I say another as you may have read our youth hunt post from last Saturday where we went 3 longbeards for 3 youths on PA's first youth day. But alas, I got to hunt for myself this opening morning..
I started to wonder as the sky lightened more and more as the minutes passed. I was sure I'd hear a bird by now I thought so I decided to move off a bit and listen more closly as the wind picked up slightly. I'd yet to make a call, I wanted them to tell me where they were before I let them know where I was. Then I heard one, he was still a ways out so I decided to float call locally before I moved off toward that lone bird. I hadn't heard anything else as I started toward the area I heard that bird an hour before. I had just called back about 150 yards when not more than 100 yards or more one hammered on his own. Could this be the bird I heard earlier? Scrambling to set up, I called softly with the River Valley Sweet Talker mouth called and he immediately came back with a thunderous throaty gobble.....he's hot I said to myself and I bet alone...why else would he hammer on his own. I let time pass hoping he'd come looking on his own.....minutes passed and again, he hammered on his own and this time he was just over the rise....I called softly....GGGGgooooobbblllle came thundering back....okay..he's mine....time passed quickly and I yelp so softly....bammmmmm there he answered again....and just as quickly he was just above me on the bench looking over the bench I was on....full strut and longbeard proudly arching forward....oh, yeah....I need another 10 yards and your my mount I said.....then he folded up and headed up hill......yelp yelp yelp, I said and sure nuff, he pounded back but farther away....like nature intended, he didn't see his hen come to him so he moved off....I called, he answered.....he called, I answered all the while he moved off. I said, okay, I know where your going and I started a huge circle towards the food plot....one bench below, I called and he answered, I set up....nothing....silence...I called, nothing.....I called again...nothing so I wait.....off in the distance I hear him call...okay you, I know where your going and I busted butt up the hill to beat him to the field....once there.....I setup...I called and he answered....but he's skirting the field on the upper side...so I busted tail to get to the logging road I figured he struted on.....out of breath, I set up and listened......GGOOBBBBLLLEEE...okay your still hot, and still alone....so I wait......GGGGGOOBBBBLLLEE....and I yelped back...he pounded back and I wait........nothing....so I grabbed the MOJO knowing he was close and purrred sssoooo sweet....that's all it took, he popped out on the log road a mere 40some yards and the Bushnell scope found him, my finger touched the trigger, the Mossberg barked and the bird piled up.....opening day success, May 1, 2004, 7:35am. The bird weighs in roughly 21-22 lbs, 10" beard and 1 1/8 and 1 1/4 spurs.
I really credit my ASAT camo for letting me move on this birds several times...there were times when I was well within 100 yards of this bird and I wasn't detected.
SO, How'd you all do? Can't wait to read up on your success.
I'll post pics as soon as I have them developed...no digital yet and I'm headed to the taxidermy for a half strut, gobblin off the limb mount to add to my log home.
Another Pennsylvania Success Story. (now with pic)
, sounds like you earned that bird,
wow, what a hunt 
