BAD BIRD #2

Stories of your favorite gobbler hunts.
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appalachianassassin
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BAD BIRD #2

Post by appalachianassassin »

It was the spring of 2005 when I slipped up a steep ridge on the north side of stone mountain to do some preseason scouting. when you get to the top the terrain becomes very forgiving. the woods are very open and there is a 2/10ths of an acre at the head of the largest holler. luckily its one of those places that is hard to get too and not within hearing distance of the road.
I made it too the field before redbird time and set at the base of a big poplar that I had killed a big 8-point from the past fall. I was reminiscing that hunt as the sky started to lighten up and 3 big toms started firing down about 80 yds away.
I knew they would hit in the field, so while I still had time, I backed off a bit and set back down. sure enough, they hit in the field with 9 hens. I watched them for about 1 hour and backed out. fast forward to opening day.
opening morning I decided not to hunt the trio of gobblers. I had found a lonesome bird and went for him instead. that hunt was a bust and by 8am I found myself humping it up the side of stone mountain. I topped the ridge and looked off toward the field and there was the trio.....all alone
I hit em with a string of yelps on a crystal call and they honored me. I hit them with some excited cuts and here they came. the trio of gobblers was now a duo. had I known at the time what a sum biach one of those gobblers was I would have chosen my bird more carefully.
daylight the next day I hit em hard on the limb, yes I use to roost call. 10 mins later they hit the ground and ran me over. they had completely forgotten the demise of their fallen comrade. the trio had now become a single gobbler.
next morning, same song same verse. I hit the lone gobbler hard on the limb and lonely he was. I guess he missed the companionship of his amigos. he came off the limb just like before to the same spot his buddy died the previous day. booooooommmmm went the shotgun and off the side of the mountain went the turkey. I missed......f***
the next 3 days were spent elsewhere, I thought he needed a break. I found some success with a nice 3 yr old gobbler on Friday and decided to hunt the last of the trio the next day. I roosted the bird the night before and set up tight. when he started gobblin I again hit him hard on the limb but something was different and luckily I was smart enough to back off on the call and see what he did.
of chorse, he didn't come my way, he didn't want a damn thing to do with me. he flew down the other way and went silent. i decided to walk a couple hundred yards in his direction and just set a while. 2 hours and a belly full of ramps later he started gobblin again. i got in tight once again and just purred and scratched in the leaves. he never gobbled but the leaves gave away his approach. i settled the crosshairs on his caruncles(you probably call em wattles) as he topped the ridge. booooommmmm went the shotgun and off the side of the mountain went the turkey. i missed him again......f***
i was pi55ed at this turkey and dying to settle the score. so i was right back on him the next day. he didn't roost gobble and he didn't gobble on the ground either. i decided to call it a day about 10 and bumped him and a small group of hens on my way out. that evening i went back to roost him. i hooted constantly for 30 mins with no response. when i went to leave he flew off the roost plum off the side of the mountain. he had been straight over my head the whole time. i was beginning to think he knew my home address. that's when i decided to name him lucky.
i hunted lucky without success for the next several days right up to the north Carolina opener. 2 days in nc 2 dead birds to show for it. i knew then lucky would get my last tag or i would eat it. killing him had became personal. little did i know i would kill his ass the next day.
the day lucky died i set up on him at daylight and let him fly down before i started calling. he played the game good but just wouldn't commit. i had to leave him at 8 to go to work. i told my friends at work(also turkey hunters and well aware of luckys story) i would kill him that evening. he was just too responsive on the morning hunt.
4 oclock i was right back at it. i came down the ridge yelping enery 50 yds or so when he hammered down 100 yds out. i set down quick and hit him again and he had really closed the distance. just like that he was 25 yds away but behind a huge white oak gobblin every breath and drumming up a storm. 20 mins later he hadn't woved an inch, this bird had gotten wise and i had created the monster myself.
i had hyperventilated to a point of exhaustion and knew something was going to have to give. i reached down and gave an almost inaudible purr on my call and put my hand right back on the gun. 10 seconds later, lucky stuck just his head out from behind the tree. boooooooommmmmmm went the shotgun and flop went the turkey. the legend was dead
i realize this was an extremely long story but it was an even longer hunt for this bird. hands down the most cense of accomplichment ive ever gotten from killing a turkey. thanks for reading
El Sicario
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Grumpy
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Re: BAD BIRD #2

Post by Grumpy »

Great story, I loved it.
I was not his father but he was my son,,MAK IV, 10-15-1993 - 4-22-2007
"Rest in Peace my Little Buddy"
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OLE RASPY
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Re: BAD BIRD #2

Post by OLE RASPY »

Enjoyed it. 👍🏻
TURKEYS
COYOTES
DEER
SQUIRRELS
(all in this order)
PennBirdy
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Re: BAD BIRD #2

Post by PennBirdy »

What a story! Besides the fact that you killed all 3 in the group, the fact you killed “lucky” after two misses is phanominal! A man with solid patience and persistence!
batsonbe
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Re: BAD BIRD #2

Post by batsonbe »

Enjoyed the story! So what caused you to miss you think? Range, scope, or Adrenalin?
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GobbleNut
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Re: BAD BIRD #2

Post by GobbleNut »

Great story,...thanks for taking the time to write it and let us go along on the hunts.
MAK
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Re: BAD BIRD #2

Post by MAK »

U DA MAN - great story - you'll remember that hunt for the rest of time. Thanks for sharing.
MAK
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ylpnfol
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Re: BAD BIRD #2

Post by ylpnfol »

great story, hope you get the chance at an offspring or two this season....
you never know, unless you go

David
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appalachianassassin
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Re: BAD BIRD #2

Post by appalachianassassin »

batsonbe wrote: March 8th, 2018, 9:26 pm Enjoyed the story! So what caused you to miss you think? Range, scope, or Adrenalin?
I just miss brother....a lot
year before last I missed 5 gobblers with a scoped 12 gauge and tss . but I did I kill 9 longbeards that year though.
El Sicario
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Re: BAD BIRD #2

Post by Prospector »

Awesome read, thanks for sharing it
“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)
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ncturkey
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Re: BAD BIRD #2

Post by ncturkey »

Great story. Keep them coming.
Mike
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