TrickyTross
Active member
Backpacked in with my buddies on the Thursday before Good Friday. Had picked a spot on the map and just went. Our colleague from down east joined us. Camped out and went after birds Friday morning. Heard one far off and they moved to get after it, I stayed where we went to listen and yelped and gobbled to try and draw the bird to them. 30 minutes later I heard 2 a fair piece aways from me, but even further from them. So I sent a text and let them know I was going after the birds. Found a spot and yelped and clucked periodically. Had one fire off behind me but he was in a different zip code. Then one just thundered off in front of me. I assumed he was about 150+ yards in some thickness. I yelped and he gobbled, a little closer. I yelped one last time and all I saw was his head over a knoll. He started strutting and then he realized there was no hen, so I put the bead where I could see him and squeezed the trigger. He took off flying and then nose-dove back to earth. I started celebrating and then I noticed something out of the corner of my eye.... that dang bird was limping off! I had to run him down and finish him off! His paintbrush beard measured 9-1/4", spurs where 7/8" and I think he weighed around 18lbs, but when I hauled him out, it might as well been 50lbs.... It was all that little ALPS could handle.
