1 morning. 2 states. 2 multi-beards down

[derek]

Started out this morning in NJ, chasing a bird I had 25 yards away at 11:58 the day before but didn't take the shot because it was pretty thick even though I feel it would have done the trick, didn't want to risk it.  So I set up in a field he had been in the day before, sure enough he was roosted across the field from me, with 2 groups of what were likely jakes on opposite sides along the creek bottom (there were a ton of jakes in there yesterday).  He flies out and gobbles twice to my clucks, but I fly down cackle with the wing, then yelp and cutt and he doesn't gobble to any of it.  He goes kinda quiet, and I start getting impatient as the group of birds to the left is really getting cranked up.  I had a feeling he was moving towards that group, so I wanted to slip around the field to see if he was still there.  Before I moved I tried my lights out aluminum slate, the group of birds which were really far away heard it and gobbled back.  I decided I needed to go after them but had to check the longbeard first, I cross the field to check where he was and he wasn't there.  I yelp and then cutt to see if he was in the woods and that group had cut the distance in half and gobbled just in the woods on the other side of the field.. not far from where I just was.  I belly crawl a jake and hen decoy out and slip back in.  The low pine branches made it real hard to find a set up and when I did couldn't see much of the field at all.  The group was closing and fast, they're in the field.. finally I see them through an opening and it's 5 birds, all puffed up and running in.  When they get to 20 yards, they ball up.. all jakes.. damn.  I'm just watching hoping for a decoy beating when one breaks into strut and gives a big loud drum.. that's not jake.. and BOOM.. down he goes.  7:02am.  19 yards from me.  18lbs 1oz. 5 7/8" and 4 1/4" double beard.  1 1/16" sharp spurs.  Crazy how he didn't have a real beard, just two whispy ones.  Made me wonder if I called him in yesterday and passed him up as a jake.  







So I take some pics, check him in and hit the road back to Maryland.  I go to a hard hit WMA and I'm walking away from my truck at 10am.  at 10:45ish I strike up a bird.  I get him nice and worked up at first, and I think it's going to happen.  Then he goes silent.  He'd only gobble to me once every 20 minutes or so.  At 11:30 he had moved away from me a good ways and gobbles.  I move with him, can't get him to do it again so I just sit.  it's 11:40 and I'm feeling the pressure.  I hit the box call and he gobbles a good ways from me in the opposite direction he had last gobbled.  I hit the trail and run down towards him, I can see a field up ahead and see the yellow paint marking the public boundary.  I crank on the box again and he gobbles in that field.  I sit down, get him to gobble one more time to some cutting and that was it.  I try the box, some purrs/cutts.. nothing.  I cutt real hard and then gobble with the shaker on top of it.. then gobble on my own.. nothing.  Check the time.. 11:58.. I eased up figuring that was it, and as I lifted my eyes back up I'm greeted to a red head standing tall 28 steps away.  I see a good thick beard and as he starts to move I make a break for the gun and seal the deal.  My 12:00pm alarm signaling quitting time hadn't gone off yet, talk about waiting until the last minute.  literally.  Much to my surprise, it was a jake.  18lbs 12oz,  a thick 7 1/8", 2 3/4" and 1/2" triple beard, and 1/2" nubs to match his step fan.  Two really odd birds.  









Needless to say I'm pretty pumped.  I've been wanting to do the multi-state thing for a while now and have tried a few times before, but to have it come through with multi-beards is insane.  

[M,Yingling]

Thats cool ,,,Congrats 

[RustySap]

 

[Gazelle]

 

[JPD298]

Definately a good day in the woods!  Congrats

[jakebird]

Congrats on one phenomenal morning you'll never forget!

[renegade19]

 
Pretty cool stuff!

[tomstopper]

Congrats. What a remarkable morning you had.

[Fullfan]

Oh ya way to go. And yes he is on my team...

Dude you are on fire with the milti bearded birds, humm if I remember you shot a bird with 7 beards last year??

[longbeard95]

Thats awsome!! Way to go!

[cannonball]

Congrats!

[VAHUNTER]

outstanding 

[BowBendr]

You are the multi-bearded bird whisperer. Them things flock to you. Congrats Derek. 

[ceejay]

Definitely an unusual accomplishment .........  congrats

[Hognutz]

That is a morning that you'll never forget. Well done..