I had been debating all week on what I should do opening morning. It is this one bird that I had my eyes on this year that I would dedicate my whole season to killing him. Little brother missed this turkey on youth day last Saturday so I got up close and personal with him then. Well I decided to give that farm a rest since my dad seen the turkey yesterday with 10 plus hens and hit a farm few miles up the road that I had seen some nice birds in earlier this year.
Sykes(brother), Daniel(brother's friend) and I hit the woods running a little late. It was my turn today to shoot since we were able to get them kills on youth day. Soon as we crack the doors when we pull into the path we here gobbles echoing through the creek bottom from many different directions. I hadn't roosted any of these turkeys yesterday evening so this definitely gave some ideas on what to do. Problem was I was hearing a lot of gobbling but they were way off in the distance. I really didn't know which way to go or look, but I pick out one gobble that I decided would be in the best direction for a good set up and went for it. I get within 150 or 200 yards of his roost with little time to spare on him flying down. I mess with him a little bit before he flies down but he flew down within five minutes of our set up. This creek bottom is very open but with this mid summer looking vegetation coming up so thick, it made visibility horrible. I could maybe see 35 to 40 yards at the most. Well, I get him within 100 to 75 yards and he would just hang up, refused to come any closer. Well I gave him the silent treatment for about twenty minutes just to see what he was gonna do. After that 20 min had expired, I pulled out the crow call and he gobbles off about 200 yards away straight away from me. This was my chance, we grab up the decoys and start to him. We get to where we believe we heard his closest gobble and set up again. I had faith if he had been there once today that I could get him to come back again(very effective tactic for those hung up birds). While the boys are setting up the decoys I throw a few cuts out to check him. He nails it about 100 or so yards away. We get situated and I continue to call to him but no response. I give the calling a rest for about 10 min and decide to try once more. I turned my head around and called straight away from the bird and he lets loose only 40 yards ahead on the other side of some thick stuff, about wet my pants scared the heck outta me. Thanks to the thick cover i was able to get turned around and situated for the shoot. He comes around the edge of the thicket and lets loose again just 20 yards. He spots the decoys and begins to strut. He walks right into bead on his aggressive motion to the jake decoy.
22 lbs 11" beard 1 3/8" hooks/lol not bad for a back bird. Never thought it would turn out this way. I am very thankful.
P.S. Couldn't post other pictures due to size of the files.
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