Couestracker Report post Posted February 1, 2014 Posted April 09 2013 - 10:42 PM 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. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted February 1, 2014 That bird looks bigger than 17.3lbs. Congratulations on a good bird Tommy. You certainly had a good 2013 season. I've never hunted turkeys on the San Carlos but seen a bunch up there. They have some of the most beautiful country in our state. Thanks for sharing. TJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cramerhunts Report post Posted February 1, 2014 Great mount on a big ole bird, very nice! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesWhitetail Report post Posted February 1, 2014 Nice mount! congratulations on your bird! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naturebob Report post Posted February 2, 2014 Very nice mount, Congrats. Getting to be that time soon.......BOB! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt. Don Martin Report post Posted March 10, 2014 71 yards! What shotgun/shell combo did you use to make that shot? I use a Remington Mag 10 with full choke and 2 1/4 ounces of copper #6 and my personal best with that set up is exactly 60 yards! Bought me a "new" used Remington 3 inch Mag 1100 a month ago. Has a Hasting 26 inch "wad lock" barrel and it came with a bunch of chokes that I'm going to take to the range to try out. Need some ideas of what kind of shells to try as I may use that for my upcoming San Carlos hunt this year! Was up there last year with my friend Eric and we got lucky on a pair of long beards; though a bear got Eric's that night after we hung them in a tree NEXT to our wall tent! My 2013 San Carlos bird Eric Hawkinberry with his 2013 San Carlos bird We got them at the same time! They were following some hens towards a roost we knew about and we were set up to intercept them. Set out a couple of decoys and when they came over to check 'em out, we whacked them at 40 yards! Don Martin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
johnnie blaze Report post Posted March 10, 2014 Back in the day I used a 22 hornet. Does the res allow rifles? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Couestracker Report post Posted March 11, 2014 71 yards! What shotgun/shell combo did you use to make that shot? I use a Remington Mag 10 with full choke and 2 1/4 ounces of copper #6 and my personal best with that set up is exactly 60 yards! Bought me a "new" used Remington 3 inch Mag 1100 a month ago. Has a Hasting 26 inch "wad lock" barrel and it came with a bunch of chokes that I'm going to take to the range to try out. Need some ideas of what kind of shells to try as I may use that for my upcoming San Carlos hunt this year! Was up there last year with my friend Eric and we got lucky on a pair of long beards; though a bear got Eric's that night after we hung them in a tree NEXT to our wall tent! [img=http://www.coueswhitetail.com/forums/public/style_images/club_3_4/attachicon.gif] Don Martin 2013 San Carlos gobbler.jpg My 2013 San Carlos bird [img=http://www.coueswhitetail.com/forums/public/style_images/club_3_4/attachicon.gif] Eric Hawkinberry with Broken Tail San Carlos 2013.jpg Eric Hawkinberry with his 2013 San Carlos bird We got them at the same time! They were following some hens towards a roost we knew about and we were set up to intercept them. Set out a couple of decoys and when they came over to check 'em out, we whacked them at 40 yards! Don Martin I used a Browning Gold Hunter 12 Guage with a Truglo Strut Stopper Extreme choke that's .642". I shoot Heavishot 3 1/2" magnum #6 shot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Capt. Don Martin Report post Posted March 13, 2014 Thanks for the info! I'm going to order some of that new Winchester Long Beard ammo (#6 shot) and test it on the patterning board at 40-50-60 yards! Going to California near the end of the month to hunt on some private property. The owner said they got 12 gobblers on opening day so maybe there will be a blind, dumb and horny gobbler that I can call in! Good luck and that is a neat mount! Don Martin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mesabulls Report post Posted March 18, 2014 Cool mount Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted March 18, 2014 Cool mount I saw this bird the other day and these pictures don't show it juctice. It's an awesome sight. TJ Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
randyolson Report post Posted April 1, 2014 Very nice mount! Congratulations!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
