The Swamp Gobbler
Posted: Fri Mar 17, 2017 9:10 pm
I walked in by moon light this morning, changed the cards in my trail cams and fumbled my way into my blind in the dark. I checked the cards and discovered, there were no gobbler pictures on them. I may have to chase one this morning, I thought to myself.
As daylight came I heard a gobble way off and to my left, towards the swamp!. My hearing is not as good as it use to be, but I think I heard him gobble again and again as it got lighter! So I grabbed my gun and got the slate pot call I made A few years back. Its only the second time its been in the woods. I put it up after its virgin trip that I harvested A fine triple bearded gobbler in 2014!
As I slipped down the hill through the planted pines toward the swamp I could hear A few hens yelping and cackling. I moved slowly and quietly toward the swamp. Its pretty thick around the edges, but it opens up good once you get through the edge. I sit next to the creek at the edge of the road and give a few clucks, and a deer starts blowing at me. Oh great I thought. So I just sat there for A few minutes after the deer left.
I give A few loud yelps and hear nothing, So I walk down A bush hogged lane that skirts the swamp. All of A sudden I hear A GOBBLE, Close too! I grab A tree and sit down. He would not answer the mouth call, but he gobbled every time I hit the slate hard and loud! He was getting further away from me, so I went back around and crossed the creek and setup just in front of him. After A few I hit the slate and he answers going back the way I just came from. So I crossed the creek again and slip back almost to the same place I just came from. I get A hen stirred up with the mouth call and she is close and getting closer. I ease the gun up! Nothing ever steps out.....20 minutes later He gobbles on his own farther away. Dad gum hard headed turkey!
I cross the creek again and sit down. I get him to gobble but cant figure out which way he went. I think he went north so I walk north too. I walk to the backside of the property in A big loop. I hit the slate along the way and never hear nothing. As I get close to the other side of the swamp close to where he was, I hit the call and nothing. I figure he's gone so I start walking into the swamp slowly and quietly looking for his tracks, when all of A sudden I see him about A hundred yards in front of me!!! I sit down and get my gun on my knee. I'm right where he was earlier in the morning. I hit the slate and he triple gobbles! I ease the bino's up and I can see hens in front of him and they are coming and looking in my direction, with him in tow! I take the safety off! The hens are in range now, but he is questionable. He is beautiful as he goes in and out of strut! He stretches his neck out between two trees looking at me! I say A prayer and squeeze the trigger! He starts flopping and seven hens take flight!
I take fifty long steps to get to him! Thank you Lord!
He made me work for it and I will never forget the swamp gobbler!
As daylight came I heard a gobble way off and to my left, towards the swamp!. My hearing is not as good as it use to be, but I think I heard him gobble again and again as it got lighter! So I grabbed my gun and got the slate pot call I made A few years back. Its only the second time its been in the woods. I put it up after its virgin trip that I harvested A fine triple bearded gobbler in 2014!
As I slipped down the hill through the planted pines toward the swamp I could hear A few hens yelping and cackling. I moved slowly and quietly toward the swamp. Its pretty thick around the edges, but it opens up good once you get through the edge. I sit next to the creek at the edge of the road and give a few clucks, and a deer starts blowing at me. Oh great I thought. So I just sat there for A few minutes after the deer left.
I give A few loud yelps and hear nothing, So I walk down A bush hogged lane that skirts the swamp. All of A sudden I hear A GOBBLE, Close too! I grab A tree and sit down. He would not answer the mouth call, but he gobbled every time I hit the slate hard and loud! He was getting further away from me, so I went back around and crossed the creek and setup just in front of him. After A few I hit the slate and he answers going back the way I just came from. So I crossed the creek again and slip back almost to the same place I just came from. I get A hen stirred up with the mouth call and she is close and getting closer. I ease the gun up! Nothing ever steps out.....20 minutes later He gobbles on his own farther away. Dad gum hard headed turkey!
I cross the creek again and sit down. I get him to gobble but cant figure out which way he went. I think he went north so I walk north too. I walk to the backside of the property in A big loop. I hit the slate along the way and never hear nothing. As I get close to the other side of the swamp close to where he was, I hit the call and nothing. I figure he's gone so I start walking into the swamp slowly and quietly looking for his tracks, when all of A sudden I see him about A hundred yards in front of me!!! I sit down and get my gun on my knee. I'm right where he was earlier in the morning. I hit the slate and he triple gobbles! I ease the bino's up and I can see hens in front of him and they are coming and looking in my direction, with him in tow! I take the safety off! The hens are in range now, but he is questionable. He is beautiful as he goes in and out of strut! He stretches his neck out between two trees looking at me! I say A prayer and squeeze the trigger! He starts flopping and seven hens take flight!
I take fifty long steps to get to him! Thank you Lord!
He made me work for it and I will never forget the swamp gobbler!
