Opening day VA birthday bird!!!

[Vaturkeyhntr]

Well turkey season just happened to open on my birthday this year.  I started off hunting a bird that has been roosting in the same spot on a regular....well he decided to not roost in the same place but in another area that was closed.  So I decided to head down into a large creek bottom that always hold birds and where a few were gobbling on the roost.  I slipped into the bottom and just got comfortable.  After about 10 minutes my first series of calls were answered by a hen.  She yelped back and a gobbler let loose about 200 yards out in front of me.  After about 10 minutes I could see 2 longbeards heading my way.  They hung around out in front of me for about a half hour at 70 yards struting and gobbling but wouldn't come any closer.  As they left and got out of sight I quickly moved down into the area they had been hanging out and gave it about 10 minutes before I began to make any calls.  Before I was able to call another gobbler sounded off in a different direction and about 300 yards out.  I called to him and he responded back, he gobbled a couple more times each a little closer.  The bird then went silent so I began to focus my attention in that direction.  About 5 minutes went by I caught a glimpse of him coming straight at me in full strut.  He couldn't of picked a better path because he literally walked straight down my gun barrel and when he stuck his head up at 25 yards it was game over.

23 1/4 lbs, 9 1/4 beard, and nubs where his spurs were supposed to be.

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After I got back to my truck I texted a friend who was with his grandson and also in the same area I was to see if they were on any birds.  He told me to meet up with him and see if we could go find one.  After meeting up with them we headed down into a big creek bottom, I hit the crow call and a bird gobbled about 300 yards out.  We slipped down another 100 yards and set up, I had my friends grandson sit next to me and my friend go another 15 yards off to our side in case the bird tried to get around us.  After getting him to gobble a few times another bird fired up, both birds ended up working towards each other and got together.  We worked them a little longer then they went silent and so did we.  After about 10 minutes of silence I yelped and they hammered back about 70 yards out, about the same time my friends grandson said he could see them and they were coming.  Both birds worked into about 50 yards and found an imaginary line that they just would cross.  The one big bird strutted almost the whole time while his buddy was the lookout.  When it started looking like they were leaving, I was able to turn my head and give out a soft yelp on my trumpet in the direction behind us, Both birds hammered right back and quickly changed direction back towards us.  Still not in a hurry both birds eventually worked into about 35 yards where he was able to kill his first turkey. 

And he killed a hammer for a first bird, it was 23 1/2lbs, 9 3/4 beard and, inch spurs.   

[url=http://[URL=http://s1189.photobucket.com/user/booth21/media/IMG_0869.jpg.html]]

[beagler]

Congrats!

[M,Yingling]

Nice birds Congrats

[Birdwatcher]

Now that's what I call gettin it done!! Congrats to both of you!!

[Gooserbat]

Well done

[MAKEemQUIVER]

Congrats on a great day, cant beat a bird on your birthday!

[taylorjones20]

Congrats and happy birthday!

[tomstopper]

Congrats to you both and what an awesome b-day present

[alloutdoors]

Congrats!

[Rio Fan]

Nice job and congrats to both of you!

[owlhoot]

Nice job. good birds

[zelmo1]

  Good birthday present, Congrats

[Snoodsniper]

Good job.

[NJstrutter]

Birthday birds. Well done!

[Wrangler95]

Very nice gobbler,congrats!