Ohio Opening Morning 2012
Posted: February 9th, 2017, 2:02 pm
I got up about 4:50 this morning with the start of a sore throat & not feeling very well. I went out on the front porch to check the weather & it was fairly cold but the wind was light. I thought about going back to bed but decided that, since it was opening day, I needed to get into the woods if only for a few hours. I got dressed in my deer hunting clothes (warmer than my turkey hunting clothes), drove to my buddy’s, got the 4-wheeler off the truck & loaded. I sat in the truck until 5:45 when I put on my insulated face mask & shooting mittens, & rode back to the woods.
I found an area that looked promising, put out the dekes, set up my blind (it’s not a big blind, just a 12’x3’ piece of camo cloth with stakes, & set up the Gobbler Lounger. This is the 1st time I used the lounger & I really like it. I have a problem with my back leaning against trees so this was a welcome change. I was ready to go a little after 6 & it was already starting to get light.
About 6:15, a single gobble broke the silence. It was the 1st sound I heard in the woods this morning, even before the song birds woke up. It sounded like he was out towards the edge of the woods near where I had parked the 4-wheeler. Tom & I held a conversation until about 6:40 when he shut-up. This must have been when he flew down. About 10 minutes later, he gobbled again, sounding further away. The wind had picked up considerably & it was hard to pinpoint where he was. One gobble it sounded like he was in front & the next way behind me. He responded to everything I said to him but it didn’t sound like he was getting any closer. I even used my gobble tube hoping to PO him & get him coming in. Nothing seemed to work.
Finally, I heard him gobble fairly close in front & to my left. I scouched down a little & got my knees up, putting the butt in the shoulder sling of my vest. I waited & waited & waited, calling a little with no response. I wondered if he had seen my movements & headed out. Then I wondered if he might be sneaking in from behind me. Then, about 15 minutes after the last gobble, I heard a “PFHTT” behind me to my left. Then another, & another. I moved my eyeballs to the left & there he was, in full strut coming towards the dekes. I eased my fingers out of the mitten slot, took off the safety, &, when he stepped behind a tree, moved the gun up & my head down. When he stepped out from behind the tree in half-strut, I sent a load of Federal #7 HeavyWeight Magic Pixie Dust into his noggin & sent him to gobbler heaven at 7:35. He was at 13 paces.
I called Ron & Brian to let them know I had killed a gooder un. I guessed his beard at 10 ½ to 11 inches, spurs at an inch, & weight at 18-19. Actual figures were 10 ¼” beard, 1” spurs, & 22 pounds 14 ounces. Beat last years bird by 14 ounces & now ranks as my heaviest bird. I figure he was a 2 maybe 3 year old bird. Any thoughts on that?
I took the 1st pic while still sitting down. When he stepped behind the tree & stump to the left is when I got ready to shoot.
The battery in my camera died after only 3 pics in the woods. I had swapped out the battery a few days ago & it should have been good. Ticks me off as I had a really good pose with the tail spread & the wings open. I tried to get some better shots at the house but it was way too windy.
I zeroed the scale with the tub on before adding the bird, 22 pounds 14 ounces.
I found an area that looked promising, put out the dekes, set up my blind (it’s not a big blind, just a 12’x3’ piece of camo cloth with stakes, & set up the Gobbler Lounger. This is the 1st time I used the lounger & I really like it. I have a problem with my back leaning against trees so this was a welcome change. I was ready to go a little after 6 & it was already starting to get light.
About 6:15, a single gobble broke the silence. It was the 1st sound I heard in the woods this morning, even before the song birds woke up. It sounded like he was out towards the edge of the woods near where I had parked the 4-wheeler. Tom & I held a conversation until about 6:40 when he shut-up. This must have been when he flew down. About 10 minutes later, he gobbled again, sounding further away. The wind had picked up considerably & it was hard to pinpoint where he was. One gobble it sounded like he was in front & the next way behind me. He responded to everything I said to him but it didn’t sound like he was getting any closer. I even used my gobble tube hoping to PO him & get him coming in. Nothing seemed to work.
Finally, I heard him gobble fairly close in front & to my left. I scouched down a little & got my knees up, putting the butt in the shoulder sling of my vest. I waited & waited & waited, calling a little with no response. I wondered if he had seen my movements & headed out. Then I wondered if he might be sneaking in from behind me. Then, about 15 minutes after the last gobble, I heard a “PFHTT” behind me to my left. Then another, & another. I moved my eyeballs to the left & there he was, in full strut coming towards the dekes. I eased my fingers out of the mitten slot, took off the safety, &, when he stepped behind a tree, moved the gun up & my head down. When he stepped out from behind the tree in half-strut, I sent a load of Federal #7 HeavyWeight Magic Pixie Dust into his noggin & sent him to gobbler heaven at 7:35. He was at 13 paces.
I called Ron & Brian to let them know I had killed a gooder un. I guessed his beard at 10 ½ to 11 inches, spurs at an inch, & weight at 18-19. Actual figures were 10 ¼” beard, 1” spurs, & 22 pounds 14 ounces. Beat last years bird by 14 ounces & now ranks as my heaviest bird. I figure he was a 2 maybe 3 year old bird. Any thoughts on that?
I took the 1st pic while still sitting down. When he stepped behind the tree & stump to the left is when I got ready to shoot.
The battery in my camera died after only 3 pics in the woods. I had swapped out the battery a few days ago & it should have been good. Ticks me off as I had a really good pose with the tail spread & the wings open. I tried to get some better shots at the house but it was way too windy.
I zeroed the scale with the tub on before adding the bird, 22 pounds 14 ounces.