MA longbeard down

[MattRaymond]

When out to a new spot to me on public land. I hunted there on opening day in the rain and worked a bird for awhile from a distance but he would not cross a swampy area at one point and after awhile he went silent. I imagine he had a hen with him and he was all set. That bird got under my skin this week and I devised a plan to go after him today. It was a perfect day. The property is about 1900 acres and most of the terrain is steep. I slipped down onto a knob above the swamp from earlier in the week because I figured he’d be there. And by slip in I mean it was 2 1/2 miles to the knob from my vehicle! Made it there for 0700 after hearing a few hunters in various spots. When I made my way to the top of the knob, nobody was home... I called a bit but there was no answer. I decided to hunker down and hang out on the knob because it took so much effort to get there. I ran a series of calls every 20 minutes or so and listened. Around 8:45 I thought I heard a distant gobble but couldn’t pin point where it came from. I answered back with some yelps and excited cuts but got no answer, but I knew that where ever he was he heard me and knew where I was. I was gonna wait the 20 minutes but I was getting nervous because I didn’t know if the bird was closing and didn’t want to get busted if he came in silent. At 0900 I did a series of yelps on the mouth call but no answer. Not happy with that, I let it rip with my Lynch box....BOOOOM... two thundering gobbles about 50 yards away behind me but below the lip of the knob. A quick adjustment on the tree and some yelps on the mouth call later and 2 big longbeards came over the lip gobbling. One was in full display and the other was looking on from about 5 feet away. The both looked like bronze gods in the sunlight and we’re looking hard in my direction at 20 yards. The lookout bird started getting nervous and the strutter folded up. I made a little peep and he took a closer look and I let the strutter have it! The other longbeard jumped up and flew off to play another day. On the 2 1/2 mile up hill hike out I took several breaks, weighed down by the 22 lb gobbler. As I stopped to catch my breath, I found a massive shed off of a big 8 point buck, looked around for the match, but couldn’t find it. Finally made it back to my car exhausted, but with another great hunt in the turkey woods under my belt.

 

[Marty1]

Congrats! Nice longbeard
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p.s. Which LYNCH BOX do you have?
I always liked boxes. Here's my favorite LYNCH.

 

[MattRaymond]

Thanks, same call I use.

 

[bobbythehunter]

Wow, you are the man. You earned that turkey for sure. Just the 2.5 mile hike in made it a hard earned bird. Most guys won't make that hike. So you're rewarded with a trophy longbeard and a nice she'd. That deer is going to be a beauty. I would guess you were hunting Sturbridge/Southbridge area. I might know that stateland. Did some work on a Brook down there. Bitching up and down walk to get in. Two big longbeards in the first week pretty impressive. And a stateland bird to boot. How long you been hunting turkeys. Matt? How old are you? You look fairly young. You're a great turkey Hunter and will be a terror in old age. Congratulations. Great story too. And photo. That's why I don't hunt them in rain. Photo and visuals are one of of my favorite parts. Almost doesn't seem right to shoot a beautiful bird like that when they are soaked like drowned rats. I too have the world champion, my first call ever, but like my lynch foolproof better. Not a very good caller but that foolproof make a sweet Yelp and purr.

 

[MattRaymond]

Thanks Bobby. I turned 48 this week. Monday, spent my birthday in the spot I mentioned, got soaked in the rain, and came back on Saturday on a mission. I got into Turkey Hunting a little late, but I’ve been doing it for 10 years now. It’s a section of MassWildLife land through an easement from a lumber Company. It’s up in Huntington, at the foothills of the Berkshires. I have a couple of options for private land, but I always try to hunt a few new spots every season. My old Lunch Box has a notch it it for every bird that’s been fooled...23 and counting

 

[Hanshi]

I've got the same Lynch box call that I bought more years back than I can remember. I like box calls.

 

[Hatchet Jack]

Congrats on a great hunt.

 

[Philgumbo]

When out to a new spot to me on public land. I hunted there on opening day in the rain and worked a bird for awhile from a distance but he would not cross a swampy area at one point and after awhile he went silent. I imagine he had a hen with him and he was all set. That bird got under my skin this week and I devised a plan to go after him today. It was a perfect day. The property is about 1900 acres and most of the terrain is steep. I slipped down onto a knob above the swamp from earlier in the week because I figured he’d be there. And by slip in I mean it was 2 1/2 miles to the knob from my vehicle! Made it there for 0700 after hearing a few hunters in various spots. When I made my way to the top of the knob, nobody was home... I called a bit but there was no answer. I decided to hunker down and hang out on the knob because it took so much effort to get there. I ran a series of calls every 20 minutes or so and listened. Around 8:45 I thought I heard a distant gobble but couldn’t pin point where it came from. I answered back with some yelps and excited cuts but got no answer, but I knew that where ever he was he heard me and knew where I was. I was gonna wait the 20 minutes but I was getting nervous because I didn’t know if the bird was closing and didn’t want to get busted if he came in silent. At 0900 I did a series of yelps on the mouth call but no answer. Not happy with that, I let it rip with my Lynch box....BOOOOM... two thundering gobbles about 50 yards away behind me but below the lip of the knob. A quick adjustment on the tree and some yelps on the mouth call later and 2 big longbeards came over the lip gobbling. One was in full display and the other was looking on from about 5 feet away. The both looked like bronze gods in the sunlight and we’re looking hard in my direction at 20 yards. The lookout bird started getting nervous and the strutter folded up. I made a little peep and he took a closer look and I let the strutter have it! The other longbeard jumped up and flew off to play another day. On the 2 1/2 mile up hill hike out I took several breaks, weighed down by the 22 lb gobbler. As I stopped to catch my breath, I found a massive shed off of a big 8 point buck, looked around for the match, but couldn’t find it. Finally made it back to my car exhausted, but with another great hunt in the turkey woods under my belt.

Nice bird!

 

[muzzleloader48]

Nice turkey hunting guys. We usually have 6-12 come through the back property throughout the year. Don't hunt on my property unless chance of starvation exists. State and national forest all around close by.
Last time I was calling for turkey, the only thing that came is was Nancy Pelosi running by:thumbs up::thumbs up::thumbs up::thumbs up:

 

[dajudge43]

I also have a Lynch box that i have owned for about 40 years...it seems to have a tune that no other box call has...also the hunt described by MattRaymond is the type hunt that makes memories...