Ole Onespur
Ole Onespur
It felt like I was in a prison cell. But, thanks to the good Lord and my grandmama I’ve never even seen the bars from the outside, so I guess I don’t know how it feels. Anyway, I felt trapped inside my ground blind. I had set it up before day and had been in it for 4 hours. The tom, his 9 hens and 3 jakes had never even come close. Now I was ready to move on but didn’t want to spook the turkeys and maybe ruin my chances for later. So there I sat.
When I set up on the field edge the birds fly down in the center of the field. So, the ground blind should be the ticket. This morning the turkeys were hugging the woods edge and I was in the blind in the middle of the field. That’s why they call it hunting. I’m not getting rid of the blind but I’m not sold on it either. About noon the turkeys started too, one by one go into the woods. A little before 1 pm I was released from my cell. With my stuff packed up I headed home, thinking, If only……..
With the next day being Easter Sunday I went back and forth about coming back. Sunday hunting has only been legal in NC for several years but it still seems strange. I’ve hunted on Sunday and have been successful at it but this would be Easter Sunday. “If he’s roosted in the same tree I’ll be in business.” “He won’t sleep in the same area again tonight.” “You can’t kill a tom if you don’t go.” “But it’s Easter, why don’t I just sleep in.” And so it went while I spent the afternoon and evening helping pressure wash my daughters’ house. At about 8 o’clock the decision was made, I was going. No church services because on the Covid. I could say an extra prayer, listen to a service on the radio and read my bible before during and after my hunt. Besides I had me a winning strategy, or did I.
Me and my 2 hen decoys were at the spot a full hour before shooting light. The plan was set up while Mr. Tom was fast asleep. I tried to dose off while I waited and before long I heard a gobble. It was a short, choppy kind of gobble, probably a jake. 15 minutes before legal time the tom I was after gobbled from right where I’d hoped he would be, 50 yards or so to my left. He was a joined by 2, what I’m sure were jakes, that were close and another gobbler a ways off. Right at shooting light a hen sailed from behind, angled across the field and landed about 100 yards away. Part of my plan depended on the tom being the first bird to pitch down, just like he had done the previous 2 mornings. With a live hen already on the ground it seemed unlikely that my plan would work. As soon as I thought that 2 hens glided to a landing right beside the 2 fake hens, then 2 more, then a jake. Things were looking up. I never heard him fly down with all the commotion but seconds after the Jake landed Ole Onespur strutted into view. He was already in range but I needed to move my gun a little and a hen was eyeballing me hard. “If she doesn’t hear my heartbeat and I be still maybe she’ll lose interest.” After what seemed like a long time the hen started to peak the ground and I was able to put the sights on the gobbler, I don’t like to shoot them while they’re strutting so I waited. It didn’t occur to me to cut on the diaphragm call in may mouth to make him stick his head up. In just a few seconds he stuck out his head and I pulled the trigger. The tom went down but not like most do. Something just wasn’t right. I had shot low hit him in the legs. It only took second to ring his neck and finish him off. “But how or why did I shoot so low?” “No matter, he’s down and its time for pictures.” He had a 9 inch beard and 1 1” spur on his left leg. Thank you Lord for creating these wonderful birds and letting me hunt them.
When I set up on the field edge the birds fly down in the center of the field. So, the ground blind should be the ticket. This morning the turkeys were hugging the woods edge and I was in the blind in the middle of the field. That’s why they call it hunting. I’m not getting rid of the blind but I’m not sold on it either. About noon the turkeys started too, one by one go into the woods. A little before 1 pm I was released from my cell. With my stuff packed up I headed home, thinking, If only……..
With the next day being Easter Sunday I went back and forth about coming back. Sunday hunting has only been legal in NC for several years but it still seems strange. I’ve hunted on Sunday and have been successful at it but this would be Easter Sunday. “If he’s roosted in the same tree I’ll be in business.” “He won’t sleep in the same area again tonight.” “You can’t kill a tom if you don’t go.” “But it’s Easter, why don’t I just sleep in.” And so it went while I spent the afternoon and evening helping pressure wash my daughters’ house. At about 8 o’clock the decision was made, I was going. No church services because on the Covid. I could say an extra prayer, listen to a service on the radio and read my bible before during and after my hunt. Besides I had me a winning strategy, or did I.
Me and my 2 hen decoys were at the spot a full hour before shooting light. The plan was set up while Mr. Tom was fast asleep. I tried to dose off while I waited and before long I heard a gobble. It was a short, choppy kind of gobble, probably a jake. 15 minutes before legal time the tom I was after gobbled from right where I’d hoped he would be, 50 yards or so to my left. He was a joined by 2, what I’m sure were jakes, that were close and another gobbler a ways off. Right at shooting light a hen sailed from behind, angled across the field and landed about 100 yards away. Part of my plan depended on the tom being the first bird to pitch down, just like he had done the previous 2 mornings. With a live hen already on the ground it seemed unlikely that my plan would work. As soon as I thought that 2 hens glided to a landing right beside the 2 fake hens, then 2 more, then a jake. Things were looking up. I never heard him fly down with all the commotion but seconds after the Jake landed Ole Onespur strutted into view. He was already in range but I needed to move my gun a little and a hen was eyeballing me hard. “If she doesn’t hear my heartbeat and I be still maybe she’ll lose interest.” After what seemed like a long time the hen started to peak the ground and I was able to put the sights on the gobbler, I don’t like to shoot them while they’re strutting so I waited. It didn’t occur to me to cut on the diaphragm call in may mouth to make him stick his head up. In just a few seconds he stuck out his head and I pulled the trigger. The tom went down but not like most do. Something just wasn’t right. I had shot low hit him in the legs. It only took second to ring his neck and finish him off. “But how or why did I shoot so low?” “No matter, he’s down and its time for pictures.” He had a 9 inch beard and 1 1” spur on his left leg. Thank you Lord for creating these wonderful birds and letting me hunt them.
Thank you Lord for creating these wonderful birds and allowing us to chase after them.
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Re: Ole Onespur
Nice bird!
You happen to check your pattern back home after the hunt? I had one do the same thing 2 years ago and darn if my choke tube wasn’t loose.
You happen to check your pattern back home after the hunt? I had one do the same thing 2 years ago and darn if my choke tube wasn’t loose.
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Re: Ole Onespur
Congrats.
Re: Ole Onespur
Very nice
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Re: Ole Onespur
Hegot what he had commin' .. congrats on stickin' with it and havin' a plan
ever wonder where the white goes when the snow melts??
Re: Ole Onespur
After a big breakfast and a bigger nap, I had to hide the eggs. Checking the gun is on the list though. I'm sure the problem was stupidity and excitement, not the gun. We'll see.BrowningGuy88 wrote: ↑April 14th, 2020, 8:11 am Nice bird!
You happen to check your pattern back home after the hunt? I had one do the same thing 2 years ago and darn if my choke tube wasn’t loose.
Thank you Lord for creating these wonderful birds and allowing us to chase after them.
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Re: Ole Onespur
Hopefully so!935 wrote: ↑April 14th, 2020, 12:16 pmAfter a big breakfast and a bigger nap, I had to hide the eggs. Checking the gun is on the list though. I'm sure the problem was stupidity and excitement, not the gun. We'll see.BrowningGuy88 wrote: ↑April 14th, 2020, 8:11 am Nice bird!
You happen to check your pattern back home after the hunt? I had one do the same thing 2 years ago and darn if my choke tube wasn’t loose.
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Re: Ole Onespur
Good story. Love how we all know what it’s like and can feel hunt unfold
Re: Ole Onespur
Thanks fellers. Figgering em out is what's fun to me. Most times I don't.
Thank you Lord for creating these wonderful birds and allowing us to chase after them.
Re: Ole Onespur
Set yourself free! Ditch the ground blind and get among them.
Re: Ole Onespur
I did. No blind when I killed the bird. I have had success with it on field birds before, though.
Thank you Lord for creating these wonderful birds and allowing us to chase after them.
Re: Ole Onespur
It wasn't the gun.
Thank you Lord for creating these wonderful birds and allowing us to chase after them.
Re: Ole Onespur
Congratulations, and glad your gun was ok.
"I live in America, why do I have to press 1 for English?"
Re: Ole Onespur
This story and more are in my book The Slam.
Thank you Lord for creating these wonderful birds and allowing us to chase after them.