2003 Spring Gobbler pictures

Chapter Treasurer and webmaster Dan Nichols with his first every Rio Grande Gobbler taken on April 10th, 2003 just outside of Amarillo, TX.

Later that afternoon Treasurer Dan Nichols and Chapter President Steven Dieck teamed up on 4 hot Rio Grande gobblers doubling for the first time ever.

Chapter President Steven Dieck took this prize Rio Grande gobbler on April 13th with just 1 hour left in the three day hunting trip.

NWTF Regional Director Gary Ruhl given some hands on instruction on the proper way to cape a gobbler.

Back home in Florida.......

Committee member James McKuhen displaying a gobbler he worked for two days just outside of Green Cove Springs, Florida finally drawing him into his decoy set up.  (Note: picture is a scan of a Polaroid...)

Chapter member Wayne Stewart showing off a beautiful Osceola gobbler taken on April 14th in Camp Blanding with Chapter Treasurer Dan Nichols and closing him out for his first ever spring season.

Chapter President Steven Dieck with his Osceola gobbler of the 2003 spring season taken while hunting with Chapter member Mike Lane Jr.

New Committee member Lloyd "Buzzard" Bizzell working over some birds that played hard to get!

YOUR CHAPTER OR COMMITTEE MEMBER PICTURE GOES HERE...  Please send pictures of this seasons bird to dansmail@bellsouth.net

2002 Spring Gobbler Pictures

Taken in Green Cove Springs, FL on March 17th, 2002 at 8:15 am.  This bird weighed in at 18.5 lbs, 9 3/4 inch beard and 1 inch spurs  His wings were just about wore out from strutting. 

Here is a story about the above bird.

  The day started with a 3 am phone call from our Chapter President, Steve Dieck, asking me if I wanted to hunt the area he had planned to hunt as he was not feeling well and could not go out.  Though tired from two days of hard hunting and little sleep I quickly accepted.   I left for the area at 4:30 am and upon arrival found my good friends and fellow chapter and committee members Jeff Sowell and Gary Hatch on site to hunt the area.  Just two days earlier Jeff and Gary, had hunted the area and had called in and killed nice tom.  This morning Jeff and I teamed up deciding to hunt the backside of the large tract of land near an even larger swamp.    Gary was going out alone and would be working the front side where he had seen a few birds the day before.  We were in the woods at 5:30 am and at 6:00 am heard our first bird gobbling just 150 yards from where we were planning to set up.  We moved in a bit closer and set two decoys out in a clearing 20 yards in front of us.  What we did not know was that the gobbler had six hens roosted with him, some of which were just 40 yards to our left.  The hens didn't hesitate to make their presence known when they realized two "new" hens were in play for the big bird's attention.  Just after we had moved in and set up, we started with some soft yelps as the gobbler was already gobbling with a few hens responding from the roost.  Just minutes after we had set down, a hen pitched down behind us and clucking and purring for over 15 minutes before a second hen pitched down followed by two more.  Suddenly we were startled as just above and to our left a gobbler flew out of the tree just 20 yards from us.  Luckily he flew off two fields over without making any noise as he had been watching us the whole time as we set up, cleared our setting areas, put on our gloves and face net, and started calling.  At about 6:45 am, the boss gobbler finally flew down along with the rest of the hens and proceeded  to strut with the hens about 110-150 yards from us just out of sight and moving away from us.  Jeff and I started cutting and yelping and just trying to sound like the hottest things in the woods.  The gobbler really like it and would respond by gobbling and strutting toward us but he would never come within 100 yards.  As he strutted back and forth we could catch glimpses of his fan through the brush as he turned and walked up and down the small clearing he was in.  As we went silent he seemed to refocus interest on the hens that were feeding across the field in front of him.   Each time we poured it on he would turn back towards us, but never wanting to break from the six hens he was with.  Finally after two hard hours of hunting he was within 80 yards but still hung up.  The hens had finally fed their way in front of us but were still 100-150 yards out.  I told Jeff that we needed to get and keep his attention so after a couple of cackles to fire him up I told Jeff to just start clucking and purring and not to stop.   As Jeff continued to cluck, the bird finally turned his fan our way and started slowly working towards the decoys.  After what seemed like an eternity,  he was finally was within view and I had my sights on him at 60 yards following him in.  With my legs and backside numb from setting two hours, at 43 yards he broke strut and seeing something he did not like raised his head way up for a good look.  All he saw then was a tight group of the new Remington heavy shot coming his way.  The pattern was dead on and he dropped in his tracks.     This hunt ranked easily in the top few hunts of my 18 years of hunting.  A great morning, lots of action, and great friends to share it all with.  

Dan Nichols,  Chapter Treasurer  Trailridge Longbeards

Updated November 18th 2003  8:50 pm