My brother saw 4 strutters in a field behind my house yesterday evening and called me last night to let me know. Being out of tags I decided to call a friend of mine who still had all his tags.
Not knowing what the weather was going to do we decided to wait and go on a mid-morning hunt, weather permitting.
We hooked up around 8:30 and went to one of my favorite spots to set up.
A turkey was gobbling as we set up, and it wasn't long before he was on his way. ONE PROBLEM, he was coming from below us and we were set up against a giant rock for back cover, the rock was between us and the turkey, plus we now have 4 jakes pinning us down about 40 yards away. He's getting real close now and I cluck and he cuts me off with a leaf shaking gobble from inside 50 yards. My buddy Tommy gets ready and the bird steps out but he can't turn to shoot. The tom comes into the opening but obviously smells a rat and turns to run, Tommy sends a load toward him but the bird gets up and flys away unharmed.
Tommy's confidence is now in ruins as he had also missed a bird 2 weeks ago. I reassure him by saying we've got plenty of time plus we had heard other birds gobbling. We sit for 2 long hours with only some distant gobbling to be heard, then it happens a gobble just a couple hundred yards away to our right. I yelp and 2 answer, things are lookin better. I call again a few minute later and they've cut the distance. I wait a little while and call again with no response, I call again still nothing. We decide to wait. Meanwhile a hen starts putting behind us so I give her some soft yelps for assurance and as I do the birds sound off just out of sight. The hen comes in an circles the decoy several times even does her best impression of a strut a couple times. Then I see it, a red and white head peeking over some undergrowth, then another, and another and another. 4 longbeards on the way.
I try to calm Tommy as the 4 toms ease slowly to the hen decoy, WHAT A SIGHT! They are in range now but they see Tommy move, too late he already had a bead on one. After the shot the other 3 run off and as Tommy makes his way to his prize, I ask "What time is it?" "8 minutes to one" he replies. Our patience had been rewarded with a nice 2 year old bird. Maybe my best hunt of the year and I didn't even have a gun.

barry

Congrats. Love that persistance!

Great statement "...my best hunt of the year and I didn't even have a gun. "

Way to go!

Good job Barry you have had a heck of a season

Doug

Barry, you are the man. I agree with Diable, I think you have the quote of the season!

Barry, you have had a great year with the birds.