Gobbler Nation

This year I had an immature bald eagle take a swipe at a hen decoy. Ii was all thumbs and only got a pic of it flying away pretty cool. I had a coyote come in behind and to my right while I was working a gobbler so close when i heard the leaves crunching I turned slightly and there he was . Within 5 yards he knew something wasn't right and we had a stare off for a minute . He turned ran off 15 yards behind and stood there till I moved a bit. Think he had a turkey dinner on his mind.

Soggy Socks wrote: ↑May 25th, 2023, 5:37 am This year I had an immature bald eagle take a swipe at a hen decoy. Ii was all thumbs and only got a pic of it flying away pretty cool. I had a coyote come in behind and to my right while I was working a gobbler so close when i heard the leaves crunching I turned slightly and there he was . Within 5 yards he knew something wasn't right and we had a stare off for a minute . He turned ran off 15 yards behind and stood there till I moved a bit. Think he had a turkey dinner on his mind.

In Mexico I had one that came in after I had shot my Gould's and was laying 35 yds away and he had eatin' on it's mind
He took a jump n' twist and then a dirt nap

Family of bears

Opening weekend in South Florida while hunting my son found a dried up grapefruit sized gator turd full hair and bits of bones in a dry cypress dome. Had to be a big one to pass that thing!

The neatest thing I saw this year was when I was with my 14 year old daughter. I had to sit 3-5 yds behind her and she was on her own in front of me. We had 7 birds come straight in (jakes and longbeards) and I had a front row seat to watch her see the birds come in, adjust her position well ahead of time, get the gun moved to her right, wait for one to separate from the crowd, draw down and drop one at 25 yds.

After I told her that I have watched grow-a$$ men not do as well as she did!

#prouddad!!!!

That's as good as it gets!!
Proud Dad, indeed!

Congrats to you and your daughter. Taking mine out Sunday morning for her last chance!

Soggy Socks wrote: ↑May 25th, 2023, 12:17 pm Congrats to you and your daughter. Taking mine out Sunday morning for her last chance!

Good luck!!!!!!!!!

The highlight of my season each year is the handicap hunt that I guide for. It is a yearly tradition in deer and turkey season. My pops always guides the deer hunt and I handle the turkeys. Seeing that smile the first time an old longbeard wakes up the woods with his gobble will never get old. We are often unsuccessful as turkey hunting is hard with no mobility or range of motion to adjust for shots. But it's not about the kill. Most guys ask me to stop on the ride out so they can take pictures of the hardwoods or river bottoms. Don't take what we do for granted gentlemen, to some even being close enough to hear a gobble is a blessing.

I saw a hen break into strut standing on a fallen tree. I saw a bobcat trying to hunt a flock of turkeys out in front of me. They busted him pretty quick.
I jumped a hen who was hiding in a bush along a highway. I think she may have been nesting there. Sparse country amd I busted her out before first light. I didn’t go look for a nest, didn’t want to disturb more than I had already done.

Giant black bear while I was hunting in MI.

This. Got within 4 ft. Got a good bit of video of it stalking in on me (me being its breakfast hen).

Spacex rocket. Before daylight and one afternoon with the sun reflecting perfectly off it

Lots of elk and deer, muleys and whitetails, but that's not terribly unusual.

Son had a coyote almost step on him last weekend but I didn't see it.

Saw an antelope fawn that had just touched the ground on Sunday afternoon.

Had an eagle overhead on Thursday (yesterday) that was being harassed by a raven.

Nearly stepped on a rattlesnake last Sunday.


I'm hunting the next few mornings and a couple afternoon, so maybe I'll see some more cool stuff, preferably a big fat strutter at 25 to 30 yards. . Lots of rain in the forecast so we'll see.

Hobbes_mobile wrote: ↑May 26th, 2023, 8:41 pm Lots of elk and deer, muleys and whitetails, but that's not terribly unusual.

Son had a coyote almost step on him last weekend but I didn't see it.

Saw an antelope fawn that had just touched the ground on Sunday afternoon.

Had an eagle overhead on Thursday (yesterday) that was being harassed by a raven.

Nearly stepped on a rattlesnake last Sunday.

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I'm hunting the next few mornings and a couple afternoon, so maybe I'll see some more cool stuff, preferably a big fat strutter at 25 to 30 yards. . Lots of rain in the forecast so we'll see.

Mr. Hobbes, I got chill bumps and shivered with the pics of that snake. Holy crap that was a big one, I O NOT like snakes at all in any way !

Saw a cougar killer elk that had been dug up and taken by a bear in Montana.

Saw a cougar killer elk that had been dug up and taken by a bear in Montana.

I was on a wooded ridge w/ a gobbler answering from a lower bench when I caught motion and chattering on a large tree nearby. A Pileated woodpecker was teaching its 2 young fledglings how to locate and harvest grubs and insects on the tree. I watched the adult w/ my binoculars from about 20 yards find food then hide it under the bark in front of the pleading young birds. The adult bird went through all the normal feeding motions, occasionally feeding the young birds, but most often showing them the food then placing it under the bark for them to find. I forgot about the gobbling turkey to watch something which I have never seen in all my years in the woods. The adult bird flew to adjacent trees and called the young birds to her location and the woodpeckers stayed on trees in my vicinity for over 30 minutes and put on a real show. It was if you could see and feel the frustration of the adult bird, since the fledgling acted like they only wanted to be fed. As a parent, I've been there. Evidently the gobbler left due to the lack of hen talk and enthusiasm from the hill above, but I was privy to a show and something truly unique.

Been covered up with Jakes at this one spot . They took a day off Sunday , n bird for her this year. Snakes don't count Hobbes!

Soggy Socks wrote: ↑May 30th, 2023, 9:04 pm Been covered up with Jakes at this one spot . They took a day off Sunday , n bird for her this year. Snakes don't count Hobbes!

First rattlesnake I've seen so counted for me.


Saw a white hen on Saturday.

I had a momma moose and baby walk by at like 15 yards.

Not necessarily while hunting but while visiting one of the older ladies let's me hunt.... Known her deceased husband all my life, very secretive, never let ya know what deer he kills and she has the best deer ground I've set foot on...

She invites me in and I look at his trophy wall didn't pay attention to them... There's some good ones, but one stuck out...

There on a plaque is a beautiful 2.5 yes old ten point classic N Mi buck 16 inches 7-8 inch twos perfectly symmetrical... It had matching 3" drops...

Now I'm not mister QDMA or APRs but the what could he's definitely were flowing through my head....

While waiting for the first gobble at dawn, a meteorite,very low, sailed across the atmosphere leaving a vapor trail (like a jet) above me...very cool, and landed close!