Well after coming so close yesterday, the old battler ran out of luck this morning.....Yesterday morning we had gobblers gobbling from all directions. I knew we were golden with our location. And sure enough a big gobbler lands about 40 yds to our right. Right off the roost. Unfortunately for Michael, he was a right handed shooter.....As he tried to turn to shoot, the big guy saw him, gobbled, and just walked away behind some brush....Close but no cigar....Later that morning we had a hen come in and beat up the DSD decoys, but she brought nobody with her.....Then at about 11:00 am, my boy decided he had had enough....We walked back to the parking area and as him and his dad drives away, a pair of longbeards walks right though where our decoys were....Another hour goes by and a monster tom walks right under our blind....Patience is a virtue....lol
This morning was a totally different day. Didn't even hear a gobble till right before flydown and it was only four gobbles that sounded like two birds. As the hens flew down, two of them flew right over our heads. Three more landed 80 yds to our left. At this I'm going where are the two gobblers. Well, they finally fly down and they're 150 yds to the south of us. They gobbler once when they hit the ground and that was it....An hour goes by and Ben finally see's them under some oaks at about 100 yds. They're in full display. So I know they have at least one hen. When we finally put a good visual on them, they're 100 yds to the east of us....They're in full strut, but the two hens are having none of it....At this point, I figured it was time to call....I hit the Primos Boxcutter and they instantly gobble. I wait a minute or so and hit them again. Again, they roar back....They then went out of strut and headed due west. I told Ben, they were either going totally skirt us or pop up somewhere in front of us....Then it happened, two big red, white, and blue heads appear right in front at 80 yds....To say they were leery is an understatement. They knew they heard a hen down here, but where was she (no decoys this morning)....Finally they started creeping slowly towards us....Then as luck would have it, the two hens appeared below and to their left....As the two hens got closer, the big boys walked a little faster....Then the bigger of the two committed down the hill and stopped 35 yds in front of our hide.....I whispered to Ben, take 'em when you're ready....And he did....The result was Ben's 1st turkey and a real trophy at that....22 lbs 10ozs, 1 1/4" spur, and 11 1/2" beard.....From start to finish was an hour and half.....Best hour and of half of the year....
ps.....I think just about everyone saw a bobcat....
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This morning was a totally different day. Didn't even hear a gobble till right before flydown and it was only four gobbles that sounded like two birds. As the hens flew down, two of them flew right over our heads. Three more landed 80 yds to our left. At this I'm going where are the two gobblers. Well, they finally fly down and they're 150 yds to the south of us. They gobbler once when they hit the ground and that was it....An hour goes by and Ben finally see's them under some oaks at about 100 yds. They're in full display. So I know they have at least one hen. When we finally put a good visual on them, they're 100 yds to the east of us....They're in full strut, but the two hens are having none of it....At this point, I figured it was time to call....I hit the Primos Boxcutter and they instantly gobble. I wait a minute or so and hit them again. Again, they roar back....They then went out of strut and headed due west. I told Ben, they were either going totally skirt us or pop up somewhere in front of us....Then it happened, two big red, white, and blue heads appear right in front at 80 yds....To say they were leery is an understatement. They knew they heard a hen down here, but where was she (no decoys this morning)....Finally they started creeping slowly towards us....Then as luck would have it, the two hens appeared below and to their left....As the two hens got closer, the big boys walked a little faster....Then the bigger of the two committed down the hill and stopped 35 yds in front of our hide.....I whispered to Ben, take 'em when you're ready....And he did....The result was Ben's 1st turkey and a real trophy at that....22 lbs 10ozs, 1 1/4" spur, and 11 1/2" beard.....From start to finish was an hour and half.....Best hour and of half of the year....
ps.....I think just about everyone saw a bobcat....
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