# Finally Got the BIG ONE Behind my house!!



## dsconnell (Aug 29, 2007)

As many of you know I have been after a big bird back behind my house since day 1 and he has been able to elude me until this morning at 6:30AM when Big Woods Bob dropped the hammer on him at 35 yards!!

I suspected he was over 11" and he did not dissappoint me!! 11 1/2" beard.. 1' & 1 1/8" spurs.. 

It started last weekend when I received a PM from Big Woods Bob after I had posted a thread about anyone in Livingston county that had not tagged their bird and he was the first to respond! 

We made it out for a little bit after his sons baseball game and had some great video footage of a hen at 5 to 10 yards talking to us but no Toms!!

So we made plans to give it a go this weekend and was set on heading to a property 20 minutes southwest of my property and last night I went out to get the ground blind for the other property and as we are walking out at almost 8:30 PM we hear a gobble.. And I am seeing tracks back in the field of a good tom.. So I hooted with my mouth to get a bead on him and he gobbled again and I jumped right on the phone to Big Woods Bob and said great news.. You can sleep in another 15 minutes! The strutters are back behind the house again finally!! 

Got out there this morning setup the dekes and listen on to a parade of gobbles until after 6 AM it was well light before he came out of the tree and we had hit him with a few yelps up in the tree to make sure he knew we were there and then when he hit the ground a few times just to ensure he had us pin pointed.. 

In the mean time I look to the right and a coyote is sneaking on the decoys.. Was at about 7 yards from the blind before we got the camera on him but got some good footage of him sneaking and all the while birds gobbling in the background!!

When he hit the field finally we thought perfect.. He is all alone!! Started rolling the camera and he would sit right on the edge and gobble and strut but would not come off the edge then I catch movement to the left and there is another long beard in the field and then behind him on the tracks.. There she was..:idea: Then once she came into the field I called a few times to make sure she looked up and saw the decoys and he gobbled so at that point I sat the calls down and told Bob to get ready cause it was only a matter of time as she brought them right to us!! 

Once they got to about 45 - 50 yards the Big Boy walked right past her and locked onto our 3 hen setup and Bob dropped him at 36 paces.. 

Even though I didn't shoot him it was still as satisfying as if I pulled the trigger!!! After all the trail cam pics and setups on him and what should have been close calls and encounters I finally figured him out!

Congrats Bob!!!


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## hooks-n-arrows (Oct 25, 2007)

Good job fellas, Congrats!


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## dsconnell (Aug 29, 2007)

I believe these are the same two birds from this morning..


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

Congrats its always awesome to kill one that you set out too.


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## FireDoc66 (Oct 9, 2005)

Awesome! Very cool D. Way to open that up for someone! 

Have a buddy coming up from Kentucky this week, so I'm hoping to repeat the same success! Been watching a bird for two weeks now. :coolgleam

Cool Reconyx pic as well.


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## Playin' Hooky (Aug 29, 2002)

What a great gift! May you be repaid 10-fold!

And kudos to BW Bob for sealing the deal!


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## honk ahaulic (Jul 17, 2009)

great bird


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## svs (Dec 3, 2008)

Nice work and congrats on a great bird.


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## Firefighter (Feb 14, 2007)

Congrats Bob!

That was also very generous of you Dan to let him smoke a 3 year old from your honey hole!!!


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## BWHUNTR (Oct 3, 2008)

Awful damn nice of ya Dan. Congrats to Bob on a great long beard.


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## dsconnell (Aug 29, 2007)

Tommy - This joker was my #1 priortiy this year and I honestly didnt think it was going to happen cause I had stopped seeing him in the field and went out and sat one morning when I didnt have anything to do and not one gobble on the roost or a single peep so I had all but given up until last night.. Then it was game on!

Might I mention to Jason (Firefighter) as you will see and hear on the video he fell Prey the the Natures Echo Slate!! Thanks again brother! You had your hand in making this one happen!!

Thanks guys.. 

Getting the footage that we did on film and the quality of footage is better to me than if I was the shooter.. I dont know for sure when but I can assure you one way or the other you will see final cut version of the hunt and for all the new comers and heck, even the veteran callers I would be certain you can learn a few things cause some of the footage I have of hens at under 10 yards talking their heads off really gives you a chance to fine tune your calling skills..


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## Playin' Hooky (Aug 29, 2002)

Looking forward to that footage Dan!


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## SPITFIRE (Feb 10, 2005)

Way to go Dan!,I'll be over soon to check that footage out .


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## Ack (Oct 3, 2004)

Way to go guys.....congratulations on bagging that big dude! :coolgleam


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## BigWoods Bob (Mar 15, 2007)

Yesterday morning truly was one of those "special" mornings!! There was a slight fog, the birds were chirping, there was ALL kinds of wildlife moving. The Turkeys gobbled their heads off (pretty much all the way in!) and as Dan said we got some AWESOME footage. Hats off to Dan for being so very generous! I really appriciate him going out of his way to put me on a bird! (Especially seeing as it was THE bird!!) I look forward to seeing the "Final edit" of the video, as it should really turn out well. Thanks again to everyone who contributes to this site and especially to Dan for his generousity! I had a great time. Now if it wasn't so darn long until next spring!:sad: Oh well...there's always...walleye, salmon,ducks, deer.... (I'll find some way to keep busy!)

Bob


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## SPITFIRE (Feb 10, 2005)

I was able to get a chance to see some of the footage today and all I can say is WOW! It will be a real treat for you guys to see when he's able to get it posted up here.

Danny boy that choke you put on your gun sure has put the hammer on the birds this season .


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

SPITFIRE said:


> Danny boy that choke you put on your gun sure has put the hammer on the birds this season .


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## BigWoods Bob (Mar 15, 2007)

SPITFIRE said:


> I was able to get a chance to see some of the footage today and all I can say is WOW! It will be a real treat for you guys to see when he's able to get it posted up here.
> 
> Danny boy that choke you put on your gun sure has put the hammer on the birds this season .


 
I'll say!! If you saw the footage, then you saw that the tom just did not want to come out of full strut, despite the fact that Dan was just about yelling at him......finally had to shoot him.....must have picked 50 #6's out of the bird while cleaning him and then about 10 more as I was cutting up "Turkey McNuggets" to fry last night!!! (Not complaining though....:lol


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## dsconnell (Aug 29, 2007)

DEDGOOSE said:


>


:lol::lol::lol: 

That was actually Tommy (Dedgoose) that gave me the heads up on that one!! He deserves the credit here and its a doozy!! Just hard to find but for $45 I dont know if there is one that will rival it.. It patterned very well out to 50 yards... I am thoroughly impressed with it!!

That will be the one part you will all get a kick out of.. Me trying to get that thing to come out of strut and I forgot to put my mouth call in so that part doesnt exactly sound pretty but it got the job done!!


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## SPITFIRE (Feb 10, 2005)

BigWoods Bob said:


> I'll say!! If you saw the footage, then you saw that the tom just did not want to come out of full strut, despite the fact that Dan was just about yelling at him......finally had to shoot him.....must have picked 50 #6's out of the bird while cleaning him and then about 10 more as I was cutting up "Turkey McNuggets" to fry last night!!! (Not complaining though....:lol


 he he he I was wondering if you would need a good dental plan after eating that bird :lol:. Congrates on an awsome bird.


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