We (Terri and I) hunted Saturday AM, I called in two nice long beards and they handcuffed us..no way for Terri to shoot as they had gotten so close that she couldn't move. They were soon joined by several hens, and with multiple eyes looking for the source of the call there was never a time to get the gun into shooting position. We watched them for 45 mins before the two of them with 5 hens departed, no shots fired. Went back to the house to eat a quick breakfast and learned Dad had killed a nice long beard and so had my cousin's little 9 year old son who was hunting my uncle. We took a few pictures and relived the hunts. Terri and I went back out to hunt the mid-day in a pop up blind on the edge of a field, put up a couple of decoys in a field as it had started to rain. I called in three jakes that hung around for a long while, then two long beards came into the field. The jakes came within range, but the two longbeards never got closer than 60 yards. The two groups of birds pretty much ignored each other as well as our decoys. Later a third longbeard came into the field and charged the jakes who then ran at the two longbeards. All six ended up in a fight, running by our position within easy shotgun range twice, but no way would I let Terri shoot at a running turkey. To end the fight, the aggressive longbeard ran the other two longbeards completely across and out of the field... disappearing down into the woods. The three jakes remained, stood around for a while watching where the birds had exited the field, then decided all was well and went back to feeding. About 15 minutes later I called, the aggressive longbeard we had seen earlier reentered the field and charged the jakes. He ran them around for several minutes then stopped to survey the field, he was approximately 100 yards from us and had completely ignored our decoys. I decided there was nothing to loose so purred very loud and aggressively at him. He stood there about 5 seconds and then came on a full charge to the Jake decoy we had set out with the hen...the attack was on!! Terri ended his frustration nearly as quickly as it started. A nice three year old, 21 LB 6 OZ. What a fun hunt!!

Meanwhile I had one of my hunting partners hunting another field a quarter mile away where we had been seeing several nice long beards. About 20 minutes after Terri's hunt ended we heard a shot from his direction. The trembling excited voice told the tale long before he got the words out. He had a longbeard come in the field and approach his set up. Another nice longbeard 21 LB 3 OZ. We ended up back at the house snapped a few more pictures, grabbed a snack and I bid them farewell as I went off to try and find a bird for myself.

I started in the area that Terri and I had begun the morning, and managed to call in one lone hen. The weather had started to break and was looking better, then abruptly another rain shower started. I decided that in efforts to avoid getting drenched, I would go get in the pop up blind where Terri had killed her turkey earlier in the day. Once in the blind, I saw one hen in the course of an hour, before I got a call on my cell...thankfully it was on vibrate! My Uncle had called to let me know he had gone back to the woods and killed himself a nice gobbler (estimated around 17 Lbs) and was now back at the house. By the way, wanted to let you know there are two nice adults and five hens out in the field that we can see from the house. I asked are "you being truthful or are you pulling my leg?" He assured me they were there and up in the north end of the field. I left the pop up blind on mission, figuring if I could get to the southeast corner of the field I had a chance to get in the game. I made my way over, crossed a deep hollow and using the lay of the land to my advantage slipped as close as I dared to the field. I watched with binoculars and finally spotted the first turkey 150 yards away. I crawled the last fifty wards or so to get in position near the edge of the field. Once there I gave a few soft yelps followed by contented purring and clucking. Moments later I saw a brilliant red head coming across the field headed in my direction, at 35 yards his journey ended. 18.5 Lbs two year old. My uncle and brother were watching the turkeys, and said they could tell from his reaction when I called. He left the group and came to investigate, said his demeanor along with his head colors took on a aurora of excitement.... Until he ran into a swarm of Winchester # 6's.

Once I got back to the house it had began to rain harder, we waited a while, and took a few pictures with Terri, Rick's and my birds, Due to the raining weather the light was very poor, so pics didn't turn out that great. When I came back to the house Terri asked if I had seen anything, and I answered I had. Of course the next question, was how big? I answered 21 LBS 7 OZ ..She said "Really...NO..I don't believe you, I want to see!" She walked out to the garage and looked at my bird lying there with hers and Rick's. without breaking stride she said "I aint biting..yours is the little one in the middle". We obviously made the most out of our opening day of the 2006 spring season.

AWESOME HUNT!! Congrats.

man, you guys are on fire...way ot go.

My hunt was short but exciting. I did not go early because of threat of rain and a long walk. I decided to take a large umberela with me so if it started to rain I could use it to walk out and not get my calls wet. I arrived at the field I was going to hunt after fly down and nothing was in the field. I sat down and went to get calls out and realized my mouth calls were in my jacket at home. So I laid my box and a glass call out. I called on the box and didn't hear any thing. I picked up the glass call and cranked off a few high pitched yelps. Two gobbled in reply, one to the west and one to the north. I waited 7 minutes and called again. The both answered and I saw 2 hens coming up the hollow from the west, then I saw that white head coming behind them. About then a crow came over and called and they gobbled at him and I could tell the bird to the north was at the end of the field. It was 8 hens and 2 longbeards 1 strutting and 1 looking. They started to feed my way. In 2 or 3 minutes the 2 hens from the west went by at 25 yds and into the field. As they approached the other hens this brought on a round of aggressive purrs. The gobblers in the field were 65 yds away with the hens between me and them. The bird from the west meanwhile was drumming louder and louder. When he went behind a big tree I shifted and shot at 25 yds. If you look close at his head in the picture you can see the damage. At the shot the birds in the field gobbled. I sat still to see what would happen. It was a long time before my bird started to flop and when he did all the birds in the field ran franticaly out the north end of the field. This just shows how easy it can be sometimes as I was on my way out after only 25 minutes. On the other hand it can be so hard. Yesterday 4/11/06 Tom and I went to Va. and got on one of those birds that like every call they hear as long as it is not to close. We worked with him from fly down til 9 am at which time I proceeded to miss him at less than 30yds. He hopped up head high and went 20ft or so and stood looking. I had a good view of his tail but couldnt see his head. Finally he started to walk to my right and I picked an opening to shoot in as he crossed it. Just then Tom arrived to see the turkey and the bird quickly left. So add my name to the miss list.

Talk about a great day of turkey hunting. Congrats to the clan!

Awesome hunt!