I was to go to the other side of the swampy area about 200 yards away . When I veered off the main trail not but 10 yards . I busted out a bird 20 minutes before legal shooting light . That is when he was awoke from his slumber . GOBBBBBBBBBLE !!!!!
My first thought was " Oh darn !!!! "
(not in those words exactly )So I sat down right away because I had no idea where there may be others .
Well it got lighter and lighter . And he got more excited with each passing minute (tree yelps have a way of doing that)
. At about five minutes into legal he flew down into a field about 300 yards away . He hit the ground and was disappointed that his girlfriend had not followed . He was double and triple gobbling . So I moved to where I wanted to be in the first place . Meanwhile in my journey to the tree I busted two more birds but they flew directly away from him .
I sat down , gathered my thoughts on where he might come . Where he was he would have to come through some very nasty low brush . I called trying to steer him to the left of the brush . But him being a turkey he went to the right , gobbling the whole way . At about 60-75 yards out of my sight he stopped gobbling . But my keen spidey sense hearing
was able to hear the low frequency spit and drumming . He strutted and walked the rest of the way in . BUT he kept stopping behind a tree each time . So when he hit a small opening a cluck got him to stretch his neck out for a gobble he never got to give . The sunrise right after the shot .
Gathered him up after tagging and proceeded over to Dad through the wet stuff . I ended up walking up on a hen not but 15 yards away .
Time for the photo shoot .
He was a bit of a odd ball . 20 pounds 3 ounces , 10 inch beard but no spur on one leg and a 1/2 inch spur on the other . A trophy for the necklace all the same .
Now for Dad and Scott to get one for the next story .
