Waterloo Longbeard

[EdB]

I had the 2nd general hunt here in the Waterloo area. Looks of cool and damp weather like the first week. Opening day started good and I thought I’d be done early until a hen sneaked in behind me, saw me working my slate and started alarm putting while I had a gobbler getting close in front of me. After that it rained. Tough hunts on Tuesday and Wednesday with more rain, wind and birds that did not want to gobble much. Thursday dawned with pouring rain and high winds. I had the day off from work and the rain was going to end so I waited till it did at 8:30AM to head out and make a day of it.

Got set up and the sun broke out briefly around 9:30. When that happened, 4 different gobblers sounded off in 4 directions all around me. I’ve seen this happen lots of time after it rains, birds will sound off when the sun breaks out for the first time at any time of day. If your hunting rainy weather and see it’s going to break, get out there for it. None of these birds where close and I’d normally make a move on one of them but I decided to sit tight and see what developed. A couple of them liked my calls and responded a few times but it got windy and cloudy and the woods got quiet. Looked like it was going to be another tough hunt like Tuesday and Wednesday. I struggled with the urge to move but I had a good set up with a great view and decided to be patient. It was early yet and I figured the birds where still henned up. The damp windy weather wasn’t the best to try to find responsive birds either. Since I knew I was in a good spot, I wanted to stay here till at least noon. I’m glad I did.

At 10:45, a gobbler answered back to my occasional loud yelps. It was still windy and I was throwing out some louder than normal calls just to be heard. I finally found a hot one for the first time since opening morning! I’d call, he would answer and then he gobble 3-4 more times on his own between my calls. He was still a long ways off and I’d normally move closer but I could tell he was coming. This bird really liked the loud yelps and was moving closer with every call and kept up with his hot gobbling. I toned down my calls when he got inside about 200 yards and he kept gobbling to my clucks and purrs and gobbling on his own. He kept coming and I finally saw him at 60 yards. As he went behind a big tree and brush pile and I made one last cluck, cluck, put down the call and got tight on my gun stock. He stopped and gobbled 4 times at 35 yards. I let him keep coming into a wide open spot at 20 yards, gave him a mouth putt to raise his head and shot him. It was 11:20AM and he had gobbled about 25 times during the hunt. Couldn’t believe it for the weather we had. I used a new Quaker Boy hurricane box call made to work when wet. You don’t use chalk on it. I picked it up when I saw how lousy the weather was predicted to be. I never did get it really wet to see how it worked then but it sounds good dry. This tom really liked it.

Henned up birds are tough but when their lonely like this one, they get a lot easier. Another nice Waterloo gobbler down! He had a 10-¼ inch beard and a 1 inch and 7/8 inch spurs.

[Fishwhisperer]

Great story and congrats on the big bird!

[flyman013]

Nice job on a great bird!

[mattmishler]

Nice job ed!!! Now its time to get some FISH!!

[phishtix]

Thats awesome Ed!

I hope you left some birds for me though

My season begins next weekend. And I'll be hunting in the waterloo and sharonville areas.

I no longer have any private land to hunt at all. The farm I used to hunt was sold this past winter and the new owner wouldn't even let me bid on a lease.

Glad you were successful

[Rascal Trophy Fishing]

Thanks for the great story and nice pics., good work.

[Grant Sadler]

Exllcent job on Mr, Long bird Ed. great story.

My Hunt starts tomorrow I'am going to try using the cross bow to start for the first couple days, if I can't get one with in 25yrds I'am going with the pop gun.

[GLF]

Great job Ed! I enjoy reading about your turkey hunt ever year.

[Adam Bomb]

Great bird and story Ed. Sure has been a different year with this cold, wet windy weather. Makes locating and patterning birds an absolute nightmare. Theyre definitely doing things outta the norm. Great "sticktoitiveness" to git r done.

[tltorrice]

Great job Ed. When I read your story it is like I am there. Except I don't get cold or wet!