When Freddy left after his vist yesterday it was another 85+ degree day. I knew the areas we had been hunting held several nice birds and when I saw it was to be cooler this morning and rain was imminent by mid morning I decided to go back to the area where we had spent a lot of time but had but one bird to show for it. Long story short I had several birds gobbling around me at daylight. When they flew down some stayed on the property we hunt and some went to a neighbors pasture and one was killed by a hunter there fairly soon after I saw the bird him fly down in that direction. There were still some birds back in my area though and upon hearing the neighbors shot I quickly highltailed it back to a small greenfield where Freddy and I have historically done well; the same place we had hunted hard for the one bird in his visit. I got set up quickly there and had no sooner arranged my nest when I heard a bird gobble off the edge of the field and in the area where gobblers frequently enter the field. I made some light yelps and the bird cut off the last notes of the call You gotta love that. At that point I knew he was coming in to the field. Well he made it to the field edge and spent the next thirty minutes there, 85 yards away from me and my two hen and jake decoy set up, drumming and strutting and gobbling and generally entertaining himself . Eventually and surprisingly he started my way after hearing my light calling . After ten minutes of his gobbling I was also watching two hens that came i n the field and stayed but for for te n minutes and then drifted back into the woods. I could not believe that he did not leave with them but stayed basically in the same strut zone . Then it was me the decoys and him. Slowly slowly he worked my way and when he got to about 30 steps at about 8 am and I was able to get a clean shot on his head and neck as he was slightly under the crest of the field with most of his body. A nice 3 yr old bird, 1.25 inch balck hooked spurs and a very thick ten inch beard. It is amazing to think this is the same place where freddy and I had spent two gobble-less days . Patience and persistence pays off I guess.
