Hunted the last 4 days with friends and family, but the last day I decided to go solo...About 90% of the time I don't carry a shotgun and I killed my 1st 2 gobblers of the season with Stefanie's Benelli M-2 20 gauge...Yesterday, I wasn't dicking around...The old SBE with 3 1/2", 2 1/4 ounces of TSS #9's was getting the call..... 
The "Best 40 Acres" in So Cal was teaming with gobbles...Plus, I hunted there Saturday afternoon with Otto-Matic...A new longbeard had decided to take up residence and give "Shorty" a run for his money for the remaining hens...I got there real early to not be detected...What I had thought about the whole drive up was, decoys, no decoys, just a feeding hen, multipole hens...Well, I decided to go with just the DSD jake & laydown hen...Bad decision.
Has been the case lately, the 1st hens flew down to the lower meadow...While others flew to the upper woods...What wasn't normal was, the gobblers stayed in the trees and flew down last...At least one, flew into the woods behind me (good thing)...One of the remaining toms lands right in front of me, 63 yds out (ranged later)...Remember, I brought the cannon...The only problem was, I have old eyes and with it being still pretty dark...I couldn't clearly see a beard...Was it "Shorty"?...As I'm looking down the barrel, I notice he ain't liking the decoys...He has high anxiety and isn't moving...About this time. 2 jakes pitch down...Not again! (this happened earlier in the season)...He starts chasing them around...They get to within 51 yds of me, but lots of trees and stuff between us, and again, I can't see his beard...As he continues his assault, I finally see it...The long!...By now they're farther away and I just can't remember how far the big Engleman oak is (72 yds)...In a blink, the 3 of them are gone down the hill towards the hens...Dang!
I obviously, know this property like the back of my hand...So, I get up and sprint ( ) to the other end of the property...They're below me, but he ain't leaving the hens...Of course, his 2 jake buddies come up and walk right past me......After about an hour, I watch his 4 hens go off in their separate ways...Perfect...The only problem now is, he's on the neighboring property and he only gobbles to tell the "false" hen to come to him...This goes on for 3 hours...He finally loses interest and off he goes out of sight...Time for lunch.
I get back to the property at about 12:30...Nothing near the complex...So, I head to where I saw and heard him last...I hit the box and nothing...OK, I'm in for the long haul...I head for the oak tree/dark woods edge above the open meadow country...I also had switched back to my 20 gauge...Still TSS and deadly...I settle in and I'm sure I fell asleep quickly......The one thing that wakes me is a gobble...Well, I wake up because I thought I heard something...It's kind of breezy...So, the box is my 1st choice...Nothing...I then pull out the slate...After running it for a couple minutes, I hear a distinct gobble...He's to the north of me and the trail I'm above is their fave...It is now after 2:00 pm...My gun isn't up, but I'm on high alert...20 minutes go by and I see the old red, white, blue...They're not on the trail and more in the sun and grass, but I figure well within range...The 1st bird is the long and when he gets even with me...KAPOOW!...#3 is in the books......
What an outstanding season...Just about everyone I hunt with got a bird or an opportunity.....
The "Best 40 Acres" in So Cal was teaming with gobbles...Plus, I hunted there Saturday afternoon with Otto-Matic...A new longbeard had decided to take up residence and give "Shorty" a run for his money for the remaining hens...I got there real early to not be detected...What I had thought about the whole drive up was, decoys, no decoys, just a feeding hen, multipole hens...Well, I decided to go with just the DSD jake & laydown hen...Bad decision.
Has been the case lately, the 1st hens flew down to the lower meadow...While others flew to the upper woods...What wasn't normal was, the gobblers stayed in the trees and flew down last...At least one, flew into the woods behind me (good thing)...One of the remaining toms lands right in front of me, 63 yds out (ranged later)...Remember, I brought the cannon...The only problem was, I have old eyes and with it being still pretty dark...I couldn't clearly see a beard...Was it "Shorty"?...As I'm looking down the barrel, I notice he ain't liking the decoys...He has high anxiety and isn't moving...About this time. 2 jakes pitch down...Not again! (this happened earlier in the season)...He starts chasing them around...They get to within 51 yds of me, but lots of trees and stuff between us, and again, I can't see his beard...As he continues his assault, I finally see it...The long!...By now they're farther away and I just can't remember how far the big Engleman oak is (72 yds)...In a blink, the 3 of them are gone down the hill towards the hens...Dang!
I obviously, know this property like the back of my hand...So, I get up and sprint (
) to the other end of the property...They're below me, but he ain't leaving the hens...Of course, his 2 jake buddies come up and walk right past me......After about an hour, I watch his 4 hens go off in their separate ways...Perfect...The only problem now is, he's on the neighboring property and he only gobbles to tell the "false" hen to come to him...This goes on for 3 hours...He finally loses interest and off he goes out of sight...Time for lunch.I get back to the property at about 12:30...Nothing near the complex...So, I head to where I saw and heard him last...I hit the box and nothing...OK, I'm in for the long haul...I head for the oak tree/dark woods edge above the open meadow country...I also had switched back to my 20 gauge...Still TSS and deadly...I settle in and I'm sure I fell asleep quickly...
...The one thing that wakes me is a gobble...Well, I wake up because I thought I heard something...It's kind of breezy...So, the box is my 1st choice...Nothing...I then pull out the slate...After running it for a couple minutes, I hear a distinct gobble...He's to the north of me and the trail I'm above is their fave...It is now after 2:00 pm...My gun isn't up, but I'm on high alert...20 minutes go by and I see the old red, white, blue...They're not on the trail and more in the sun and grass, but I figure well within range...The 1st bird is the long and when he gets even with me...KAPOOW!...#3 is in the books......What an outstanding season...Just about everyone I hunt with got a bird or an opportunity.....
Last edited:
