CT season started Wednesday, RI on Thursday. Weather kept me from getting out until Friday. I messed up though. I got up at 4, but that wasn't early enough to get where I was going. I rolled up on the property around 6. I know birds roost there, but its a small property so if you don't get them hooked right at flydown they don't stick around. Well, I got there after fly down. I didn't hear a peep all morning. Consolation, I did get my permission slip signed for another 200 acre property on the way home.
Today, I got up at 3. I 'thought' I knew where a bird was roosted, so I eased into the woods and set my dekes. As soon as I sat down, a gobbler lit up. He wasn't where I thought, he was much closer. In fact, I probably set my dekes within 40 yards of his roost tree. I let him know where I was but kept pretty quiet. So many times there I thought a hunt was in the bag but right at flydown either real hens would show up and lure the longbeards off or they would just fly down on the other side and take walk off to another property. Today, he flew down away from me, but I gave him some soft clucks as soon as he hit the ground and he started strutting. He slowly circled around, kinda looking like he was paying attention to my dekes, but kept circling. I really hoped he wouldnt end up behind me, he was about 60 yards off to my left. He was inching his way in ever so slowly, when I made my mistake. He turned around and I brought my gun up. He caught movement and I heard a "putt". He didn't have to putt twice, I knew he was going to high tail it out of there so BANG! I misjudged the distance, but he went down hard! I figured he was around 40 yards but it was more like 50. Stats, 19 pounds, 7/8 and ¾ inch spurs, and 10” beard. I’ll post pics when I download them.