San Carlos success! Updated with full mount pictures.

[Couestracker]

After not seeing or even hearing a bird for two days and getting beaten to my area of choice by other hunters Monday morning, I had to come up with plan "C". I drove to an area I've never been in, and started hiking in to try to make something happen. Well, I realized I had parked on a huge path of scratching that looked fresh, started following it and within 1/2 hour I heard my first gobble along with some hen yelps...the chase was on!
I caught up to a flock of 14 birds, 1 good gobbler, some jakes and the rest hens. They responded to my calls, but kept heading where they wanted to go, so I had to stalk them. I got close 4 times, going over two ridges, across 1 meadow, and then we played zig and zag on this one ridge, until finally I saw them through an opening in the trees. They were moving in a single file, passing one by one through the opening. I didn't know if "my bird" had gone by yet, so I took aim and watched as they went by. Then the big gobbler appeared and I blasted him from what wound up being a 71 yard shot. He weighed 17.3 pounds and had a 9" beard! I packed it up amongst the high winds that started about then and beat the rain (and mud) home. 2 for 2 on the San Carlos!

Me and 3 of my friends that "took me" turkey hunting for the first time (back in '04?) have tags for next year-should be a hoot...er...yelp of a time.

The picture isn't very good, only got 3 before the camera croaked.

Thanks for looking, Tommy

 

UPDATE 1/31/2014:

I just picked up my 2013 San Carlos bird from Sven at Wildlife Wings Designs. I had him do a walking pose, just like it was doing when I last saw it. Sven did his usual awesome job! I forgot how big this Tom was.

 

 

[trophyhnter]

Congrats! Way to make it happen! Ive tried stocking turkeys but have never had success!

[tjhunt2]

Thanks for sharing Tommy and congratulations on another San Carlos turkey. You certainly deserved tagging this turkey after all the leg work.

 

TJ

[pwrguy]

Good job, some times you just got to make it happen if they don't want to come your way.

[Polaris550]

That's so awesome. I am excited to experience it in 4 days. Congrats and enjoy that long beard

[Don Martin]

Leaving to go up there on the 24th. Hope they are really turned on by that time. Last year we went three for three and all got birds that had over inch beards!

 

Good to hear some success up there on this first hunt. One of my buddies who has never been there before is going up to scout this weekend.

 

These are pics of the gobblers my buddies got.

 

Don Martin

 

[CouesWhitetail]

Congratulations!!

[Don Martin]

Oops! I left out those birds all had over 10 inch beards!

 

My bird had the thinnest beard of em all, those guys had beard like paint brushes!

 

 

Don Martin

 

[CWpredator]

Gotta love the wild yard bird!!!

[walksfar]

Got it done,way to go.

[bonecollector]

Congrats on the bird.