JRA
Well-Known Member
I have been blessed by a great friend who is VERY good...he has taken me out, shown me the ropes and called in several toms for me.
Hunt #1:
Went with the friend and his brother. Started the morning on a private farm...owl called and they gobbled on the roost. We got into position and called them in, but we set up so hastily that the brush was too thick and we couldn't get a shot at 35 yards. Went to another private farm and got one very close and I missed him. Went to another private farm which was beautiful green hills/pasture. We saw a strutter about 250 yards away. Me and the brother stalked him to about 80 yards away by crawling along a tree line...threw up some fans (my buddy is a die hard believer in taking a fan from a prior kill and carrying it as an attractor to birds). The tom saw the fans and came straight toward us ready to fight to about 25 yards...we wanted to make sure we got him on the ground so we both shot. 21lbs. 9" beard 1" spurs.
Hunt #2:
Went to the same three private farms in the same order. Saw nothing and heard little at the first two farms. We were about to call it quits but tried the third farm just to be sure. Saw three hens in the field. We sat up in the thicket and not long after we saw a tom about 200 yards away...tried to call him in but he wouldn't come any closer. While calling him we were cut off by another gobbler a couple hundred yards to our right. In the meantime two of the hens walked our way and were about 5 feet from us for a good 10 minutes. My buddy called probably 15 times and the tom cut him off every time. At about 100 yards we finally spotted him. He had a jake with him. We were well hidden and they came to about 10-15 yards. I shot and he dropped like a rock. We then went in pursuit of the other tom we saw. We circled around but he busted us. He ran in the direction we just left so we doubled back. We were back in the thicket and the gobbler saw the fan my friend was waving. He ran right toward us at 15 yards...my buddy nailed him. Safe to say I am ruined...haha
Hunt #1:
Went with the friend and his brother. Started the morning on a private farm...owl called and they gobbled on the roost. We got into position and called them in, but we set up so hastily that the brush was too thick and we couldn't get a shot at 35 yards. Went to another private farm and got one very close and I missed him. Went to another private farm which was beautiful green hills/pasture. We saw a strutter about 250 yards away. Me and the brother stalked him to about 80 yards away by crawling along a tree line...threw up some fans (my buddy is a die hard believer in taking a fan from a prior kill and carrying it as an attractor to birds). The tom saw the fans and came straight toward us ready to fight to about 25 yards...we wanted to make sure we got him on the ground so we both shot. 21lbs. 9" beard 1" spurs.
Hunt #2:
Went to the same three private farms in the same order. Saw nothing and heard little at the first two farms. We were about to call it quits but tried the third farm just to be sure. Saw three hens in the field. We sat up in the thicket and not long after we saw a tom about 200 yards away...tried to call him in but he wouldn't come any closer. While calling him we were cut off by another gobbler a couple hundred yards to our right. In the meantime two of the hens walked our way and were about 5 feet from us for a good 10 minutes. My buddy called probably 15 times and the tom cut him off every time. At about 100 yards we finally spotted him. He had a jake with him. We were well hidden and they came to about 10-15 yards. I shot and he dropped like a rock. We then went in pursuit of the other tom we saw. We circled around but he busted us. He ran in the direction we just left so we doubled back. We were back in the thicket and the gobbler saw the fan my friend was waving. He ran right toward us at 15 yards...my buddy nailed him. Safe to say I am ruined...haha
