Bird Down! Updated!!! Pics and story

[beardbuster]

We worked our butt's off this weekend. Up at 3:30 in bed at 11:30 two days in a row.

Got close quite a few times on Saturday but never fired a shot. Hunted a different spot yesterday that was really good - but tough. I managed to hammer this tom at noon after being persistent and sticking with them. I knew it was a matter of time before they would come in, or make a mistake like this guy did.



I have to be in meetings all day and I'll post up some more photos tonight with the story. We got some great stuff. The turkeys were going nuts all weekend. Hens are very jealous right now... and the toms are lovin' it!

[buckhunter]

Nice bird BB. BH

[DukAddict]

Great job Wil!

Brett Neffendorf

[spit&drum]

Nice Wil, we had a heck of a time this weekend over in the whiteriver area. Friday we did not hear a gobble. I think it was due to the high and low pressures meeting causing the barimetric pressure to change. Got on birds on Sat, worked them for around a hour, at one time the birds were at 40 yds but they were between a log that concealed them from a shot. I was impressed with my son who hike up a mountain that kicked my hunting partners and my butt. they gobbled good but just would not come around the fallen tree. at one time the hen started talking with me and she got close but ended up moving back down the mountain and eventually flew acroos the other side of the drainage. I can not find these easy birds that all of you keep shooting around the state. The birds I get on have huge flock of hens and they just do not want to come that extra few yards. So anyone out there know where these birds are let me know (HA! HA! HA!)

[Limbhanger]

Nice bird Wil.

Whiteriver was a bust for us. We got into birds, but they didnt want to give it up. There was a lot of activity over there. Motorcycles, people shooting, lots of hunters etc. Oh well.

[oregoncritters12]

Good work Willis!!!
Always a good story from the Gobbler Whisperer!!

[Nw dukn]

Looks great Wil..

[jjelkhorn]

Good job Wil! Only one more to go!

[BlacktailBowhunter]

Nice bird Wil.

[No Fences]

Nice Wil. Can't wait for the rest of the story.

[Bull7x6]

Nice work Wil, beautifulbird!

Had a couple close encounters this weekend too. They were definitely worked up this weekend where we were.

[STRUTTIN-1]

Glad you are livin the dream.Sooo 2 more tags 2 go?Keep up the stories and pics I luvem.

[Mad Mikey]

Purty bird, sounds like you really earned it. Congrats!

[beardbuster]

This hunt was two years in the making. I met a gentleman named Steve at a seminar that I conducted a couple years ago. Every now and then I like to join up with people I meet and hunt with them. It’s a great way to see some new areas and meet some great people with a true passion for hunting. Steve and I had emailed back and forth and occasionally would meet up every now and then at a couple archery shoots. Steve has a serious passion for turkey hunting and wanted to learn how to hunt and call turkeys. Sitting in a blind and waiting for a tom to come along was not in his game plan. As I promised, I set aside a weekend to hunt with Steve and it worked out for the best.

I headed down to Roseburg Friday evening with my daughter and was joined the next morning - 4:30 am by my friend Jeremy Henricks. Steve and a friend of his had an area picked out that held some good toms so off we went. Saturday was tough! It really doesn’t matter what you have in your bag of tricks, if they don’t want to work, then they simply wont come in. We spent a lot of time watching really good toms gobble their heads off and follow hens.



We had a parade of people (6) total moving around and trying to make a good set up and get it on film was really tough. My main goal was to teach Steve the correct way to locate, call and hunt some of the toms in his area. According to him, I was doing a good job but I wasn’t satisfied since I was hoping to pull in one of toms to gun range – for anyone! Even this little guy was feeling good.



Spit & Drum mentioned “Easy Birds” there was no such thing as an easy bird here. Saturday we easily covered 5 miles looking for a receptive tom.



The hills were steep and steeper with beautiful valleys located below.



Half the time you felt as if you were elk hunting! But we kept moving. We had a couple times where we could see really good toms 80 to 100 yards off. They would hang and move off, at this point I didn’t care if they saw us or not as the frustration of turkey hunting was settling in. But, we were still having fun.

Saturday evening we put the Dave Smith decoy to the test. I spotted a group of Jakes and decided it would be a good test to see how they reacted. A couple loud yelps to get their attention and then some soft clucks and purrs and we had them at 10 yards.



With all the big toms running around, Bryce decided to put her gun down and just watch the show.

Our plan to leave that night was changed when Bryce decided that we should stay another night since she was not going to attend the Redding archery shoot this week. Steve had another place in mind and in the morning we headed out at 4:30 to try and fill a tag or two. Different day, same story - the hens pulled toms from us left and right. I actually had a tom strutting into the call. It was about time for Bryce to click off the safety when he made a sharp left turn and followed a hen. I was wishing she had a beard. It would have been the last tom she pulled.

I stayed persistent and worked these birds up one hill and down another. About 11:00 they gave me the slip and then I noticed them feeding through a meadow. I tried to get in front of them for a set up and got pinned by a different hen. I knew I should be hearing these toms when I was pretty sure I heard a spit and drum. I did a gobble on my box call and had them respond instantly - The gloves came off as this was the break I was waiting for. The sun was high and these birds were beginning to bed in the shade. Sneaking along and doing soft clucks on a mouth call, I spotted a hen no more than 25 yards bedded. I knew the tom was with her on the other side of the shady slope. I knew if I got her attention without spooking her, he would look too. I clicked the safety off and slowly stepped around the tree aiming the gun in her direction. In a not so alarming PUTT……. PUTT……. PUTT she rose and looked in my direction and instantly a red periscope appeared to meet his demise – a load of 2 ounce number 5’s from my Benelli at 20 yards and I was picking a nice mature 3 year old bird with good spurs, 9 inches of hair on his chest and tipping the scales at over 20 lbs. I looked at my watch as it was just about noon.




We hunted until dark and got Bryce close to a HUGE tom but he just wouldn’t commit with a live hen roaming around.



We’ll head back down for a day in a couple weeks to see if I can get her back on this tom.

Anyway, that’s it. That’s all that happened. Beautiful tom, great hunt with my daughter and to be able to teach a newbie what I know about turkey hunting for two days straight, it was a good weekend.

[Hogwild]

Great job on the hunt, story and pictures Wil.

[Kalamity]

Wil- Great story! Sounded like a great hunt. I keep reading it over and over....

[CombinationLicense]

Nice job Wil and a story worth the wait

Rick

[BlacktailBowhunter]

Sounds like a good time and a well earned tom.

[HawkeyeBilt]

Yo Wil,

Loved the play by play along with the pictures. WTG on a great hunt....

[OR_Bo_Huntr]

Wil is da Man!

[sliverpicker]

6 PEOPLE! Sounds like a Primos Posse!

Nice work on the Tom.

[posum]

Nice Job! I love the pictures. I can't wait, heading out early tomorrow for 10 days in eastern oregon looking for that elusive Tom(s)

[Art Vandeley]

Great Job Wil!

Mitch

[Dave Smith]

Aaaah, man, AWESOME! Nice work, Wil.

[spit&drum]

That was an awesome story Wil, I have found the easy birds!!!! they are located right here in portland " FREDMYERS" the frozen section. (HA! HA!)
These are the only easy birds that i know of.

[6x6xBow]

Wil:

A great story and pictures. It's awesome that your daughter chooses to hunt by your side. What a great way for a young lady to learn about doing the right thing--always!

[beardbuster]

She does really good. Here is a photo of her with the bird on Sunday. She too is a proud member of TEAM PURIST

[Limbhanger]

I would definitely send that in to OHA for their photo contest.......that is a winner!!

[Kalamity]

Originally Posted by beardbuster

She does really good. Here is a photo of her with the bird on Sunday. She too is a proud member of TEAM PURIST

Look at that smile! Absolutely wonderful!!!

[OR_Bo_Huntr]

Gosh dang Wil, the Team Purist is getting filled up......not sure if we have another spot for a ethical hunter lol

[Elkguide]

Great Pic of you daughter!!!!!!

Now I just need to fill my tags !!!