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Author
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Topic: persistance pays off
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RayC
Long Beard Posts: 164
From:w.Suffield,CT
Registered: Nov 99
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posted May 14, 2007 11:16 AM
   
CT bird 9 inch beard 1 1/4 and 1 inch spurs and right around 20 lbs. Long story and I'll try to post a pic or 2 after.
Trying to be as brief as possible, I'd been working on at least a couple birds in one spot since the season opened 5/2. They would roost usually on my side of road then go to other side (can't hunt there) right away after flydown . I could get them talking on roost but they would still leave. I could also talk to them after and sometimes get them back, but despite not having any obvious obstacles between the and me, they just wouldn't come in not matter where I set up and many times circled around me. As time went on I slowly set up closer to where they roosted and where they were feeding at times. I did one time see one with beard while I was giving it a break and past by the crossing spot from my vehicle.
Finally Weds I was able to call one in and was about to raise up the scattergun when I saw a problem,,,,, no visible beard. I watched as he walked around and got behind a tree where he gobbled every couple minutes for about 10 mins before he went back where he came from. I heard a hen yelping and talked back (cutting her off) every time. She came up nearby clucking away as I copied her before she moved off. I ended up moving just a bit towards where they headed and managed to call to gobblng bird back in, still hadn't grown even a single whisker of a beard as fasr as I could see.Thursday later in morning I talked to one (on other side of road) and as he moved off (up the road towards my vehcile) I moved with him talking to him as he gobbled. Ended up there was 2 gobbling . One finally came across road to my right while other was on my left (still hung up on other side). The one on my right was moving up the hill around me so I wiggled around towards other side of tree in hopes of seeing him. After a few minutes I heard ,,,,, PUTT . I had just enough time to think 'what did I do to spook him' when I heard footsteps behind me in crunchy leaves. PUTT PUTT gobble putt putt putt from bird on right as he left and went uphill and away. The one behind me was just way to close and woods to open for me to even think of moving to see him, so he walked away also. Friday I had them going again as I set up in feeding area, this time I moved twice following bird up the hill as he was going around me. The last place I finally saw him come out within range but it being still early and cloudy (plus foliage filling out in woods) I once again couldn't put a beard on him whild I watched him for about 15 miutes walking around and gobbling. Then the rain started,,,,,,,,serious rain for 1 /2 hour and that was it for the day. Saturday I set up just below where one was roosted (in feeding area) and after just listening to him gooble and waiting without calling hoping he would just travel down, I wanted to get something going and did some cutting on the slate. That got him fired up and moving towards me. I saw his white head bobbing down the hill and also a hen following him. He went into strut a couple times and I could see full fan even though I couldn't see the whole bird through the brushy stuff. Finally I could see a beard as he was walking (towards the road to cross again) and somehow managed to get the gun around and up without him seeing me. BOOM and he went home with me. Took me a week and 1/2 hunting mostly in the one spot but I just couldn't leave it till I got it done. Takeing afew days off now to rest up a bit befor going back out at it again, either here of NY.
IP: 204.117.78.97 |
shortspurs
Long Beard Posts: 101
From: Iowa,U.S.A.
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted May 14, 2007 10:15 PM
Congrats Ray! Good story too. Hope you have good luck on the next one also. Going to be waiting for the story. I'm tagged out here and can't find anyone else that wants to go. Congrats again. ssIP: 69.66.85.46 |
RayC
Long Beard Posts: 164
From:w.Suffield,CT
Registered: Nov 99
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posted May 19, 2007 10:02 AM
Hhmm lets see if pics work    IP: 172.131.17.45 |
shortspurs
Long Beard Posts: 101
From: Iowa,U.S.A.
Registered: Jan 2001
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posted May 20, 2007 07:32 PM
Sure did Ray. Nice looking bird. Congrats again. ssIP: 69.66.85.46 | |
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