I didn't put a lot of time into it this year. Came away with two really good birds and many memories.
First bird.....stood at truck waiting on the first gobble of the morning. When they sounded off, I made my way to them. The closer of the three, was right off the edge of the loading dock. The other two were on the creek. I picked my spot and sat down. Enjoyed the moment listening to him limb gobbling his head off. After patiently waiting, I gave him some tree yelps. He immediately faced me gobbling. Waited and waited. He's still cutting the tree tops down hammering. Gave him another set. Paused. Threw a fly down. He cut it off. Silence. Moments later he is on the ground gobbling letting me know he is coming. Slowly he picked his way to the road and is heading to the dock. He rounds the corner in full strut. What a beautiful sight he was. Boom. They cranked up at 650am that morning and he was dead at 720am. Four bearded 2 y/o beauty.
Two mornings later, I tried the other two with no luck. The third morning, I made my way in and they were hot. Talk about stubborn though. Very minimal light calling. They just didn't want to play. They made a full circle of my setup tree. I vowed to be patient and stay dug in. After making their way back around to their roost spot, they started away. I literally fussed them out and turned them back. Again, they began to make a loop, but were a little closer. When one of them gobbled, I cut at them hard. Seconds later, they walk out into the skid row. Lowered the boom on the strutter and shouldered a limb hanger. Started gobbling around 650 am. Didn't pulled the trigger until 1020 am.
Killed those two back at the first of April. Relished the hunts and decided it was a great year. Hardly went again.
First bird.....stood at truck waiting on the first gobble of the morning. When they sounded off, I made my way to them. The closer of the three, was right off the edge of the loading dock. The other two were on the creek. I picked my spot and sat down. Enjoyed the moment listening to him limb gobbling his head off. After patiently waiting, I gave him some tree yelps. He immediately faced me gobbling. Waited and waited. He's still cutting the tree tops down hammering. Gave him another set. Paused. Threw a fly down. He cut it off. Silence. Moments later he is on the ground gobbling letting me know he is coming. Slowly he picked his way to the road and is heading to the dock. He rounds the corner in full strut. What a beautiful sight he was. Boom. They cranked up at 650am that morning and he was dead at 720am. Four bearded 2 y/o beauty.
Two mornings later, I tried the other two with no luck. The third morning, I made my way in and they were hot. Talk about stubborn though. Very minimal light calling. They just didn't want to play. They made a full circle of my setup tree. I vowed to be patient and stay dug in. After making their way back around to their roost spot, they started away. I literally fussed them out and turned them back. Again, they began to make a loop, but were a little closer. When one of them gobbled, I cut at them hard. Seconds later, they walk out into the skid row. Lowered the boom on the strutter and shouldered a limb hanger. Started gobbling around 650 am. Didn't pulled the trigger until 1020 am.
Killed those two back at the first of April. Relished the hunts and decided it was a great year. Hardly went again.