Silencers 2008 turkey, finally SCORES !!!

[Silencer]

Got the day off today     Got to watch 2 jakes race their way into my stand first thing this morning and passed on shooting them.  Was great to be pumped up and watch em strut 
Where were they when I had the kids with me for the youth hunt ?  Heard a few other birds going but none would commit.  Also seen some real nice long beards in a field I'll be going after next week on vacation.

On the way down the road I couldnt believe my eyes.... 



There he was, sitting close to the road but flew off 30 yards into a tree.  I would have had great pics if he would have stayed still 



These are all cropped, zoomed, and taken through the windshield just so I could have the pic to show,  sorry for the poor quality.   Maybe next time he'll be more photogenic 

[DirtyDog]

Man that is too cool. I seen a bunch of them in Canada several years ago when I went on one of those "fly-in" fishing trips. Eagles, loons, moose, and black bears everywhere.

[coyote101]

There is nothing quite as majestic as an adult bald eagle. It is easy to see why they are the national symbol.

Pat

[Silencer]

Thanks, you're right, them pics dont do the bird justice, the size of the beak alone amazed me !!!  That dang thing was so beautiful and majestic.  It wasnt too far from duck hole, so I recon we'll meet up again this year.

[bigben]

We have one down beside our creek lot.  man are those some big birds or what?

[nailbender]

  Good thing they didn't make turkeys the national bird huh?

[FinsnFur]

Beautiful site for sure.
We have so many of them flying around here by the Mississippi that there almost as common as the sparrows.

Every summer, the parks fill up with those geeky freeky bird watcher groups on tours. man those guys are funny to watch. And thats if you DONT pay attention to their wardrobe.  :roflmao:

[bigben]

what is really cool is calling em in.  there is a local hawk watching area close to my house on top the mountian.  if there are only one or two people there I grab a hand call and start squallin.  most of the time those whacko's look at me funny but when ya can get a redtail hawk to sit still on a branch for em to take a picture it really impresses em.  went camping last summer at a local state park and they had a owl prowl and when the park ranger came through tellin us about it I said aint no need to go look for em I can call em i right here.  she dared me so I grabbed a squeaker outta the truck and started squeakin.  surnuff here comes a great horned one swoopin through the trees landed above us for a minute and then took atta there.  she never even came back to talk to me then the next day. 

[Silencer]

Today was a cold start temps around 30 with a frost, couldnt buy a gobble at first light.  930-10ish they started to open up, gobbles were everywhere,  got 2 jakes within shotgun range again, I'm not taking a stubby yet.   Hens are nesting up for sure, seen one with a bum leg hopping along the ridge, also seen a Fisher today.

Mr Tom will be coming soon, I can feel it 

[Silencer]

Days 3 & 4 the same that's been happening all week.  Today its raining but I can hear them from the front doorstep out across the river.
Gonna give it a run later on in the morning.

[alscalls]

You will get one, Hang in there.....

[nailbender]

  Hang in there Silencer!  Good luck!

[FinsnFur]

He aint gonna get one.    Quit tormenting him 

[Silencer]

Still have 2 weeks Jim     Yesterday right at high noon I watched 2 nice long beards duke it out.
I'm going back for them this morning.  The dominant bird had 4 hens and he wasnt givin any of them up.
I've never seen a bird in 3/4 strut sprint 100yds like that before, he was pissed 

[Silencer]

Worked that bird this am, he wouldnt answer to the owl hoot so I set up with the dekes in the valley where 2 fields merge.  He come down off the roost with his bit**es, got him to 75yds but wouldnt break that mark.  Played with him for about 45 min, teasing me !!!!  Got soaken wet too boot, was pouring at daybreak.

Back to work tomorrow, no hunting again till the 14th...

[alscalls]

He aint gonna get one.    Quit tormenting him 

See what you started.......... Now he is trying..........Im trying to win a contest here :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

[Silencer]

Got a half-way decent tom this morning.  Pics and story to follow this afternoon 

[KySongDog]

Half-way decent??    :shck: 

ANY tom is 100% decent in my book!  Congratulations!!     

Semp

[coyote101]

Congratulations Vic! 

Pat

[Silencer]

Thanks guys, gave my friend Bill a call last night and we made plans to go after the long beards that were fighting the other day.  Pull into his driveway well before daylight to have him tell me there's at least 5 gobblers roosted right behind  his house !!  Plans change immediatly, we're going after the close ones.  He let his Rotty out to do her buisness, she barked at my car and at the same time located them birds for us 
Got set up and started talking turkey.  Got set up just outside his yard viewing the back field, worked them birds right out of the roost like it was a piece of cake, but I couldnt get them to come across the field... I'd forgotten there was a 3 strand hot electric fence between us    Told Bill to stay put and call once in a while covering the side tward his house, I was going to back out and hit the other side of the fence.  They're going to come one side of the electric or other.
I just happened to pick the right side to be on     We were calling back and forth, the birds worked their way to the corner of the field I was on, picked the biggest one, gave out a few loud puts, he picked up his head and took him @40 yards with the Rem 870, tight wad choke, 2ounces of 6 shot.