Well, one of the more exciting hunts I've had and I have had some nice ones over the years. After a quick stop for coffee I was in a ground blind. Great area as its located right in a funnel between two fields and the birds filter through that funnel off and on during the day as they are walking in Rye grass and can look out for predators (we have a ton of yote there).
Anyway, first gobble at 548 and it was close enough to make me jump a bit. Sounded like a full size bird as he was deep throated. Then a few minutes later a few more gobbles that sounded like two different jakes. Never heard a hen sound off at all. In front of me about 25 yards away in the rye field was my DSD hen deke. Well, the big bird and the jakes gobbled about 20 times in total and I just sat there listening. Finally I thought one of the birds was on the ground and figured I'd better call a few times so they would think that DSD hen in the field was the real thing. Had a slate call and did some soft calling and the gobbler answered back and he was still in the tree, so I shut up and waited. Then I heard what I thought was the Jakes gobble again and they sounded like they were on the ground going away, so I put together a serious of soft yelps to let them know I'm still there.
Next thing I know is I hear a flydown cackle and three hens pitch into the field about 20 yards from my DSD and two of them quickly sprint over and start beating her up. Wing flaps, drop kicks, body bumping and serious pecking on the top of her head. All of this time they are just screaming at that DSD. Well, that gobbler can't take it anymore and he pitches down into the far corner of the field and lets out a monster gobble and breaks into a strut at about 80 yards away. The hens are still pounding away on the DSD and I'm focused totally on the gobbler and he has broken strut and is now running towards the battling hens as fast as his legs will take him. Slams into a stop about 40 yards away and gobbles one time and starts strutting again. Think he is saying "Girls don't fight that girl, there's plenty of Daddy right here to take care of all 4 of you".
At that point I have the 20 gauge front bead on him and am waiting for him to get a bit closer (although, I knew he was in range, but 30 yards is better then 40 yards). Out of the corner of my eye, I see only one hen beating up the DSD and the other two are now headed to go see Big Daddy. At that point I surmised that they might take him away from the DSD intruder (and therefore me) and drop the hammer on him.
Down he goes, flops around like crazy, but I can see he's not going anywhere. Some of the hens take off and one remains behind cutting like crazy and I enter into a battle with her and hear another gobbler in the distance sound off. I texted Vagrousehunter who is hunting on another farm not that far away and ask whether you can kill two birds in a day and he does a quick Google search and advises nope. Decided then stop calling and stand up to run off the loud hen as I don't want to educate another gobbler who might be coming in.
Tale of the tape is 21 lb 4 ounces (thanks to the local butcher at the Shop and Save who weighs him for me). Beard is a healthy 11 inches with 1" spurs. Very nice Va gobbler and a very very fun morning.
