BOWHUNT FOR THE FLORIDA OSCEOLA
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Day 7 - Slunger Longbeard

Gobbles a couple hundred yards away broke the overcast mornings silence. This time I used the Woodhaven Doug Crabtree sting team mouth call. Daylight came and I heard the gobbles get closer. From the same direction a hen popped out of the woods and passed 15 yards from me. 

I let the Doug Crabtree do the talking and she got very vocal. I imitated her and stayed on it as she replied. The gobbles were coming closer and she moved out.

The fat bellied gobbler himself, the slunger longbeard walked out 50 yards away. I repeated the hen mimic calling and he stopped walking.

It was now or not at all because I have to leave for home this afternoon. I held with the mimic calling. But when the hen yelped in the woods ahead of him the slunger started walking in her direction. I zoomed in on him for a better pic. 

His entourage of followers walked into view 60 yards away. They watched and listened and broke into a trot to follow the longbeard.

The sun finally got up and put more light on the surroundings. A second hen walked out near where the gobblers had been. I gave her the mimic call. 

The new hen liked it and come toward me.

She stopped by the muddy road and looked over out my jake and hen decoys.

She was very close and anytime she turned away or I thought she might leave I made soft yelps and her interest in the decoys was renewed. 

She stayed in the immediate area for almost an hour. I had my fingers crossed that the slunger longbeard would hear us talking or see the hen and pay a visit. But he didn't.

The hen eventually left. Remember when I said that when you hunt here you have to keep your eyes on the cypress knees? They made turkeys were hard to see. 

At noon I broke down my blind and carried my gear out to my truck. The Florida hunt was a wrap. I wanted to get the slunger longbeard but he was always following the hen of the day. But I called in another Osceola gobbler and had the start on a Grand Slam for this Spring. 

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In Florida we are hunting with David Mills of Zolfo Springs, Florida in Central Florida's Osceola wild turkey country. David is an immediately likable guy and makes you feel at home from the get go.  David has thousands of acres available to hunt Florida Osceolas. He understands this unique species of wild turkey and knows his extensive area like the preverbal back of his hand. David is now part of the Woodhaven Sting Team and is hosting them on this hunt. To contact David about Osceola hunts, bow or shotgun, phone 1-863-990-9087.

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