Went back up the mountain to see if the bird I missed last Monday was still around. Well, he wasn’t. Nothing gobbling any where at daybreak, so I started walkin’ and talkin’ trying to strike up a bird.
Got to the far end of the property and let out a series of yelps on the slate.
Nothing. Started a Suduko puzzle on the phone when I think I hear a gobble back up the mountain.
Get out the box and he hits it cutting me off about 150 yds out. Game on!
I put the hen deke out in a small clearing so it’s visible from the trail going up the mountain I think he is on and get set up. He gobbles on his own a few times and I send out a series of yelps and he cuts me off again. For the next 15 minutes he gobbles regularly and I reply every now and then but he stays in the same place.
Time to go silent.
Fifteen minutes later he gobbles again, but the time he is closer. I stay silent and he lets me know he’s coming every few minutes w/ a gobble.
Then everything goes quiet for about 15 minutes and then I hear him drum. He’s close.
I turn the camera on and as soon as I do he gobbles about 30 yds out coming down the trail. I’m sitting 15 yds off to the side of the trail and see him through the brush.
Just before he hits my shooting lane he pops into strut and I give a few quick yelps to pop his head up and shoot.
He flops!
Nice bird w/ pretty, pinkish-white spurs
18.25#; 10” beard, and 1 1/8” spurs
Link to a short vid of kill
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBx465B8eWc
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