About Us To Subscribe Send In Your Story Newstands Contact Us Beasley Brothers Hunts OMW Contests Big Buck Show Listing
                Back To Home

Subscribe Now
King of the Woods Hunting Contest
 

Beasley Brothers 2007 Hunts are brought to you by:
 
                
  
           
 
  Public Land Bird  

-- By Keith Beasley --  

It was late in the season and Keith still had a tag in his pocket. Fighting the bugs, he ventured out mid-day on public land and brought home this great tom. 		 
 
    My wife just can't understand why I keep hunting. She thinks that after you kill one that should be enough to keep you satisfied for another year. I try and try to explain it but she still thinks I'm crazy.
    Due to a busier schedule than I would have liked, I had very little time to get out since my April bird and by May 21st, I was still holding a tag. The May long weekend came and so did my birthday, right on the holiday Monday. It was a perfect chance to get out.
    After waking up at 3:30 am and driving over an hour to my spot I was anxious yet unprepared, as I had not been scouting in weeks. I sat at the farmer's lane and listened as the first hints of light crept in. With the crack of dawn came the gobbling, it was one lone gobbler across the farm. I waited for 5 or 6 gobbles until I was confident of his location and then crept to within 100 yards and waited. When the bird hit the ground, I had to wait to hear what direction he would head, as I could not see him. He went the opposite way from me and after a 2-hour hunt I was left empty handed.
    The bugs were bad and it was hot by this point and my hopes of a mid-morning bird were beginning to fade. I decided to get in my car and see if there was much activity on the neighbouring farms. It was now 9:30 am; I did about a 5-mile circle and was heading back towards the farm I started on. I peered out across an overgrown pasture and saw a lone tom strutting. He was 200 yards away and heading into some cedars. I glassed him briefly and was disappointed that I did not have permission for that land. As I watched the bird walk into the cedar clump I drove ahead and realized he had headed towards a small chunk of public property.

  
  With hot temperatures, bad bugs and a birthday party waiting at home for him, Keith was determined to end his season. A 1 km chase finally brought the tom in as if on a rope and with one squeeze of the trigger his season was over.  
 
    I quickly went back and checked with the farmer just to be sure that the land was in fact public and upon getting his confirmation I headed back and snuck down the trail. The trail into the property looked like a big 20-yard wide 4-wheeler trail with a fence running down each side. After I crept into position where I had last seen the tom I began to call. To my surprise I had no response. Five minutes later I called again and this time 100 yards away I heard a muffled gobble. It was now 10:30 am and I figured this bird should come in. I waited a bit and then called again, no response. Again I called with no response. I then made my way slowly up the trail another 100 yards and called again. This time 200 yards further I heard a distant gobble. At this point I knew he was with hens and they were heading towards a huge piece of timber about 500 yards away and I assumed the public land did not extend that far. My view was obstructed by all the overgrown pasture but I could tell they were not turning. I sat and called in that spot for 30 more minutes with no luck. Looking straight south down the trail, they had veered off to the southwest. I then headed further down in hopes of finding another bird. Every 100 yards I would stop and call but the high hot sun seemed to keep everything quiet.
    Being my birthday and one of my last chances to hunt, I guess it was my lucky day. After going another 400 yards to the south on the trail, the property boundary suddenly took a 90-degree turn to the west heading straight through the large timber those birds had been working towards. When I saw this my face lit up and I crept to within 30 yards of the timber. As I sat down with my back nestled in the fence and gun up, I let out three soft purrs. Immediately from 50 yards ahead on the trail came a loud gobble. Lady luck smiled upon me, I let a few clucks and then sat and waited. The gobbler sounded off three times and came running. He gobbled the whole way in and veered down off the trail to my left. Before he left the woods He slowed down and gobbled. Then very cautiously he poked his red head out from behind a bush. Satisfied the coast was clear he weaved through the tall grass to where he had heard the last call. With the gun up and ready I sat smiling in anticipation. Within seconds he popped up onto the trail at only 17 yards. He then stopped and bobbed his head looking for me, when it came to a pause I fired and he dropped. I quickly ran up and waited for him to expire.

  
  Keith's late season, mid-day, public land bird had a thick 9” beard and 1" and 7/8” spurs and weighed 18 lbs  
 
    From the first place I saw that tom to where he fell was over a kilometer, it was 11:45am when my season was finally over. He was a young bird with a 9" beard, 1" and 7/8" spurs and weighed 18 lbs. It was a great hunt and an incredible experience to get a late season, mid-day, public land tom.