MuzzHunter
On a 20ft High
This year was the first year I decided to try and get two 4th season tags, being that it seems most of my success occurs during fourth. Saturday I hit the woods as soon as the rain let off and saw some birds just no opportunities. Due to starting to rain before fly up I didn't get a chance to locate any birds for this morning. I was pretty much going into a blind setup in the morning though I knew the area in the past was successful.
So the alarm sounds off at 3:50 and Im struggling to get the motivation to get out of bed and head to the woods. I keep telling myself I cant kill them sitting in bed trying to help out, I finally stroll out of bed and get some coffee going to help me wake up. I get all my things together and hit the road, arrive at the area and begin the mile trek. As I got across the small creek and up on the ridge that would lead me to my destination, i make it about 100yds up the ridge. An owl starts sounding off and a bird gobbles and hes on the next ridge over and being that its pitch black still, i decided to try and setup on this bird since it'd be easy to get close enough. I get up on the ridge he's on and get settled in and wait for fly down. He starts hammering in the roost as it starts getting light out, other birds in the distance are sounding off too. Around 6 o'clock I hear the bird fly down, but flies down on the next ridge to my south. I start calling and he's gobbling back at me, but I know he's not going to come my way.
As a little time goes by, I turn my head to the right to check the area and when I come back left I spot a red head 20yds away. I'm almost certain he spotted me and was trying to figure what I was but wanted to explore my hen decoy I had out at the same time. He was slowly creeping towards me and the deke. His head went behind a tree and I pull the gun up. When he came from behind the tree, he was 10yds away and it was time to lay the smack on him. Fired the shot and the result was a dead bird. Turned out to be a jake, but I don't mind. Being that its the first bird with my new super mag.
After killing this bird, it was only 6:30 and I still had my other fourth season tag so I decide to head north to where I was originally going to setup. I start the trek up the big ridge and follow the edge of it around to try and get to a field that I was certain had birds in it. As I was walking I was standing up on top the ridge and come up to a big valley and about 100yds away down in the valley I spot a shed just laying in the wide open. So I decided to descend the ridge to go pick it up.
Here's the atl
I then begin the hike back up the ridge and finally get to where I can see the field I want to check. I start scanning the field and right away spot a bird. Put the binoculars on it and right away see a beard. So I start to belly crawl to get close enough to the edge of the field so I'm able to shoot the field. I get to where I feel comfortable and start scanning the field trying to find him again. I couldn't find him, I thought for sure he spotted me somehow. Just then I happen to see some movement on the other side of the field and glass it. Sure enough there he is, and has a buddy along with him. I call at them and the one drops into strut so I know they're interested. I then begin cuttin' on the mouth call and both hammer back at me. I call a little more and then give them the silent treatment for a bit. They eventually disappeared and Im thinking maybe I should of kept calling. When suddenly they pop up on a rise in the field, coming my way. They slowly work their way back across the field angling towards me.
The only problem was they were heading to the neighboring property. As they were about 80yds out on the edge of the timber I started cuttin' like crazy and they were going absolutely insane. They then headed into the timber and I'd call at them every now and then to see if they were still there. After calling for a bit I went silent again for awhile. Some time had passed and I decided to call and see where they were. They immediately gobble and they're now in the ditch between my ridge and the neighbors. I knew it was a matter of time before their heads would come over the hill. Not 30secs after the gobble I spot the lead bird. He walks behind a tree and I pull up and when he clears the tree at 45yds I let the gun bark. Instantly he takes flight, and I think OH SH**! and start running that way. He flies 30yds up into a tree and lands, then sails back towards me and lands 25yds away. Before he had a chance to make another move I finished him off for good.
This bird was just your average longbeard. He weighed 19lbs 7oz, 10 1/2" beard, and 1" hooks. I was pumped though to have only really hunted one morning and was tagged out my 8:30. All in all it was just an awesome day in the woods for me.
Here's the hero shot!
So the alarm sounds off at 3:50 and Im struggling to get the motivation to get out of bed and head to the woods. I keep telling myself I cant kill them sitting in bed trying to help out, I finally stroll out of bed and get some coffee going to help me wake up. I get all my things together and hit the road, arrive at the area and begin the mile trek. As I got across the small creek and up on the ridge that would lead me to my destination, i make it about 100yds up the ridge. An owl starts sounding off and a bird gobbles and hes on the next ridge over and being that its pitch black still, i decided to try and setup on this bird since it'd be easy to get close enough. I get up on the ridge he's on and get settled in and wait for fly down. He starts hammering in the roost as it starts getting light out, other birds in the distance are sounding off too. Around 6 o'clock I hear the bird fly down, but flies down on the next ridge to my south. I start calling and he's gobbling back at me, but I know he's not going to come my way.
As a little time goes by, I turn my head to the right to check the area and when I come back left I spot a red head 20yds away. I'm almost certain he spotted me and was trying to figure what I was but wanted to explore my hen decoy I had out at the same time. He was slowly creeping towards me and the deke. His head went behind a tree and I pull the gun up. When he came from behind the tree, he was 10yds away and it was time to lay the smack on him. Fired the shot and the result was a dead bird. Turned out to be a jake, but I don't mind. Being that its the first bird with my new super mag.
After killing this bird, it was only 6:30 and I still had my other fourth season tag so I decide to head north to where I was originally going to setup. I start the trek up the big ridge and follow the edge of it around to try and get to a field that I was certain had birds in it. As I was walking I was standing up on top the ridge and come up to a big valley and about 100yds away down in the valley I spot a shed just laying in the wide open. So I decided to descend the ridge to go pick it up.
Here's the atl
I then begin the hike back up the ridge and finally get to where I can see the field I want to check. I start scanning the field and right away spot a bird. Put the binoculars on it and right away see a beard. So I start to belly crawl to get close enough to the edge of the field so I'm able to shoot the field. I get to where I feel comfortable and start scanning the field trying to find him again. I couldn't find him, I thought for sure he spotted me somehow. Just then I happen to see some movement on the other side of the field and glass it. Sure enough there he is, and has a buddy along with him. I call at them and the one drops into strut so I know they're interested. I then begin cuttin' on the mouth call and both hammer back at me. I call a little more and then give them the silent treatment for a bit. They eventually disappeared and Im thinking maybe I should of kept calling. When suddenly they pop up on a rise in the field, coming my way. They slowly work their way back across the field angling towards me.
The only problem was they were heading to the neighboring property. As they were about 80yds out on the edge of the timber I started cuttin' like crazy and they were going absolutely insane. They then headed into the timber and I'd call at them every now and then to see if they were still there. After calling for a bit I went silent again for awhile. Some time had passed and I decided to call and see where they were. They immediately gobble and they're now in the ditch between my ridge and the neighbors. I knew it was a matter of time before their heads would come over the hill. Not 30secs after the gobble I spot the lead bird. He walks behind a tree and I pull up and when he clears the tree at 45yds I let the gun bark. Instantly he takes flight, and I think OH SH**! and start running that way. He flies 30yds up into a tree and lands, then sails back towards me and lands 25yds away. Before he had a chance to make another move I finished him off for good.
This bird was just your average longbeard. He weighed 19lbs 7oz, 10 1/2" beard, and 1" hooks. I was pumped though to have only really hunted one morning and was tagged out my 8:30. All in all it was just an awesome day in the woods for me.
Here's the hero shot!
