Post by mr4pt on Apr 4, 2010 13:49:07 GMT -5
What the heck is with Dalton and missing trophy animals?
Our youth season was this weekend so me and Dalton loaded up and went out this morning. First of all, right at daylight there were three different turkeys gobbling fair on three different ridges. At 6:45 Mr moron comes riding thru the woods on a four wheeler right past us. There was no road, my property is very well posted, how he decided to ride thru this stretch of woods is beyond me. I knew the guy, the landowner of the adjacent property, we hunt on them, they hunt on us. This guy wasn't hunting...well, he was hunting mushrooms, at daylight. I stopped him and told him it was fine that he was there but could he wait a few hours, the shrooms weren't going anywhere. He was kind enough to go the opposite direction but the damage was done, the three gobblers had shut up.
We decided to go across the county road and listen. We got halfway down the mountain when I called and one of the toms that we just left struck. We turned around and got set up. It didn't take long until I heard him drumming up the hill, he would gobble every time I called, getting closer every time. He popped up over the hill in full strut. We got to watch him strut and drum for at least 10 minutes, it was beautiful as the sun came up and illuminated his bronze fan. He finally got within 25 yds and I told Dalton that I would make him come out of strut, when he did to pop him. I keekee'd, the old boy gobbled, and Dalton fired one off. The tom rolled over and started flopping off. As I stood up to give chase, he got to his feet and took off in flight. We watched him fly to the bottom of the mountain, where it looked like he crashed. We gave it 30 minutes or so and went and combed the area but never found him. I know Dalton hit him, just not sure where. I think when the turkey gobbled Dalton shot at where his head was instead of where it was stuck out to.
The turkey was as good as they get around here, probably 25 lbs, 10-12" beard....a true boss tom. Dalton is sick over it but I am trying to keep his spirits up.
Our youth season was this weekend so me and Dalton loaded up and went out this morning. First of all, right at daylight there were three different turkeys gobbling fair on three different ridges. At 6:45 Mr moron comes riding thru the woods on a four wheeler right past us. There was no road, my property is very well posted, how he decided to ride thru this stretch of woods is beyond me. I knew the guy, the landowner of the adjacent property, we hunt on them, they hunt on us. This guy wasn't hunting...well, he was hunting mushrooms, at daylight. I stopped him and told him it was fine that he was there but could he wait a few hours, the shrooms weren't going anywhere. He was kind enough to go the opposite direction but the damage was done, the three gobblers had shut up.
We decided to go across the county road and listen. We got halfway down the mountain when I called and one of the toms that we just left struck. We turned around and got set up. It didn't take long until I heard him drumming up the hill, he would gobble every time I called, getting closer every time. He popped up over the hill in full strut. We got to watch him strut and drum for at least 10 minutes, it was beautiful as the sun came up and illuminated his bronze fan. He finally got within 25 yds and I told Dalton that I would make him come out of strut, when he did to pop him. I keekee'd, the old boy gobbled, and Dalton fired one off. The tom rolled over and started flopping off. As I stood up to give chase, he got to his feet and took off in flight. We watched him fly to the bottom of the mountain, where it looked like he crashed. We gave it 30 minutes or so and went and combed the area but never found him. I know Dalton hit him, just not sure where. I think when the turkey gobbled Dalton shot at where his head was instead of where it was stuck out to.
The turkey was as good as they get around here, probably 25 lbs, 10-12" beard....a true boss tom. Dalton is sick over it but I am trying to keep his spirits up.
