Went back this morning to the same farm in Catlett where I took my first bird on Thursday. Yesterday had 6 or 7 birds gobbling near and far, on and off the farm. Two were in a familiar spot and I made the approach right around 0610. They flew down before I got w/in 200 yds so set up on nearest bird and had him work within 30 yds, but thick creek bottom kept him out of sight until he decided he had enough and walked off.
This morning he was roosted in the same area which is what I was hoping he would do. Nice when they know the plan and cooperate.
Got there plenty early and set up on field edge near the route he took away from me yesterday. I put a hen deke about 25 yds in front of my hide. He was gobbling good on roost about 80 yds behind me in the woods and I waited until he had flown down before letting out some soft yelps on the wingbone.
My hope was he would come to the field edge, see my deke, and come strutting in for an early end to the hunt.
He gobbled good at my wingbone yelps, but stayed back in the woods about 40 yds from the field edge. He would move left, then right, and at one point I thought I heard a hen with him and he sounded like he was moving away. I broke out the Halloran Ebony Longbox (real raspy sound) and imitated the hen.
He loved that and double gobbled back.
Decided it was time to go silent on him and over the next hour he would gobble on his own about 40 yds behind me.
Again, he followed the plan and finally came into the field to my right.
I heard him spit before I saw him and when I did he was 30 yds out coming up the field edge strutting for my deke. A Jake came up from behind him and just before the Tom got into my shooting lane the Jake passed him and stopped right in the opening. I think he suspected something cuz he stopped and periscopes up like he was gonna bugger out.
Fortunately I had the bead on the Tom and, even though I try not to shoot them in full strut, I was afraid the Jake was gonna blow outta there and the gobbler would go back the way he came, so I took the shot.
Good mature bird, 18#, 9” beard, and sharp 1” spurs.
Super fun hunt w lots of gobbling.
You can hear him spit & drum just before the jake walks by…
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/hlmbs6avuyk