Bird #2 Down

[Huckleberry]

Friday night a friend and I headed to Colville for the second time this year. Our hopes were high that the warmer weather and higher snow levels had allowed a few more birds to move into our hunting area. Saturday morning came and I found myself hunting mid-elevation ridge tops hoping the hens had started nesting and the lonely toms would be running around with them. As the morning sun came up I heard two gobbles in the far off distance and all else was silent. I hiked ridgetops till 11:00 and after 10 miles and only a glimpse of a bird flying away decided that I needed a new plan. I Hiked down to the river, tried to find a log to cross, and almost immediately started seeing fresh sign. Over the next two hours I found four lone birds. Half jakes, half hens. That wasn't going to cut it so I hiked back to the truck, refilled my water bottles and my food supply and thought of something else. On the 14th we'd seen tracks from 3 birds in the snow by a pond I liked to hunt but never did locate the birds. I wanted to go there but it was another 3 miles down the road just to hike into it. I couldn't take the truck or my partner wouldn't be able to get to the food/water very easily and I didn't want to waste an hour walking down a dirt road so instead I tried a "shortcut" through the brush. I knew the general direction but I didn't realize how thick it would be. I hiked until I felt like I wasn't even hunting anymore ~ just crawling through the brush. I sat down and had some water and a protein bar. 16.4 miles on the gps for the day. It was almost 3:00. I saw tall trees in the distance and hoped it was a ridge that I could hunt. When I got there it wasn't open - just less thick - grass and short brush for 20-40 feet then trees and tall brush. It wasn't good hunting but better than where I'd been. After 10 minutes I found some sign. I nudged it with my foot and it stuck to my shoe. Pretty fresh. I bent down and poked it with a stick ~ still smelled like turkey. Hours old, maybe less. All of the sudden I heard a gobble. It was close, couldn't be more than a hundred yards off. Things got serious and I worked my way towards it. I knew it would be tough to make it through the tall brush without spooking the bird so I went slow. I couldn't risk breaking a stick. As I neared the first opening I saw a quick flash. Something was waiting for me. It disappeared and I took another step. Up pops a red head, sees me and takes off running. All I remember is it was quick. I never saw more than a head but knew it was legal. A shot rang out and nothing. I ran ran over to the ledge the bird was headed towards hoping to see where he went and maybe follow him but.....I didn't have to. Years of birding payed off. He never made it to the ledge. I paced off the shot. 35 yards. Perfect. I took a few photos, let out a sigh of relief and packed him 3 miles back to the car. The eastside is done for now. One more spring tag to fill.

[10Key]

Awesome, good to see some more success this year

[Gobble]

SWEET! Great Bird.

Going out this friday. My Brother and his son killed 3 turkeys this past weekend and one have FIVE beards

[popeshawnpaul]

Great turkey and story.  Sounds like hardcore hunting.

[tlbradford]

I'm not really sure how you could tell it was a legal bird by just seeing the head, but I am glad it worked out.  Good luck on filling tag #3, and great pics and story..

[wastickslinger]

Nice bird!!!

I dont want to discredit you as a hunter or hijack the thread but...

I have seen red headed hens and red headed toms with out beards. So I caution others from making a bad mistake. Dont assume it is bearded because you see a red head. 

[Huckleberry]

wastick and tlbrad ~ The turkey regs read "Gobblers and Turkeys with visible beards ONLY" I've been doing this a few years now and have seen a lot of birds. I've been passing on jakes this year and it's pretty easy to tell the difference between a jake, a red headed hen and a mature tom based on the "red and blue junk" hanging on their head. Even a beardless tom is legal here though normally I would prefer to see the whole bird before pulling the trigger. It's just been particularly hard this year so I didn't want to miss my opportunity.

[rosscrazyelk]

Nice bird, Hopefully I will get one this week end. Seen lots os bird so far just can't close the deal.

[wastickslinger]

Huckelberry, I stand corrected. As it reads you can shoot a gobbler bearded or not. For some reason I thougt it use to read that it had to have a visible beard.

I was not questioning your hunting, just warning other new hunters that it is not a good practice to shoot at red heads without getting a good look at the full body. You and I might be able to tell a red headed hen from a red headed gobbler, but others may not.

[Huckleberry]

Wackstick ~ not a problem. I certainly didn't take your comment personally and I think that it was good advice.....anything having to do with getting a better look at what your shooting at before you pull the trigger usually is.