Today I took out a good friend and his daughter, Mike and Jackie to Quantico. The day started out cool, crisp and clear. We were at our listening post about 0555, about 0615 we heard a couple distant birds. Then about 0625 we heard a couple of birds about 250-300 yards away. We set up on this flat coming up from a bottom and small creek. I then sat across a tote road about 40 yards behind them. I told Mike that due to the open woods lets start here and see what the birds are going to do. They were off the flat down across the creek and up on the next ridge. I had a couple other approaches but again we would have been spotted.
So I started off with some soft tree yelps on the trumpet and nothing. Tried again and nothing. They gobbled a couple more times on their own so I got a little louder. Again a 3-4 second delay on the response. About 0620 gave a fly-down cackle and they hit that. So I shut up since I was sure they heard that. 5 minutes later one gobbled and he was on the ground. I hit the trumpet and nothing. Got out the magic box and hit some cuts and a couple raspy yelps. Well all 3 birds liked that.
Over the next 15 minutes I hit the box a couple times and could tell they had come off their ridge, crossed the creek and were about 100 yards in front of Mike and Jackie. I gave one last box run and shut up. I then did a couple purrs on the mouth call and could hear strutting about 40 yards to the left of their set up. I could see a head come up and move out to the left of them. I seen she had her gun pointed in a different direction. I then gave a couple purrs and scratched the leaves. Later I found out Mike said that scratching is want moved the birds up over on the flat and Jackie made a great shot. The bird went right down and did not flop.
This was her first long beard. She has taken 2 jakes the previous years. She did an outstanding job with 3 long beards 30 yards from her to get the shot.
20 ga.
28 yards
19 lbs.
1 1/8" spur
11 1/4" beard
A very happy hunter and proud father:
A beautiful young hunter and the ugliest guide:
Earl