I had a great Wednesday AM in E TN that started off really bad. Took the AM off because of the weather forecast. I planned to be at my farm at 5:45, guess I didn't set my alarm. At 5:15 I woke up on my own. Jumped up, got ready and headed out the door. Got stopped at RR crossing as I was pulling up to it and had a train slowly pass by. Almost just turned around at that point but decided to go on. I got on interstate it was 5:45 and still had 35 min drive. Get to my farm, get thru the gate, switch to 4wd, the warning alarm goes off and 4wd light flashing. I cut the truck off, start it back up, alarm is off but the 4wd is not working. Switch back and forth but it still doesn't show the 4wd is working. I easy my way up the mountain. get out, grab gun and vest and loading my gun as I'm walking fast up to top of ridge to listen.
Hear 6 birds gobbling in different directions. One is behind my truck on the ridge edge over looking the river. I take off after him. I work around and get setup about 100-125 yards away. He won't answer any of my calls, but will go crazy at every crow, goose, farm tractor & airplane that makes a noise. I finally get him to respond when just soft call and scratch leaves. He's just strutting along the top of the ridge line. I switch between 3 calls and just my own mouth sounds with scratching in the leaves. He hammers a few times to that. About 7:15 I see a dark object moving left to right down the ridge side. I get the gun ready, after 15 mins, nothing comes out or any sounds made. I give up and relax. sit for about 10 mins looking at my work emails on my phone when i have a hen come across from right to left. I yelp a few times and he hammers it on top of the ridge. I can see him strutting on top with the sun coming through his fan. Yep a few more times and scratch the leaves, the goes crazy. I just sit there and it goes quiet. I was just about to give up thinking he went with the hen when I hear a Fox squirrel going crazy barking. That's when I hear him spitting and drumming. I move just a little to my left to peak around a small ceder and there is he his all blowed up about 45 yards coming my way.
He gets to about 35-40 yards and starts doing the spin and I get my gun up during one of them, but he must have seen me. He stopped in half strut looking my way, I just squeeze the trigger and rolling him at 38 yards. Pick him up and look at my phone, it's 8:02. Not a very heavy bird but a good 3 y/o and a very fun hunt after a crappy start to my AM. 20.8lbs, 11" beard, left spur 1.250", right spur broken 7/8".
Hear 6 birds gobbling in different directions. One is behind my truck on the ridge edge over looking the river. I take off after him. I work around and get setup about 100-125 yards away. He won't answer any of my calls, but will go crazy at every crow, goose, farm tractor & airplane that makes a noise. I finally get him to respond when just soft call and scratch leaves. He's just strutting along the top of the ridge line. I switch between 3 calls and just my own mouth sounds with scratching in the leaves. He hammers a few times to that. About 7:15 I see a dark object moving left to right down the ridge side. I get the gun ready, after 15 mins, nothing comes out or any sounds made. I give up and relax. sit for about 10 mins looking at my work emails on my phone when i have a hen come across from right to left. I yelp a few times and he hammers it on top of the ridge. I can see him strutting on top with the sun coming through his fan. Yep a few more times and scratch the leaves, the goes crazy. I just sit there and it goes quiet. I was just about to give up thinking he went with the hen when I hear a Fox squirrel going crazy barking. That's when I hear him spitting and drumming. I move just a little to my left to peak around a small ceder and there is he his all blowed up about 45 yards coming my way.
He gets to about 35-40 yards and starts doing the spin and I get my gun up during one of them, but he must have seen me. He stopped in half strut looking my way, I just squeeze the trigger and rolling him at 38 yards. Pick him up and look at my phone, it's 8:02. Not a very heavy bird but a good 3 y/o and a very fun hunt after a crappy start to my AM. 20.8lbs, 11" beard, left spur 1.250", right spur broken 7/8".
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