Running on 3hrs of sleep right now, so I'll try to keep it as short as possible. After an uneventful opening day last Saturday, I took today off to head up to a co-workers cabin for a hunt. He really enjoys calling the birds in more than shooting, and he wanted to try and put me on a bird, so we decided to go for it. The previous morning, he called in a bird for another co-worker/friend of ours, and he missed, so my buddy was on me about not letting him down and making him 0 for 2 today:D Long story short, we got on a bird around 5:50, setup just to listen in with no intentions of the bird coming to us as he was up top on a ridge in the field by their cabin (where his father was setup). He gave a few small yelps on one set of purrs, and we shutup. Before you know it, here comes the bird down off the hillside (we were in a thick bottom). I had ranged the spot when I first setup, and knew when he stepped into my main opening, he would be 28yds out, so I let him have it. Here's where things get interesting. He was drilling, flopped, got up, ran, tried to fly, and hit the ground again as we're chasing him down the ravine the whole time. I really thought I had wounded him, but couldn't believe it at that range with the loads I was using. I decided to go and scan the hollow further down. After finding nothing, on my way back up through, I found him lying under a pine branch not more than 15yds from where we last saw him trying to get away. Very odd series of events that transpired, but we got him, and he and I have a story to tell for while at work:D We didn't weight him (no scales at the cabin), but I would estimate live weight at around 17-18lbs. He had an 8 3/4 beard and 7/8" spurs. Not a bad bird, and all of it was said and done by 6am:D
Good deal man....do you have a second tag? OR>>>Does that mean I'm up? LOL. Let me know if you want to run the camera.
Cool story, Matt. I'm always ready to sprint after a bird when I take a shot They are tough ole birds.
Nice bird. Yeah sometimes the fun is just starting when you pull the trigger. And them dang birds can really hurt you too. I know all about that.
