I teamed up with my nephew again for opening day. My sister and her family just moved to a farm in Botetourt County, so I headed down Friday night and got to sleep in for a change. At dawn, my nephew and I were positioned in a ground blind on a pasture/wood edge - decoys out. After an hour and a half past shooting we decided to take a walk since we had not heard the first gobble. We walked through some pretty good woods and found some spotty sign. On the backside of the property we came across some very fresh scratchings. I thought I heard some scratching just over the next rise so we decided to sit down and call. I clucked out a few notes on the power crystal. A hen immediately answered just over that rise. A few more calls produced more hen talk and some jakes joined in clucking like crazy. I cut hard and HE answered back! The first gobble of the season was definitely worth waiting for. My nephew had his 20 gauge but was still unsure about pulling the trigger. I told him that he might have to make a decision pretty quick as I felt something was going to happen. Not long after the gobble, a head popped up over the rise, then another, then another. Three jakes came in clucking and purring looking for the hen. I asked him if he wanted one and he decided to pass so we watched them do their thing right in front of us for several minutes before they drifted back to the flock. After they left we were busy high-fiving and seeing who was shaking more when I catch movement below us. I tell him to freeze. The gobbler showed up at 50 yards in full strut - spitting, drumming, spinning and getting closer. My nephew says "you shoot him Uncle Dave" so I shifted my position when the bird went behind a tree and took the next open shot. After that the high-fivin' really kicked in. We talked a little more about him hunting and decided that we will get back down to the range and work through some recoil anxiety and see where the rest of the season leads us. Either way, we both had a great time and will try after another one soon.
stats
22.4 lbs - heaviest to date!
10.13 in beard
1 in and 15/16 in spurs.
