I was able to take my first long beard this morning. I started out in my ground blind since it was raining. Had
3 hens come and check me out but no toms. Stuck in my blind for about 3 hours-it had stopped raining and since there was not much happening I decided to go check out a spot where I had seen birds yesterday afternoon. I was hunting some state public land so I had to park in designated areas. On the way to the parking area I see 3 long beards going heading to the timber down a tree line. I had to park about a half mile down the road. I get parked and get my stuff together and I try to head to the timber to get ahead of them. When I get to 9the spot where I think they should be coming to I set out 1 hen decoy and I did see 1 turkey still coming down the tree line. I get back about 20 yrds. from the decoy and wait for about 15 minutes-nothing? I start calling on a mouth call and get no response-did this 3 or 4 times and still got nothing. I then try my slate call and it is fruitless too. So I change up on my mouth call and try a different one-BINGO-first call I hear a gobble wayoff. I keep calling every 4 or 5 0minutes and every time I hear 1 or 2 gobbles. It got to a point where I thought they were hung up or possibly going away from me so I get a little more aggresive on the call and start cutting and this is i what worked. Every time I called aggresively they answered and I could tell they were getting closer-finally I see one in the woods working my way and then I see another one and then all three are gobbling-finally one gets in close enough and I let him have it. Turned out to be a 22 lb. bird with 1 inch spurs on both legs and a 10 inch beard-needless to say I am extremely grateful for this opportunity.
I owe this success to a co-worker of mine-he has taken me turkey hunting the last 2 years and has taught me alot.
I will post pictures when I get a chance-maybe 10 days before I will be able to.
My First Turkey
