Got up this morning and drove to Waverly for church and lunch with my mom. Went back to my parents house for a bit and was going to change clothes there and stop at the lease on the way home. Somehow my pants and shirt didn't make it into the truck 
so went to my brother's house and borrowed some from him. Head out and get set up around 4:00. Backstory here is I stopped Friday afternoon on the way back from Memphis to hunt a couple hours. Had made my way back to the car at 5:40 and had a bird gobble. Went after him and got close as I could hear the rattle at the end of his gobble but never could see him or get him to commit coming through some thick stuff. Knowing where he was I thought he might be back today so set up and am pouring sweat. About 30 minutes later I heard drumming and looked left. When I did he was standing there in full strut at 30 yards or so and I couldn't move. When I turned my head a hen behind me must've seen me and started putting. I froze and watched them walk back down the field edge behind me. I was in some thick stuff for cover and shade so wasn't sure where they went. I knew there was one hen and two jakes. I spun around and got my gun on the other side of the big cedar I was beside in case they came back. Threw a few yelps in a couple of times and see one of the jakes coming back. Eventually I see the gobbler but having trouble getting a range on him through the couple of openings I had. Eventually I get stood up beside the big cedar and have my gun pointed his direction. At 36 yards I squeeze the trigger and "click". Was able to get the shell out and eased another in. 38 yards and "click". I'm about to die as I can see him and one of the jakes. I ease the gun down behind the tree and slid the action as if I didn't care what kind of noise it made. They looked up for a second and then back to feeding. I put the dot on him for the third time, yelped on the mouth call and watched his head pop up. Squeezed the trigger and this time he rolled. Looked at my phone and it was 4:45. It then hit me I had killed my first one this year, first one with the Stoeger 3020 20-gauge with tss and also first multi beard bird I've ever killed even though the second beard is super thin. Bird gobbled quite a bit Friday but today only spitting & drumming.
19 lbs 10 oz
8 1/2" & 2" beards
1" spurs
so went to my brother's house and borrowed some from him. Head out and get set up around 4:00. Backstory here is I stopped Friday afternoon on the way back from Memphis to hunt a couple hours. Had made my way back to the car at 5:40 and had a bird gobble. Went after him and got close as I could hear the rattle at the end of his gobble but never could see him or get him to commit coming through some thick stuff. Knowing where he was I thought he might be back today so set up and am pouring sweat. About 30 minutes later I heard drumming and looked left. When I did he was standing there in full strut at 30 yards or so and I couldn't move. When I turned my head a hen behind me must've seen me and started putting. I froze and watched them walk back down the field edge behind me. I was in some thick stuff for cover and shade so wasn't sure where they went. I knew there was one hen and two jakes. I spun around and got my gun on the other side of the big cedar I was beside in case they came back. Threw a few yelps in a couple of times and see one of the jakes coming back. Eventually I see the gobbler but having trouble getting a range on him through the couple of openings I had. Eventually I get stood up beside the big cedar and have my gun pointed his direction. At 36 yards I squeeze the trigger and "click". Was able to get the shell out and eased another in. 38 yards and "click". I'm about to die as I can see him and one of the jakes. I ease the gun down behind the tree and slid the action as if I didn't care what kind of noise it made. They looked up for a second and then back to feeding. I put the dot on him for the third time, yelped on the mouth call and watched his head pop up. Squeezed the trigger and this time he rolled. Looked at my phone and it was 4:45. It then hit me I had killed my first one this year, first one with the Stoeger 3020 20-gauge with tss and also first multi beard bird I've ever killed even though the second beard is super thin. Bird gobbled quite a bit Friday but today only spitting & drumming. 19 lbs 10 oz
8 1/2" & 2" beards
1" spurs
