Fantastic 2003 turkey season for the Hunting With Joe Bucher Cameras!
Brach Pulver

As the alarm rang for the first day of the second season in Wisconsin. Joe and his cameraman Brach Pulver slumbered down the stairs of his Buffalo county cabin.

Off the heals of Joe's exciting hunt, where the two were pitted against three cranked up gobblers, they were preparing to go after another Boss Tom. This time the roles were reversed and Joe was on the camera with Pulver left holding the Remington 12 gauge.

Spirits were high and the weather was right. You see the plan was simple the prior night Pulver and Bucher sat atop a huge bluff glassing the fields below. In the far corner of the fields three hens fed diligently while a big tom corralled them into a tight little group. While this show was happening in the corner Bucher spotted a lone gobbler crossing a far off field and heading straight into Joe's bluff.

Immediately Bucher and Pulver decided this gobbler would be the one to go after because it is always easier to call tom's when they are looking for girlfriends rather than when they have them at their sides.

So you can imagine the surprise on Pulver's face when he sat down at the table and Joe told him "I think we should head down in the corner where we saw that tom with the hens." "Call it a hunch, but I think they are going to go into that corner in the morning to strut." Joe explained. Now anyone who knows Joe will tell you a lot of record class animals are proudly displayed on Joe's walls because of one of his hunches.

As the hunters picked their spots on the edge of the large field the woods began to come alive. Load thunderous gobbles from nearby ridges became the fuel for the excitement the hunters felt. Just as the light began to hit the field a lone hen flew in over their heads. Seconds later a larger bird gave them another flyby and landed within 20 yards of their decoys and hit a full strut. The two hunters looked for a flopping paint brush beard to help identify this bird as an adult, but none was to be found. This was a jake and a cranked up one at that. The jake proudly displayed himself for twenty five minutes when the unmistakable sound of a dominate gobble began to echo though the valley. "I think he's not happy with Mr. Jake." Joe whispered.

Within minutes the big tom showed himself on the edge of the field over 500 yards away. He surveyed the area for a moment and then began his charge. He covered ground like a greyhound and was pushing the jakes away within seconds. After the competition was removed he hit a full strut and showed the girls what he had to offer.

The hunters watched this for what seemed like forever and when Pulver's excitement got the best of him and Bucher gave the green light he squeezed the trigger. When the smoke cleared laying on the ground fifty three yards away was a great three year old gobbler.

The bird had a 10 1/4 inch beard and sported over an inch long spurs to compliment his 22 ½ pound body. Pulver was using a Remington 12 gauge with 3 inch #6 Hevi shot. The Remington was equipped with a Nikon turkey pro.