Arrived at my listening spot @ 0545. Was going to go to a spot and set up cold cuz I know they like to roost along this creek in there (been hunting this farm since 1989 so I know the birds pretty well). Decided I should answer "natures call" before the birds started gobbling. Just as I was completing my task a bird sounded off in the opposite direction from where I was going to set up....so much for 23 years of experience! Made a plan & then made the move and headed in his direction. He was gobbling good, once every minute or two, and I was able to get within 80 yds of him. I was in some thick stuff & had missed a bird last year opening day in almost the same spot due to the heavy cover.
I set out my deke, Hazel, about 10 yds to my left and got myself set up. He gobbled three more times while I was getting comfortable and around 0610 I gave him a few tree calls. He responded immediately. I waited a bit then called again; and again he responded. By 0620 he was on the ground gobbling to my left and slightly downhill. I called softly and he didn't respond. After a few minutes I heard a bird gobble 100 yds behind me on the ground. I thought he had circled me and given me the slip. I was just about to get up and go after him when my bird let out a gobble 60 yds below me. Glad I didn't move. I still could not see him and he seemed stationary as he gobbled three more times from the same spot. I called softly to him and did some purrs, which he really liked and showed by responding with a gobble.
This continued for awhile until he stopped answering my calls. I decided to give him the silent treatment for a bit. I could hear another bird gobbling far away and it sounded like he was moving in my direction. I debated moving from this bird thinking he was never going to commit and come in closer. Figured he might have hens or just was one of those Toms that wants the hen to come to them and this was as far as he was going to go to meet Hazel. But I figured you don't leave fish to find fish, so I stayed put and then......
GOBBLE GOBBLE! My silent treatment worked. He had cut the distance in half and we played the "hung up" game again. I was contemplating a move to a tree 10 yds in front of me and just as I had decided how I was going to move to get there I see him coming up the hill. Again, I was so glad I had not moved. This bird definitely required some patience. Because it was so thick, I didn't have a shot until he got to about 12 yds and then hew went behind a large pine. This gave me the chance to swing my gun onto his position. I had just got the barrel lined up on the pine when his head came out from behind it and he let out a thundering gobble directly at me. Now, I have had some birds gobble close before, but never this close and never directly at me!!! I swear it made my ribs vibrate!!!
He withdrew his head back behind the pine. I sat there with the front bead dead center in the tree waiting to see which side he was going to come out on. He turned to my right and took two steps. As he lifted his head to look for Hazel, he was rudely introduced to a load of #5 Winchester X-tended Range.
Very good bird 1 1/8" spurs (ivory body w/ black tips), 9 3/4" thick beard, and weighed 19 lbs.
First gobbled @ 0600; Killed him @ 0645! Great birthday present to myself!
