VA #2....Redemption!!

[VA_Birdhunter]

Its been an awesome VA season this spring so far even though its only 3 days old!  Today was a Redemption hunt for me.  Yesterday (Monday) the second day of the season a front was moving in and shut the birds down some.  I heard a bunch on the roost again but not a lot of gobbling and they shut down once they hit the ground.  At 10:30 am I struck two long beards finally with my SS Custom calls Slate on a ridge across from me and up a step hill slope.  I took off across the creek and up the hill.  About 30 min later I was in position finally and begging for oxygen!  I make a couple of series of calls with my mouth call and nothing.  So I reach for my SS Slate call again and they both cut me off just over the ridge top and down the ridge about 20 yrds.  Before I could sit the slate call down they were directly above me....I turn my head slowly and there stands the fist of the two looking right at me.  They both top the ridge behind me and to the left.  They pulled the classic move of coming in from behind and spotting you!!   They had me and there was nothing I could do.  I slowly turned as much as I could in the seated position I was in and took the shot at the back bird as they were leaving off hand.  Clean miss and they headed off down the ridge.  They completely deserved to gobble another day...they got me and it was deserved!   I walked off that mountain with a smile on my face it was a beautiful morning and an awesome hunt.  I decided to stay close to my parents this morning since the weather forecast wasn't looking very good.  So my dad and 5 yr old head out into the front yard to see if we could roost a bird.  At about 8:15 pm I get two fired up close on a nole just below my parents, when I walked back in at 8:45 pm they were still gobbling.  I get up this morning at 5 am, walk outside at its about 60 deg and misting the rain with little wind.  I head out and make it to the saddle below the nole at 5:20 am.  I get my decoy and everything set up there and cut the light off and head up onto the nole which is about a 60 yrd walk.  I get set up on the left side of the nole since I know he was roosted on the far right side.  Right at the top of this nole is a 10-15 ft high cliff that you can walk completely around and around and the base is covered with mountain laurel.  I set up about 15 yrds below the cliff right in the edge of that mountain laurel and set my decoy up down the hill and to my left.  About the time I get settled in my gobbler lounger with my calls at my side the rain starts...then followed by the wind.   I can hunt in anything but hate the wind and it really cranked up and so did the rain.   Finally at 6:30 am it lets up and at 6:40 am I hear the first gobble way off in the distance...with several more joining in in various spots.   At 6:50 am the gobbler on the nole finally announces his presents but doesn't sound like he's where I though he would be.  It sounded like he was father off the nole down toward the creek then I anticipated.  Either way I knew he wouldn't be able to see me from the limb which was ok and not my intention.  About 5 min later I start tree calling with my SS slate and the birds go crazy.  After a few series of tree calls on the slate I pick it up with my trusty mouth call and do a couple of fly down cackles along with my wing.  I then simulate a few more fly downs with my wing then start into a couple of serious of calls with my slate and mouth calls and get sporadic responses...but none from the gobbler I want to answer back.  I then go through a few more serious and get him to respond a couple of times but nothing serious in my book with him sounding like he's off farther toward the creek.  So I lay the slate down and just sit back in my lounger for about 5 min and actually entertained the thought for a moment of getting up and moving off the nole into the bottom where I thought he was headed.   After riding my mind of that I yelp on my mouth call and slate and he answers not 25 yrds just over a rise on the nole.  I immediately turn to my left and start hearing him spitting and drumming just over the rise.  I figure he will come on around right in front of me but I was wrong.  The next time I hear him he's directly behind me not 10 yrs standing on the rocks at the bottom of the cliff...first thing I though was this is a replay of yesterday.  He continues to spit and drum just behind me....it was truly the greatest sound I've ever heard.  I've had many of a gobbler close strutting and gobbling but this birds drumming was unbelievably loud....the loudest I've ever heard.....it had me shacking.   I then give a few soft yelps to hopefully convenience him to come on down the hill and it worked.  He come straight down angleing a little away from me spit-in and drumming the whole way....and I finally catch few of him from the corner of my eye.  He steps out of the laurel and into a clearing and I send the Long Beard XR's down range again and drop him at 7:20 am.  It was another awesome hunt and one you dream about!  If I had to walk out with him still in the woods I would have not been disappointed in the least it was awesome hearing him spit and drum that close!!  Since I got the miss out of my system yesterday I still have one tag to fill....which I'm very thankful for!  Thank you Lord for another unbelievable spring morning!   

He weighed 18.80 lbs, 8 1/2" beard, 3/4 inch spurs...nice 2 yr old.

Here's a few pics.  I actually had my photographer here this time...(My Wife). 

God Bless

Cell phone pic in the woods just after the shot.


SS Custom Calls  Slate over Glass.  I can't say enough about this call...it has TRULY given me an edge this year! 






On the way to the lone gobblers yesterday before my miss....I come across a hen on a nest.  Snapped a picture really quick to share....makes the second one I've come across in the past few years. 

[DirtNap647]

congrats

[longbeard11]

Yes sir!!!!!! Once again, went outside this morning at 4:00am and prayed the Lord would have his hand of favor on you today, and once again he didnt dissappoint.  Congrats brother on another great bird, you are wearing em out down there!!

Put a few to bed for me on Thursday night so we can put him in a permenant coma Friday morning!! Cant wait to get down there brother and roll a couple big uns!!!!

[870FaceLift]

 

Nice bird.  Congrats on a great hunt!

[boomer]

Congrats!!

[Gooserbat]

Good Job!!!

[JALA Strut]

Congrats ...Nice bird!

[KYFrid]

Way to go Buddy !   Love the pics!   

[highcj5]

congrats and great story   

[captin_hook]

Congrats ! Awesome

[JVA54]

 
Congrats!!

[tomstopper]

Awesome. Congrats.....

[Turkey fryin]

Awesome bird man! We need to get together and hunt sometime!

[slamman]

congrats

[jblackburn]

good stuff!!