catman529
Well-Known Member
Started this morning near the roost of some hens and 2 or 3 gobblers. Had the bead on a tom that was following a hen, but no clear shot in the thick undergrowth.
Later in the morning I drove down the road to come into the woods from another angle. Not long after getting out of the truck I heard one. I was up on a bluff and he was down in the bottom across a creek. When I called, he lit up.
I had to scramble to find a way down the bluff, then take off my rubber boots and cargo pants and wade the creek thigh-deep. I then set up in the dense creek bottom with limited visibility.
After I called, he lit up again. Gobbled a lot. Made his way pretty close, hung up, whupe I went silent and waited. Then he drifted away, and I called him back. He came back gobbling even more. He got closer than the first time and gobbled his head off. Then drifted away again. I repositioned about 30 yards closer in a more clear area where I could see well. Then while trying to get more aggressive with the calling, I got a response of the yelp variety. He had shut up and found a hen.
Well I hoped to call the hen in. Soon I could hear "psstt" and I knew the gobbler was close and strutting. He showed up before I saw the hen. This time I waited for his head to pop up and I shot him at 30 yards. The hen took off running. Dang camera could not even see the gobbler even though I got video.
Enough story telling here is the pic. He's 20 lbs, 9.75" beard and 7/8" spurs. Decent 2 year old. Nothing like a fired up midday gobbler.
Later in the morning I drove down the road to come into the woods from another angle. Not long after getting out of the truck I heard one. I was up on a bluff and he was down in the bottom across a creek. When I called, he lit up.
I had to scramble to find a way down the bluff, then take off my rubber boots and cargo pants and wade the creek thigh-deep. I then set up in the dense creek bottom with limited visibility.
After I called, he lit up again. Gobbled a lot. Made his way pretty close, hung up, whupe I went silent and waited. Then he drifted away, and I called him back. He came back gobbling even more. He got closer than the first time and gobbled his head off. Then drifted away again. I repositioned about 30 yards closer in a more clear area where I could see well. Then while trying to get more aggressive with the calling, I got a response of the yelp variety. He had shut up and found a hen.
Well I hoped to call the hen in. Soon I could hear "psstt" and I knew the gobbler was close and strutting. He showed up before I saw the hen. This time I waited for his head to pop up and I shot him at 30 yards. The hen took off running. Dang camera could not even see the gobbler even though I got video.
Enough story telling here is the pic. He's 20 lbs, 9.75" beard and 7/8" spurs. Decent 2 year old. Nothing like a fired up midday gobbler.
