Broken Beard Spring Gobbler

[adkbuck]

Killed 0940 May 4, 2015

 

 

Detailed Narrative:

I hunted Saturday Morning but couldn’t raise a gobble.  It seemed pretty dead.  I figured the boys where pretty much on hens.  I was able to get most of the morning off on Monday May 4 so decided to give it another try.  Yesterday (Monday)  I Initially  was set up on the edge of a field again with couple of hen decoys but hadn't heard a gobble or any hen talk from 0530 - 0830.   I figured it was too warm and sunny for the field hunt so I decided to forget the field and decoy thing and headed into the woods.  I set up near a small pond and blind called for a while.   At 0900 I heard a few clucks to my east, shifted position moving 50 yards to the East  to get a better view hoping a for a hen with gobbler in-tow.  Threw out a few more clucks but no response.  At about 0915 sent out a few clucks and purrs followed by some yelps.   Heard a gobble far away to the Northwest and a few clucks and putts much closer.  Moved 75 yards to the Northwest.  Heard some "where are you" putts from the hen and responded in kind.  At 0930 heard two gobblers, one estimated at about a 500-600 yards to the Northwest and one closer, about 300 yards to Southwest.  I decided to close another 100 yards on the Southwest bird.  After getting set up the base of a maple I sent out a few purrs and clucks and was immediately answered by the hen again to the west and the gobbler (now about 200 yards) to the south.  At 0935 I sent out a series of purrs and few yelps.  A couple of minutes later saw something 100 yards to the south.  At 0940 saw the body and a glowing bright red head of a gobbler 60 yards to my Southwest moving Northward.  The gobbler would have a CPA of 30 yards and I fired when he reached CPA.  He went right down.  He was a 19.5 # two-year-old, with one inch spurs. The beard had been almost completely broken off from the snow and ice.  After plucking and dressing him for roasting he seemed in very good condition considering the winter and deep fluffy snow we had from late January to mid March.  He had an appreciable sponge fat deposit but I imagine he would have weighed in a bit more after a normal winter.  I was grateful to take him!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 5, 2015 by adkbuck

[Lawdwaz]

Nice job, congrats!

[greg54]

Congrats!!

[turkeyfeathers]

Well done

[grampy]

Congrats! Well done!

[dbHunterNY]

sounds like you were definitely on the turkeys.  congrats!

 

[growalot]

Congrats!

[Grizz1219]

1" spurs would be a 3 year old I'm thinking... But great bird for sure....

[growalot]

Just wondering did the bird look a bit like it was melted and the broken end? I ask because I got a big old Tom with a large part of a long beard missing...only about 1/3 remained and 2/3's was a 1in. very thick brush...I was told it was beard rot due to the appearance of the end that remained.

[adkbuck]

Thanks guys. 

 

Grow, it was a raggedly broken stub of hair, I'd say the fleshy base was 3/4 inch maybe 7/8 inch in diameter where the beard attached to the skin.   The hair bristles were a bit thicker in diameter, about an inch.   The length of the remaining hair bristles was less than half of an inch.  The area looked like a very hairy wart after the bird was plucked.  Wish I had taken a photo.  I just figured it was the result of icing up and the weight of it caused it to fall off.  I must say that I don't know anything about beard rot.  I had not even heard of it before.   If it is related to lack of nutrition it may have been the cause.

 

When I think about how long they had to remain roosted before we got some crust on the snow I am amazed that they could make it through last winter. The wild turkey is a really amazing bird. 

 

Grizz, You may be right since the spurs had a pretty good curve to them. 

Edited May 5, 2015 by adkbuck

[landtracdeerhunter]

That is one heck of a nice turkey and a wonderful story. Congrats!

[wmig2]

Awesome!

[Mr VJP]

Nice Bird!  Good Job.

 

[maytom]

WTG!!!!

[Vince1]

Congratz, this is my second year turkey hunting and its pretty cool.

 

last year I just picked trees and sat tiill noon. I would use my crow call, hear a reaction and then start in with my yelps. thought you were just supposed to sit there and wait for em to come In could tell they were a way off, some across some pretty rough terrain.

 

next time I go out gonna try moving in on em just a bit  

 

really appreciate the story.

 

one question, do you put your setup up every time  you move?

 

Thanks

[adkbuck]

 

one question, do you put your setup up every time  you move?

 

Thanks

 

Thanks everyone. 

 

Vince,  You are welcome.   When I hunt the woods as opposed to a field I don't really have a set-up.  I just have my camo suit and head net, my gun, my call(s) and my seat cushion (if I think of it).  I never use decoys in the woods anymore because the gobbler will often have a hard time seeing them and I like be able to move without worrying about moving decoys.  I try to move on birds because the gobbler naturally thinks the hen should come to him.  So I try to close the distance whenever I can.  Even closing the distance a little bit will help get the older birds moving toward you because they know the hen is acting in a natural manner and they get more excited.

 

Admittedly some gobblers and most jakes will often come in without it but pressured birds and older birds may need the additional reassurance.   I think it is good to give the gobbler the perception that the hen has moved toward him, at least to some degree.  If you are hunting public land or private land and a gobbler is on property that you don't have permission to hunt,  moving as much as you can in the gobbler's direction will help.  Also  I never try to get closer than 100 (brush) or 200 yards (open woods) to avoid the possibility of spooking the gobbler. 

 

I will answer his gobbles with hen calls, the yelp and the purr with a cluck are my best producers.  A hen will often repeatedly cluck and purr when she is trying to find another bird, be it another hen or a gobbler.  When I think I am close to 100 yards (heavy cover)  or 200 yards (open woods) of a gobbler and he has heard me call, I  stay put.  I never call again once I think he is within 100 yards. He will know your approximate position.  He will most likely either quickly come into range or will drift off for whatever reason.   He will normally come in with his neck and head very extended looking for that hen.  I get my gun up and ready when he passes behind a tree or brush and take him when he gets to an opening within range.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I

Edited May 6, 2015 by adkbuck

[Wrangler95]

Very nice going,congrats big time!