Helium
Old Mossy Horns
A buddy and I flew out to Rapid City, SD Thursday before last and began scouting the Black Hills National Forest, it’s a beautiful but very large National Forest, we found some birds on a fresh burn and started their the next day. Immediately setup on a gobbler BUT were soon inundated with people.
Lots of miles on the boots behind gates etc revealed lots of sign but no vocal birds. Eventually, a local (now a very good friend) took us under his wing and went hunting with us. Put us on some birds that we toyed with for days but they were Henned up bad and the hens would quickly take them to private around houses and bird feeders. Season was was behind as several locals said early season the birds around the even gobble.
Still yet, we saw and heard birds daily but it was tough. Saw some beautiful sights, found a few motels, and my buddy managed to get in front of a flock and killed a Jake the best we could determine (full fan, but only a 3” beard and no spurs).
Wednesday we headed to Wyoming for some private ground (trespass fee type hunt). Stayed on a working ranch and Thursday led us to lots of birds and the most sign I have ever seen. Flocks were breaking up but birds went silent once with hens. We shot prairie dogs mid day, saw a badger and several porcupines. Friday morning (last full day to hunt), we overslept and headed out at 4:45am (it’s breaking light that early), and turn and burn to the land. Upon arrival, we hear several birds on the roost close to truck and head to them. It’s still grey light and as we approach birds fly down and gobbled as hens yelped, then we see a bird crest the hill within 35-40yds going towards the other gobbling birds. Couldn’t determine for sure what it was until he went into 3/4 strut so I shot him. As he begins to flop and other roosted birds are gobbling, another bird pitches straight to my flopping bird and gobbled when he hit the ground. My buddy blasted him at about 40yds. Earliest we’ve ever killed birds (5:15ish) of course since it’s on MST.
Both turned out to be Jakes but “gobble like a man, die like a man!”. Birds continued to be on fire that morning as we glassed a line strutter and called in and videoed a gang of Jakes at 25 yards.
once the gobbling died down , we ate breakfast, went to Devils Tower, drove into MT, then returned to camp and obliterated prairie dogs, and each of us killed a blind porcupine.
We flew home Saturday. I can’t wait to go back as their is so much to do! Literally saw 100s of whitetail deer per day , along with several Mule deerin South Dakota and hunted in a Gulch that’s considered to be highly populated with Mountain Lions.
PS if you get the chance, take the time to go west!! You won’t be disappointed
Lots of miles on the boots behind gates etc revealed lots of sign but no vocal birds. Eventually, a local (now a very good friend) took us under his wing and went hunting with us. Put us on some birds that we toyed with for days but they were Henned up bad and the hens would quickly take them to private around houses and bird feeders. Season was was behind as several locals said early season the birds around the even gobble.
Still yet, we saw and heard birds daily but it was tough. Saw some beautiful sights, found a few motels, and my buddy managed to get in front of a flock and killed a Jake the best we could determine (full fan, but only a 3” beard and no spurs).
Wednesday we headed to Wyoming for some private ground (trespass fee type hunt). Stayed on a working ranch and Thursday led us to lots of birds and the most sign I have ever seen. Flocks were breaking up but birds went silent once with hens. We shot prairie dogs mid day, saw a badger and several porcupines. Friday morning (last full day to hunt), we overslept and headed out at 4:45am (it’s breaking light that early), and turn and burn to the land. Upon arrival, we hear several birds on the roost close to truck and head to them. It’s still grey light and as we approach birds fly down and gobbled as hens yelped, then we see a bird crest the hill within 35-40yds going towards the other gobbling birds. Couldn’t determine for sure what it was until he went into 3/4 strut so I shot him. As he begins to flop and other roosted birds are gobbling, another bird pitches straight to my flopping bird and gobbled when he hit the ground. My buddy blasted him at about 40yds. Earliest we’ve ever killed birds (5:15ish) of course since it’s on MST.
Both turned out to be Jakes but “gobble like a man, die like a man!”. Birds continued to be on fire that morning as we glassed a line strutter and called in and videoed a gang of Jakes at 25 yards.
once the gobbling died down , we ate breakfast, went to Devils Tower, drove into MT, then returned to camp and obliterated prairie dogs, and each of us killed a blind porcupine.
We flew home Saturday. I can’t wait to go back as their is so much to do! Literally saw 100s of whitetail deer per day , along with several Mule deerin South Dakota and hunted in a Gulch that’s considered to be highly populated with Mountain Lions.
PS if you get the chance, take the time to go west!! You won’t be disappointed