Another one for the smoker.

[JohnP]

Well have to start out by saying this has probably been my personal best turkey season as far as size of birds go and maybe quickest.  First birds was 24 lbs and shot within 30 min of sitting on opening morning.  Second bird 23.5 lbs.

 Didn't get out again till Wednesday when a couple buddies invited me up around Clinton to camp out and do some hunting and fishing.  Wednesday was a tough muddy hunting day after the rain the night before but ended well.  Try to listen for birds gobbling early and nothing.  Do some walking and find a couple birds that look like their heading our way so we quickly get set up.  After a couple hours of playing with a hen the toms wouldnt pull off the hens they were with.  Birds went back the other way so we picked up our strutting Jakes and tried to get ahead of them with no luck.  Thought we had em pin pointed where they were heading but turns out they turned around and went back to the corner where they'd been hanging out when we first seen them.  Decide to try the ol Indian sneak behind the deres.  Belly crawl 50 plus out into the muddy field and get to about 125 yds from them.  They see the dekes but refuse to pull off the hens.  Laid in the mud for over an hour watching them and calling to em hoping eventually they'd get ticked and respond but they weren't having it.  At one point Jeff had another Tom sneak in on his left to within 30 yds just enough of a draw that all we could was his blue and red head and don't know if it was the 2 strutting Jake dekes he didn't want to tangle with or 2 bodies the dekes were dragging ;).   Dude never made a sound just walked off feeding down towards the other group.  So know there's 3 toms and 2 hens that won't budge out the corner.  Finally decided to back out out try to make our way to bottom corner without getting busted.  After an hour or so of sneaking the long way around finally get to the corner and surprisingly their still there and actually heading up the fence row towards us.  Look at the time and it's noon so knowing if it was going to happen we didn't have much time left. Crawled into the thick brush and tried to find an opening.  The hens pass by approximately 50 yds with all 3 toms not to far behind.  Problem was just out of range and didn't feel comfortable shooting thru the brush at that range.  Jeff starts mouth calling when I see a hen standing behind us at 20 yds.  She starts putting and runs off.  Crap, we're done we both think when one of the toms starts gobbling and heading back down the fence row towards us. We can't see them, then we start hearing them drumming and spitting.  Know their close but I still can't see them.  Both of on our knees in the under brush.  Jeff finally sees a head and a fan but not the same birds.  So we have both close.  He asks if I'm ready and I tell him still don't see them.  The angle brush had me blocked out plus 5 ft 11in height compared to his 6 ft 4 in height probably didn't help me ;).   Still drumming and spitting Jeffs finally had enough and he shoots.  Finally I see a Tom run out to 30 yds and I ask him if he is going to shoot him again thinking he missed and says no he dropped his so I shoot and drop the 2nd bird.  Both birds dead in their tracks.  I didn't see the bird Jeff shot til I stood up and there it laid 15 yds out.  Shots fired at 1230.  Got back to camp, processed birds, ate lunch, and headed to the lake to catch a limit and a half of Truman crappie.  Awesome day and much needed get away.  The last 2 days we tried to get Jeff His Second Bird and his brother his first for the season but again their being stubborn and not playing.  Gobbling good on roost but tight lipped and not responding to the calling once they hit the ground.   I had to come back for work but their still up there, hope they can find some birds that want to play.

 

Jeffs bird (lower) 18.5 lbs, 1 1/4" spurs, double beard 10.5" and 7".  

My bird (upper) 23.5 lbs, spurs 1 9/16th" and 1 5/8th", beard 10.5"

 

Skillet of awesomeness.  Fried crappie, taters, and hush puppies.

[BilletHead]

    Nice going John Buddy!

We got wet this morning in some of the remaining showers. Did see birds but they were still hanging out with hens. Pretty quiet bunch of birds. Will try again tomorow,

BilletHead

[slab slinger]

Good job on 2 old gobblers. Man what hooks on those birds. Congrats.