Persistance gets the late season bird...

[tree-rat sniper]

After a long IA 4th season, I finally connected on a long-beard last night. I saw him on the way home from work last night about 10 yards from where I had set up to call at least a dozen times this season! I quickly gathered my gear and hopped on the 4-wheeler to try to intercept him on the way back to the roost. It had been raining all day with a slight mist at the time (still had 3 hours of daylight, wth).

When I drove down the road the tom & a hen that was with him quickly walked over a rise in the field they were in heading for another field road surrounded by timber. I drove down to another field road & parked the old Honda. I took a deer trail to try to get in front of him to set up an ambush. After a while not seeing them, I decided to back track to where I had last seen them. After a few minutes of walking I was absolutely soaked from the rain clinging to the tall grass & plants.

I went the long way around a finger & got up to the spot I had set up to call so many times this year. I glanced down the hill & there he was about 35 yards away from me! The wet conditions hid my footsteps & he just happened to be looking into the timber with his back to me. I quickly un-slung the M2 from my shoulder raised & fired out of reflex all in one motion just in time for him to spin around & see me! At the shot he took off flying & went down into a creek bottom. My heart was in my chest at this point thinking I whiffed or winged him but then I heard a crash as he smacked into a tree. I ran down the hill to get a second shot if needed & saw nothing. The area is so thick with weeds, one can barely see anything.

Disgusted with myself thinking I might have wounded him, I managed to climb over the 4 strand barb wire fence & began to scan the area. Fortunately, I didn't have to go far as he was laying near the creek bottom stone dead! I let out a war whoop & thanked the hunting gods for smiling on me. It had been a long 3 weeks trying to connect (almost had my tag filled opening day). 4th season is always a test as the farmers are doing field work, morel hunters are out & about talking loudly and this year I had to deal with the local phone company burying new fiber-optic cable. Not to mention a group of hounds-men running their dogs on coyotes (that have been run out of the neighborhood for running cattle before).

Not sure if the pic will come through as I have had problems trying to attach them lately. The tom weighed in at 21lbs, 10.5" beard, left spur was 3/4" right 1"... Not my biggest bird ever but definitely one of the hardest won.

[High plains drifter]

Good job!I got to big gobblers this spring, and was burned by dogs a few times, but scouted a few good areas for fall.

[tree-rat sniper]

Thanks much, I'm looking fwd to fall as well.. Just realized this is the 2nd tom I've taken by "spot & stalk." 

[Spring Creek Calls]

Congratulations. I believe the spot and stalk method works well in the late going.

[Happy]

Congrats. I believe the "never quit" attitude is one of the strongest attributes of the die hard turkey hunter.

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[tree-rat sniper]

Thanks guys, I ate tag soup last year... didn't like the taste! 

[tha bugman]

yee haw~~~~!! Congrats~!

[surehuntsalot]

congrats

[tree-rat sniper]

Thanks guys, I just discovered that this the 1st one I've shot that I believe the skull is intact!  Always wanted to do a bronze skull on a fan plaque mount.

[milertyme03]

Amazing that he took off but still recovered.  Usually they drop or they are gone

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[Gooserbat]

Well done

[Gooserbat]

Well done

[mgm1955]

Congrats!!

[Number17]

Amazing that he took off but still recovered.  Usually they drop or they are gone

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'

I shot a bird one time that went down and flopped a bit, but got up and flew 20' high for about 300 yards where I saw him crash into the trees like an un-manned airplane.
A buddy of mine happened to be driving along and saw my truck and stopped to see if I had any luck. I told him the story so he went home to get his dog.
Within 15 minutes the dog was 100 yards back in the brambles barking up a storm. Sure enough she found my bird. Couldn't hardly believe it.

[VaBoy]

One of my first longbeards when I was green , green , green , came in thru a semi-thick cutover. I shot at him thru some thin bushes and he went airborne. Fired two more off at him flying away and sat there disgusted as he sailed 300 yards back down the cutover towards the creek bottom. Older gent I was hunting with who was as green as I was said maybe you got him , we should go look. I laughed at him but with nothing else going on we trudged down across the cutover to a stump I had marked 5 yards from where he had flown to. I stepped up onto the stump and the bird was lying stone dead where he hit the ground. You never know. Good to be lucky sometimes...