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Post by LongSpur39 on Apr 12, 2014 7:27:42 GMT -5
Several seasons ago I had started off the season with one bird in mind. I'd been watching a group of three longbeards for a few weeks prior to the season.one was a pretty good one. Opening day and week I messed with them a couple days. They had picked up some hens a became field birds. I figured they'd be tough. But had no idea how tough. They never roosted or entered the field from the same spot. Through out the next couple weeks I'd check on them to see if they were staying in the area. They were . Every day that I tried them they had atleast one hen. And it was so open you couldn't get even close. Didn't have ground blinds back then. So I resorted to the local pines and brush. Then one night the forecast was calling for heavy rain through out the night. There was gonna be a short window around fly down time. And rain would hit again around 8 or 9. My thought was brush myself in a lower corner of the field. And call here and there and very little. I was hopeful any hens they had might be or go to their nests. I arrived pretty early to make it across the wide open field under darkness. As I walked the rain was coming down a little harder than I liked. And not only that but there was thick patches of fog. What do ya do? I'm out here and wet already might as well stay. As the dreary daylight approached I heard one lone gobble. I nestled down in my makeshift blind. Weather forecasters were right for once. The window hit, rain stopped. I clucked and yelped a few times on the mouth call. They all lit up. They were very close. I looked toward the valley and here comes a blanket of fog right at me. It was so thick I couldn't see 20 yds. Hold on will continue shortly.
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Post by LongSpur39 on Apr 12, 2014 7:55:09 GMT -5
Thinking oh great this will shut em down. Within minutes I was proven wrong. The three gobblers gobbled pretty good as they closed in on me. At somewhere around 30 yards they hammered! Problem was I couldn't see a damn thing. Not even outlines! Their drumming was so loud I swore they were five yards away. My eyes were scanning back and forth so quick. They began to loose focus. After a half-hour of just listening to them. Off they went. Eventually the fog began to clear but it was too late. Around 8:30 I was able to see across the field , just as they were exiting the field. I called to them and they turned to come back. Well the light rain showers that were predicted to start midmorning. Were not exactly light showers. More like a downpour so heavy I couldn't see the birds anymore. Not only a downpour but more fog was coming my way. I could barely hear the birds gobbling. But they were pounding as hard as the rain, and on their way! As they closed so did the fog. But this time it was not like soup but broken up. The rain began to really come down. Didn't think it could fall any harder. It did! Finally I could see the three drenched birds coming right at me. The good one was trying to strut in the pelting rain. I put my bead on him at 40 yds. Again the rain was falling so hard on my face and barrel. I could barely focus. At 30 yds I dropped the hammer. When the gun went off it looked like a water cannon going off. With smoke and a short burst of flame. He dropped in his tracks. The other two stood and gobbled over him for another ten minutes. I was beyond soaked if that's possible. Not one piece of dry clothing. But I learned a valuable lesson that day. And since I have used several miserable days to kill some long hooked tough gobblers. I don't care what kind of weather I hunt turkeys in. They have no place else to go .
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Post by Kt29 on Apr 14, 2014 22:42:07 GMT -5
What a great story Scott. And by the way, you are a very good story teller. What a day that must have been. You are definitely a lot tougher than most folks to stay out under those conditions. A true lesson for most of us. You would never had gotten that bird sitting back in the lazy boy. One you'll never forget for sure.  |
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Post by LongSpur39 on Apr 15, 2014 19:39:57 GMT -5
Thank you Terry for the nice compliment. I have kept a journal for several years. But a lot of the adventures I don't need to read it to relive them. Certain hunts never leave memory. The stories are the most important part of hunting to me. I can't enough of hearing others stories though. And as far as weather conditions go. I'm either stubborn or just a plain idiot at times. Lol!!
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