Well what a day. I washunting on the military base Ft Carson, CO. Yesterday I found a nice strech of fields and pondarosa stands with scrub oak ravines. I located a dream tree before light. A roost with 3 gobblers sounding off at any noise. A truck, dog, car, and of course my calls. I set up down hill 50 yds away. The sun slowly crept up the side of the mountain. Then the fog rolled in, and there I sat waiting for 1 1/2 hrs. Finally the fog lifts and i realize I have a hot hen in the tree 10 ft away looking at me. My heart sank knowing she would fly down away from me and drag the toms with her. The she starts clucking and yelping. The toms are going nuts. I hear a gobble to my right around 200-300 yds away behind me. I swear that tom covered the distance in less 3 then minutes. I hear a twig and he's 5 ft behind me clucking away. He was so close I couldn't move. He walks off and the hen flys down and one by one the toms follow, but the wrong way. I was ready to shoot my decoys.

I picked up and moved up the mountain and walked it back to my truck. I was almost to my trruck and decided to take my time and move back through the valley calling every 200 ydspraying a tom lost the fight and broke away from the bunch. I didn't get 300 yds and I got a gobble response less then 50 yds away in a ravine.I remembered earlier there was only one hen in the area. So I ran out and set up a hen and took cover. I clucked and purred for 5-10 minutes and then out of no where behind a pine tree I saw the red head strutting towards the decoy. I got ready and when he stepped out. i had my first mariam turkey. He was an old bird his beard was broken off with only 2 inches left. he weighted 25 1/2 lbs.On the way out with a huge smile on my face I walked into this nice 6 pt elk shed. I will be back in thefall looking for him.