whiskey
Well-Known Member
This morning, Saturday, March 26th, was the Tennessee youth turkey hunting weekend. I have been scouting the flock at our hunting lease for more than a month. I watched the birds go to roost on Thursday and then set up my blind to put Lana and I in good position for opening morning. Well, all night Thursday, I second guessed my placement. I decided to get up early and watch the flock come off roost Friday morning before work. After watching the birds I decided to move my blind again Friday evening.
We were set up across a long pasture from the birds' roost. I had the decoys out and us in the blind plenty early this morning. The birds were gobbling great on the roost and we could hear 3 distinct groups of toms gobbling in front of us. About 10 minutes to 7:00 the first birds came flying down in to the pasture. We had two small groups of hens pass in front of us and were listening to all the gobblers in front of us, but hadn't seen one yet. Then we hear gobbling behind us, at the top of the hill. Lana looked over her shoulder and could see two gobblers strutting at the top of the hill. I couldn't figure out how they had gotten behind us! Just then I looked across the pasture and saw two gobblers heading towards us from the front. Just behind the two toms was an army of hens, probably 40 or so.
The old boss hen, with a 5" beard, came trotting in ready to pounce my decoy. She was all ruffed up and dragging 5 sisters with her. That was all it took to pull those two longbeards in front of us over to the decoys. There was 2 year old and a 3 year old bird strutting together and the 3 year old was behind the younger bird. I was whispering to Lana, "Get ready, stay on him. I am going to bring him out of strut." I said calmly, "Hey Tom!" The 2 year old's head shot up and Lana hammered him.
17 yards out, 20ga Mossberg with Undertaker choke, 3" Hevi-Shot Magnum Blend and he never even flopped!
2 years old, 17 pounds, 8" beard and 7/8" spurs. I am one proud Dad!
We were set up across a long pasture from the birds' roost. I had the decoys out and us in the blind plenty early this morning. The birds were gobbling great on the roost and we could hear 3 distinct groups of toms gobbling in front of us. About 10 minutes to 7:00 the first birds came flying down in to the pasture. We had two small groups of hens pass in front of us and were listening to all the gobblers in front of us, but hadn't seen one yet. Then we hear gobbling behind us, at the top of the hill. Lana looked over her shoulder and could see two gobblers strutting at the top of the hill. I couldn't figure out how they had gotten behind us! Just then I looked across the pasture and saw two gobblers heading towards us from the front. Just behind the two toms was an army of hens, probably 40 or so.
The old boss hen, with a 5" beard, came trotting in ready to pounce my decoy. She was all ruffed up and dragging 5 sisters with her. That was all it took to pull those two longbeards in front of us over to the decoys. There was 2 year old and a 3 year old bird strutting together and the 3 year old was behind the younger bird. I was whispering to Lana, "Get ready, stay on him. I am going to bring him out of strut." I said calmly, "Hey Tom!" The 2 year old's head shot up and Lana hammered him.
17 yards out, 20ga Mossberg with Undertaker choke, 3" Hevi-Shot Magnum Blend and he never even flopped!
2 years old, 17 pounds, 8" beard and 7/8" spurs. I am one proud Dad!
