Shot my second long beard of the year and fourth total ever . I'm self taught and no catman yet haha.
Started the morning hearing one gobbling a few hundred yards away in the woods. I get set up and start light yelping. He keeps hammering, but I wasn't sure if he was gobbling back or just gobbling. I mimic a fly down with my hat only to have a hen that was about 30 yards away pitch down the woods towards him...great.
She leads him away so I decide to try to loop around and get in front of them. All is quiet except for me making a few helps every 20-30 min for about 2 hours then I hear a gobble at a crow from the direction they had headed.
I tried a few light yelps and gradually hear a gobble very slowly getting closer. I finally hear some drumming and hear a gobble but I cannot confirm which bird I'm seeing. I saw a hen first. Then what I thought was a red head came by, but I couldn't see a beard for sure. All the while I keep hearing a gobbling bird behind them that I never saw because of the thick green up. They were probably 40 yards away, but it was thick. They of course skirt me and act like they are heading away.
I try a hail marry and start cutting on the crystal mistress and get a gobble. I then see him looping around to my far right. The other turkeys did not want to come with him and just stood their ground with an occasional cluck. I decided to shoulder my gun left handed to prepare. He gets to 20 yards and I let him have it. The bird falls down the hill and I see a red head flying up in the trees. I thought man I just blew it. I stand up and see my bird flopping.
First time getting 2 long beards in one season. I'm learning that less can be more on calling. Bird weighed 20 pounds, 11.5 inch beards, and 7/8 inch hooks. I would have loved to seen the one that never showed himself but think I am going to end the year with the kill and spend tomorrow with the wife.
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Started the morning hearing one gobbling a few hundred yards away in the woods. I get set up and start light yelping. He keeps hammering, but I wasn't sure if he was gobbling back or just gobbling. I mimic a fly down with my hat only to have a hen that was about 30 yards away pitch down the woods towards him...great.
She leads him away so I decide to try to loop around and get in front of them. All is quiet except for me making a few helps every 20-30 min for about 2 hours then I hear a gobble at a crow from the direction they had headed.
I tried a few light yelps and gradually hear a gobble very slowly getting closer. I finally hear some drumming and hear a gobble but I cannot confirm which bird I'm seeing. I saw a hen first. Then what I thought was a red head came by, but I couldn't see a beard for sure. All the while I keep hearing a gobbling bird behind them that I never saw because of the thick green up. They were probably 40 yards away, but it was thick. They of course skirt me and act like they are heading away.
I try a hail marry and start cutting on the crystal mistress and get a gobble. I then see him looping around to my far right. The other turkeys did not want to come with him and just stood their ground with an occasional cluck. I decided to shoulder my gun left handed to prepare. He gets to 20 yards and I let him have it. The bird falls down the hill and I see a red head flying up in the trees. I thought man I just blew it. I stand up and see my bird flopping.
First time getting 2 long beards in one season. I'm learning that less can be more on calling. Bird weighed 20 pounds, 11.5 inch beards, and 7/8 inch hooks. I would have loved to seen the one that never showed himself but think I am going to end the year with the kill and spend tomorrow with the wife.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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