Congrats to all of you that have scored. Please stay safe and remember to complete the VDGIF survey if you can. Opening day I was in a spot that I knew had some birds. Not really any gobbling at daylight but I hung in there. About 8 as bad as I wanted to leave, I used patience and hung in there. Shortly after I called again and I was greeted by a distant gobble. Mind you on the property across the creek behind me about 300 yards someone was hunting and making quite a racket with calls. So I was glad this bird was away from that. Waited a bit called again and he was closer. Repeat another 5 minutes he is 150-200 out. Heart starts racing and oh man he is coming. Next time I call he gobbled at field edge and pops out in full strut. Wow adrenaline kicks in I had my old camera and got it on him. Got the gun ready and he started to waddle toward me from about 100 yards. He sees my setup Nd doesn’t like the fact a jake is with a hen and comes on a rope. Stopping once to gobble. Strut waddle then half strut sprint etc. coming fast. I let him get to 25 yards and he sticks his head up a bit and I smoke him. Go to step on his neck because I used to grab their feet until I was sliced wide open a few years back. As it turns out I could have because although he weighed 20 pounds and sported a 9.5 inch beard he was spur less. Crazy. A buddy of mine said man that’s too bad you didn’t know. Well not like even if I did I would have passed him. Lol. Only second one I ever saw like that. Pretty cool.

Nice job Hody. Congratulations on a great bird

You the man. Congrats..

Trophy to me. Congrats.
V

Nice Bird Hody!! Some say if they don't have spurs then their male parts are either missing or damaged at birth. I don't know if this is true or not but I killed one a couple years ago the same way up here in NOVA. We called it the He/She bird. Good Bird!!!!

He had a beard, he gobbled, had colored head, yep hard to pass Great hunt congratulations.

Earl