After the week we've had here jabbing each other and talking ethics I first wanna apologize to everyone caught up in that mess.
I left work yesterday and went to my spot. Got my blind setup and about an hour later had some hens come thru. I've hunted this ridge for years with no luck. Always a henned up gobbler. When I left I thought if try to roost one. Well it was a bust. So I went in this morning not knowing what to expect. Blowed my hooter a few times and nothing. So I got nestled in my blind and waited. About 6:15 I got the mouth call out and 5 gobbled. 2 were fairly close. Then the hens started. At 8:30 and hearing the occasional gobble I decided this blind business wasn't gonna happen. I went off the ridge to make a big circle back to the truck. I followed a deer trail and stayed about 3/4 up the ridge. I stopped and called a few times. I caught movement an see a bird flying toward the bottom. It turned and headed my way. I crouched down and got busted. Feeling discouraged I went to the top of the ridge thru a ton of saplings. Got out of the thick stuff and called again. Hens answered. So I talked with them for a few minutes. All of a sudden one gobbled in my back pocket. He was 60 or so yards behind me where I just came from. I knelt down behind a tree and got quiet. I always heard at that moment to be still and be quiet. I waited and finally seen him circling below me. He was 50 yards and looked at me. I stayed still and when he turned his head I let him have it. Got my first tom this morning. Ended up shooting him again but I don't think it was necessary. Just didn't want him to get away. 19.8#. 10.5" beard and 7/8" spurs.
I left work yesterday and went to my spot. Got my blind setup and about an hour later had some hens come thru. I've hunted this ridge for years with no luck. Always a henned up gobbler. When I left I thought if try to roost one. Well it was a bust. So I went in this morning not knowing what to expect. Blowed my hooter a few times and nothing. So I got nestled in my blind and waited. About 6:15 I got the mouth call out and 5 gobbled. 2 were fairly close. Then the hens started. At 8:30 and hearing the occasional gobble I decided this blind business wasn't gonna happen. I went off the ridge to make a big circle back to the truck. I followed a deer trail and stayed about 3/4 up the ridge. I stopped and called a few times. I caught movement an see a bird flying toward the bottom. It turned and headed my way. I crouched down and got busted. Feeling discouraged I went to the top of the ridge thru a ton of saplings. Got out of the thick stuff and called again. Hens answered. So I talked with them for a few minutes. All of a sudden one gobbled in my back pocket. He was 60 or so yards behind me where I just came from. I knelt down behind a tree and got quiet. I always heard at that moment to be still and be quiet. I waited and finally seen him circling below me. He was 50 yards and looked at me. I stayed still and when he turned his head I let him have it. Got my first tom this morning. Ended up shooting him again but I don't think it was necessary. Just didn't want him to get away. 19.8#. 10.5" beard and 7/8" spurs.
