...that a veteran turkey hunter could kill a lonesome, gobbling tom inside of 40 yards, especially if he gets two opportunities...

The first time a week ago, he snuck in quiet and my chest was reverberating everytime he spit-n-drummed, I paced it off to 6 steps.

Today he was difficult off the roost, but I fired him up about an hour later and he came in on a string, at ~7am. Again to my offhand, but I had seen him sneaking through the ferns and skunk cabbage, and was ready. This time he was saved by a 1inch sapling 3 feet away, bent over almost horizontal to the ground, 45 degrees behind my setup and the only thing between us besides air. His head, not more than 35 yards away, was directly occluded by the sapling. This is a wary old gobbler, always circling and never waiting more than a few seconds before clucking his way to safety. He has been hunted before, but not by me...

I've got 6 more gorgeous days (finally!), and this wary old swamp gobbler has his name tatooed on a special place, the passenger-side floormat in my truck!!