Climbed 1/4 mile and 600 feet to get to this bird. At one point had him and 9 hens at 8 steps. Couldnt get him to separate from his hens for over an hour. Shot finally presented its self and the rest is history. Oh and he was banded. Thats a first for me.
Nice bird, I remember getting one quite a ways back in the mountains in New Mexico back in ~2008. Id give up on the hunt for the day and decided to climb a peak before doing the 6 mile hike out. On the way back I saw the thing sort of fly onto a branch. Got him.
Awesome. What a hunt.
I love turkey hunting and would love to do a mountain turkey hunt. I hear it can be challenging. Pictures like this make me want to do it even more!
Them mountain birds are cagey. I hiked in past a locked gate about a 1/2 mile up the road to where I had a run in with some hens yesterday. Hear a gobble up the hill and hustled to set up. Then another one fired up just to my left. I thought I was busted for sure. They kept gobbling back and forth. When they flew down I saw them sail up over the ridge and figured I was made. I didn't give up and got them to come back my way twice before this young jake came into range.
I didn't have a camera with me so my wife took this at home.