hunter4life Report post Posted April 23, 2007 I made it out into the woods this weekend for some turkey hunting. On Saturday I was able to go out in the afternoon, but the wind was really howling and I ended up looking for sheds more than focusing on turkey hunting. I managed to find one 5-point elk shed that was pretty heavy weighing in at 6.5 pounds. I didn't search too hard for the other side, which was a good thing because when I got to my grandparents house I found out that my grandpa had found the other side about a month ago. He found it about 600 or so yards from where I found the shed. On Sunday morning I got up early and drove to where I was planning to hunt, only to find that two guys had beat me there and were just getting out of their truck. I parked in a different location and hunted the canyons below where they went. The early morning was a bust and I only heard 3 gobbles that were way up on the ridgetop where I originally planned to hunt. After the early morning I started covering a lot of ground trying to strike a gobble, and did call in a lone hen but did not hear a single gobble. At 7:45AM I was coming up on a big meadow where I have seen turkeys many times over the years. I called and got no response, so I snuck over a small hilltop to look into the meadow and saw 2 hens feeding. Of course I was about 15 feet from the nearest bush or tree at this time, so I just sat down and figured that was safer than trying to sneak to the cover. I watched them for several minutes and then a gobbler strutted into view. He strutted around for about 5 minutes before he finally cleared some bushes and presented a clear shot opportunity. Taking a good picture of a turkey is pretty tricky when you are by yourself. I used my daypack to set behind him and hold his fan open. By the time I gutted him and packed him the 3 miles back to the truck he was not in the best condition for pictures with me in them. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Huntn coues Report post Posted April 23, 2007 Nice bird. Congratulations. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
111 Report post Posted April 24, 2007 Congrats, that's a great looking bird! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azcouesandelk Report post Posted April 24, 2007 Great bird and nice find! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
firstcoueswas80 Report post Posted April 24, 2007 that will work! nicely done! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
vinihunt Report post Posted April 24, 2007 awesome! beautiful tail! how long is the beard? vinihunt Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hunter4life Report post Posted April 24, 2007 Thanks guys. Vini, the beard was pretty thick and it was just a little under 9 inches. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted April 24, 2007 Congratulations and thanks posting your hunt. I'm laid up in the house from shoulder surgery and can't get out to be with friends this turkey hunt and thank you for letting me ride with you on yours. Get a camera with a delay and enjoy pictures with you in them. Wishin I was huntin! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Lance Report post Posted April 25, 2007 Nice job on the bird and the shed! Next time put your camera on the pack and then run and jump in the picture, hold the fan up and smile! It can be quite a funny trick but you 'll get the hang of it! Lance Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hunter4life Report post Posted May 7, 2007 Turkey season has now ended for me. I filled my second tag on Saturday with a real nice gobbler that had two beards, a 10 1/4 inch main beard and a spindly 6 1/2 inch beard that was about one inch above the main beard. I would like to say I called this one in, but the wind was really howling and I was dodging falling tree limbs while I worked my way up a nice canyon and I don't think the turkeys could hear me calling or I could hear them gobble. I came around a corner and this guy was facing straight away in full strut showing off for a hen. I waited for him to turn and then dropped him with a load of No. 2's at about 30 yards. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tjhunt2 Report post Posted May 7, 2007 I have never seen one with 2 beards but have heard of it. That's a rare trophy and congrat on filling another tag. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BASS Report post Posted May 7, 2007 There was a bird shot in NM last year by a friend of my uncles who had three beards. One was just shy of 13" and the other two looked like your second one. That was strange for sure! Good job on another nice bird, Saturday the wind was really bad, and we just started glassing canyons. I guess we should have been out hunting instead. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Kevin Report post Posted May 8, 2007 Good job on your second bird! Calling them in is by far the most rewarding for me but to stalk to within 30 yards is a trick in itself--even if you do it by accident! I've seen a few gobblers with multiple beards but never have called one in. Maybe they are to busy with the hens to be called? Congratulations, Kevin Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
