Post by Brokenbucket on Feb 25, 2004 12:47:34 GMT -5
The sun slowly brightened the eastern sky and the birds began to move and give their awakening melodies. I cupped the piece of slate against my chest and the nasal tone of a tree cluck got an immediate answer from the gobbler roosted over the water in the swamp. The sun rose higher and I stroked a few soft yelps and the gobbler answered again. I went silent and let him gobble.
I had sat down where the dry land that jutted out into the swamp from the open land of the floodplain. My back was against a big wateroak and I was facing west and away from the bird so I'd be in the shadows and unseen by those sharpe eyes. He'd have to walk from behind the tree and within 30 yards as he headed towrds the hens roosted farther out into the woods.
He gobbled again and I knew he had grounded; the Stevens 311 double came up into position and was aimed to my left to cover the area the bird would walk. He gobbled again and was closer. A few minutes later a hen yelped from the floodplain; he answered closer and coming by my position.
The gobbler strutted into view and into the sights of the Stevens. I snapped my tongue from against the roof of my mouth to make a cluck and his head came up.
The blast echoed through the swamp and a gobbler gobbled across the water behind me and about 300 yards away.
The strutter fell and I came up onto my knee to cover the bird incase he tried to rise, but he just quivered and lay still. I was picking up the slate and walnut striker when the other bird gobbled again. I had a fix on him and he would be another hunt; and another memory..
The gobbler weighed about 19lbs. and had spurs that measured 1-1/4in. and a 9+in. beard.
This bird was taken April 01, 1960 in the Four Hold swamp of SC. There have been many Turkey Wars since then, but your first hunt is the one you'll always remember.
Yes, Turkey Wars 2004 will be 44 years of combat and it just dosen't get any better than hearing that bird let loose a gobble to announce to the woods that he's the king.
As the sun begins to rise on Mon.-Mar. 15, 2004, I'll be set-up in those same swamps awaiting a gobble and the war will begin again and the battles will be fought, some in victory and many in defeat.
As a new season draws near I sit and think about the battles fought and smile as I have many memories to relive. The hunt mentioned was the first of many that cover a span of 44 years of the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, but they are memories relived....
Edited: I took my 1st bird in 1960, at 16 years old and was in Japan in 1964 ready to deploy to Viet-nam with the USMC. First post stated 1964 as the year of the hunt.
I had sat down where the dry land that jutted out into the swamp from the open land of the floodplain. My back was against a big wateroak and I was facing west and away from the bird so I'd be in the shadows and unseen by those sharpe eyes. He'd have to walk from behind the tree and within 30 yards as he headed towrds the hens roosted farther out into the woods.
He gobbled again and I knew he had grounded; the Stevens 311 double came up into position and was aimed to my left to cover the area the bird would walk. He gobbled again and was closer. A few minutes later a hen yelped from the floodplain; he answered closer and coming by my position.
The gobbler strutted into view and into the sights of the Stevens. I snapped my tongue from against the roof of my mouth to make a cluck and his head came up.
The blast echoed through the swamp and a gobbler gobbled across the water behind me and about 300 yards away.
The strutter fell and I came up onto my knee to cover the bird incase he tried to rise, but he just quivered and lay still. I was picking up the slate and walnut striker when the other bird gobbled again. I had a fix on him and he would be another hunt; and another memory..
The gobbler weighed about 19lbs. and had spurs that measured 1-1/4in. and a 9+in. beard.
This bird was taken April 01, 1960 in the Four Hold swamp of SC. There have been many Turkey Wars since then, but your first hunt is the one you'll always remember.
Yes, Turkey Wars 2004 will be 44 years of combat and it just dosen't get any better than hearing that bird let loose a gobble to announce to the woods that he's the king.
As the sun begins to rise on Mon.-Mar. 15, 2004, I'll be set-up in those same swamps awaiting a gobble and the war will begin again and the battles will be fought, some in victory and many in defeat.
As a new season draws near I sit and think about the battles fought and smile as I have many memories to relive. The hunt mentioned was the first of many that cover a span of 44 years of the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, but they are memories relived....
Edited: I took my 1st bird in 1960, at 16 years old and was in Japan in 1964 ready to deploy to Viet-nam with the USMC. First post stated 1964 as the year of the hunt.
