Slept in this morning and headed out about 8:30. Heard several gobbles right as I got set up. Hit the peg and slate. Nothing. Mouth call. Nothing. Box call. Gobble. Gobble. Sat for 30 mins. Not a word. Crows got fired up and the Toms shock gobbled. They were still in the same spot. They hadn't moved. I knew they must be with some 'girls', and I knew they were 200-250 yds away so I snuck in to the edge of the field. Sure enough. 2 long beards, 3 jakes, 2 hens. It was kinda fun watching the show at 100 yds from me; the two Toms were running the jakes off every time they'd get anywhere close to the hens. Hens were playing hard to get and as they edged into the woods, I made a couple of lonely hen yelps and soft purrs with the mouth call. The jakes came trotting right to me. Got to within 30 yds and lost interest. Nor was I interested in them. My eyes were on the biggest of the two mature Toms. The mature birds came in on a dead run and charged the jakes and ran them off. When they stopped, I made some yelps and they turned on a dime. Came right in to my gun barrel.
21 lbs. 1.25" spurs, 6.5" beard and 11.25" beard.
21 lbs. 1.25" spurs, 6.5" beard and 11.25" beard.
