Dave Sikorski
Well-known member
Here's the story as written by Doug, the man who is responsible for technical stuff...u know...calling and all. This is his 127th bird to be a part of. Talk about doin the work.
I've been hunting these woods for 2 years and thankfully 2 of 7 toms I've had cross under my deer stand countless times cooperated.
The bigger bird is out there still, but I wouldn't change a thing if I could do it again. I learned a long time ago to take the shot you're given, and go home happy, then second guessing and having nothing but regret.
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Well this morning Dave Sikorski and I were out trying to get him his first longbeard. Arriving at about 5:20, we got our gear together and headed towards the roost zone. It was 58 degrees and there was no wind. On the way to the zone, we heard one bird go off. Closer yet we hooted to nail his location and he fired back.
We set up just off a logging road in an area that was depressed a bit from the rest of the area, with a little brush in front of Dave, we were ready to begin. I set up about 20 yds behind him, a clearcut to our rear, a creek to our right, the logging road running right to the birds, maybe they'll come right down the road, yeah right.
A tree call and flydown cackle and we had 7 - 9 birds gobbling. 3 in our zone! Within 10 minutes the gobbler was on the ground, it was 5:50. I started off with a little yelping and light cutting and in 2 minutes I had 1 jake and a hen within 20 yds of me behind me and to my right. They were loudly clucking looking for the other hen and the gobblers were to the left of the logging road coming in. A big hen flew out of a tree about 50yds in front of Dave and landed about 25yds in front of him on the logging road and she started cutting and clucking real loudly and that got the other 2 birds clucking hard and I clucked and yelped right along with them.
I knew I had to challenge the hens in order to draw the gobblers to within shooting range, I could see glimpses of them now and then about 65 yds out. The hens kept clucking hard and they kept closing the distance looking for this other hen (me). I kept up the challenges throwing in a yelp and purr and they would fight purr call back at me. The gobblers were gobbling and closing the distance, there were 2 of them and one was a hoss and the other was a good one as well.
Finally the gobblers closed the distance to @50yds from Dave and 45 from me. The hens kept up the clucking and purring at me, and I limited my calling now as I knew the gobblers should be able to see the hens and maybe even the jake. They eased a bit closer, but Dave needed to make a little gun adjustment but did good waiting til they went behind a holly tree and moving and getting on them. Finally one of them presented a good shot and Dave put his first longbeard on the ground. Time of the kill, 6:08! After wearing him out with pictures of a beautiful bird, the left wing had some solid black feathers, and some really neat colors in the feathers to the rear of the wing and just a great bird in all, but not big weight wise.
He was 15 1/4 lbs, had a nice 10 1/4" beard and again very sharp and pointy 1 1/16" spurs! A great first longbeard Dave, it was a pleasure to have the opportunity to get you that first limbhanger longbeard! Congrats again dude and thanks for breakfast too!
Doug
Definitely the first of many....heck there's almost 10 days left in the season, and I know where a few more birds might be hiding!!
-D
More Pics!
http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s312/dakndug/turkey/12May07/
