the gun, take the cannoli” -Clemensa
When attacked by a group of clowns...Go for the Juggler!!
I am the man from Nantucket.
“Leave the gun, take the cannoli” -Clemensa
When attacked by a group of clowns...Go for the Juggler!!
Re: International Bird
Congratulations. Nice curved hooks.
Jim
Jim
- Waddle Whacker
- Gobbler Nation
- Posts: 2220
- Joined: August 13th, 2012, 9:47 pm
- Location: Louisiana
-
- Gobbler Nation
- Posts: 2008
- Joined: August 28th, 2011, 7:13 pm
Re: International Bird
Nice old bird congrats. I understand why you don't weigh them. A few years ago I was in Georgia hunting and one of the guys shot a bird. In camp he was saying what a heavy bird it was maybe 24 or 25 pounds, He let me pick it up and I said maybe 20. He got all mad saying you don't know anything about turkeys. Well just so happens I had a scale in my kit so I got it out. He finally let me weigh it 18 and some change.
Re: International Bird
Good Job and a good read more to go I suppose !
I was not his father but he was my son,,MAK IV, 10-15-1993 - 4-22-2007
"Rest in Peace my Little Buddy"
"Rest in Peace my Little Buddy"
Re: International Bird
Congrats!
-
- Posts: 334
- Joined: April 11th, 2016, 10:55 am
Re: International Bird
Awesome. Great hunt and I thoroughly enjoyed it! Fine bird; congratulations. Need to get me a trumpet; never tried one but I love new calls!
“Son, Turkey HUNTING starts at 40yds and in. If you can kill him farther that’s all you’re doing- KILLING. Make him think he’s answering you, call him up, kill him closer-Man! Now that’s what it’s meant to be…” Johnnie Keel ( an Old Pro most never know)
Re: International Bird
Nice!
- guesswho
- Gobbler Nation
- Posts: 5442
- Joined: July 11th, 2011, 7:50 pm
- Location: Bumpass VA, moving to Fuget KY
Re: International Bird
Nice, congrats. Gorta love those hunts when they happen. I once drove 50 miles to retrieve my string and key, found my boots in that spot too!
Double Naught Spy!
RCD's Owner----------------Badonka Deke Prostaff
MoHo's Prostaff-------------Lighter Than HTL Shooter
The Storm Whistle Prostaff
Official Member Of The Unofficial Firedup Turkey Calls Prostaff
RCD's Owner----------------Badonka Deke Prostaff
MoHo's Prostaff-------------Lighter Than HTL Shooter
The Storm Whistle Prostaff
Official Member Of The Unofficial Firedup Turkey Calls Prostaff
Re: International Bird
congrats! thats a nice bird, like those spurs and your use of such a diverse arsenal to procure them.....
you never know, unless you go
David
David
Re: International Bird
Nice bird! Sharp spurs.
- devastator
- Gobbler Nation
- Posts: 1581
- Joined: July 27th, 2011, 5:46 pm
- Location: some where in pa
Re: International Bird
Congrats,Great story,Great spurs!!!
Re: International Bird
Good goin Gil. Nice. Good read. Congrats on a fine Tom.
TURKEYS
COYOTES
DEER
SQUIRRELS
(all in this order)
COYOTES
DEER
SQUIRRELS
(all in this order)