Osceola down!!

Spurchaser

Spurchaser

Well-known member
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Been a crazy trip. I’ll post details later.

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Ok, we left yesterday morning. Made perfect time to pick up my buddies friend and son (wanted to film) and left Gainesville with only a 4.5hr trip left.
We got down I75 and got to the split to either stay on 75 or take the Turnpike. The Turnpike route showed faster…it lied. 30 miles in GPS showed Turnpike shut down for all lanes and we had to take a detour. If we have to take a detour it means most everyone else is taking a detour. Needless to say it took us hours to get through that mess.
We get to about an hour and 15 minutes out and my buddies 2024 Ram with only 6K miles starts overheating. We have no clue, but open up the case of water we brought and start dumping it in. So what should’ve taken 4.5 hours from Gainesville took us 8hrs!!!
We went straight to the WMA just to get a feel for what the morning might hold. We even got there to late to even hear anything.
We left there and went to our rental for the weekend and they decided to run to the closest town to get some supper. They were on their way back and the truck overheated again! Once they made it to the house we’re staying in we decided getting the truck taken care of was more important than a turkey. So first thing this morning we went to a Dodge dealership. They basically couldn’t find anything wrong other than it was about 3qts low on coolant. The did a pressurized test that showed no leaks and filled it up.
We get back to the house and load up to start our hunt. It’s not but a 20-25min ride from where we’re staying. My buddy was gonna drop me off at a spot he hunted about 7 years ago and they were going to another area we had some good intel on.
They dropped me off and I immediately crossed a canal and got in a Cypress head. Need to mention there were 2 trucks parked at that spot. My goal was to slip around and just listen for calling and head a different direction. This is a huge place and my goal was to eventually get back to the orange groves. I’d gone about 150yds and heard a crow just carrying on about something and then heard a gobble. I slowly started easing that direction listening for someone calling. I heard nothing. I crossed the canal again and got on a road that’s actually right around the corner from the gate I entered. I found a spot to call from and did some light cutting and a few yelps. I was met with not one but two bird’s gobbling. I dropped to the tree I was next to and put the glass call down and popped in a diaphragm. I gave it about 30sec and lightly yelped again. I was met with gobbles and much closer! In fact they were so close I turned on the FFIII and got ready. It was less than 30sec and I’m hearing spitting and drumming. Next thing I see are two white heads coming through the grass of a dry canal on their side of the fence.
Two birds are coming and I can see right above where their beards should be. Luckily the lead bird pops in strut less than 20 yards and he has a full fan.
The only issue is they’re coming straight too me and end up behind some thick mess in front of me. I’m tracking through the mess and the lead bird pops into strut again and let’s out a gobble! This bird is at 10yds when he hits an opening and I’m seeing a beard.
At the shot he folds and his partner flys up and lands out in front to my left. He too has a beard and apparently doesn’t care his running mate is dead cause he lets out a gobble, lol. I was dropped off at 1035 and shot at 1040. Once I got my bird and rounded the corner from where I shot I could see the gate, lol.

And yeah, this is a quota hunt. We’ve applied for the last 7 years and finally got drawn. This makes 3 different WMA’s I’ve killed a bird on down here. Just hoping it doesn’t take another 7 years to get drawn again!!
 
WOW. What a hunt :love: . Did the truck get ya home OK? If they didn't find the problem and it continues, check the thermostat. I've seen them hang up and cause heating issues before.
 
Nice writeup, and nice spurs on that one. Congratulations!

I just got back from a Fl vacation, and noticed quite a few WMA's near Cape Coral-Ft Meyers.

Are all the WMA's on a quota basis?
 
Most in the Southern or I think it’s A zone are. You have JW Corbett and Big Cypress that are open to the public…and public means thousands of people all wanting that elusive Osceola. The “true” Osceola line is below 70. The NWTF has basically listed it almost to the GA line. I believe all that was done for money. Outfitters charge $2500-3500 for 1 bird, lol.
I’ve only ever paid for one guided hunt and that was to Mexico for the Gould’s, and money well spent. It was “primitive” but a heck of hunt and some beautiful country. Ended up getting my second bird the last day of the hunt. The Sierra Madres are definitely worth seeing!!
 
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