doetrain

After some trying times hunting this season success has come after continued effort in the woods. Everything came together yesterday at 10:40 on a simply beautiful morning with no rain or strong winds for a change. It is a beautiful sight when the birds are not gobbling to see a fan waving in the tall grass like a flag saying here I am. I had him out in the field at 50 yards showing off for Lil Miss Hen when I crawled into posittion and set up a hen decoy for insurance 15 feet from me to the left. A few clucks and some soft purring and she brought him in without a gobble made. She closed the distance to my decoy to about 10 yards where I was hid from her view behind a couple of trees. Mr. Tom came in slowly strutting and taking a few steps closer after each strutt session. At 30 yards he cleared a tree to my front, I clucked he gave me his neck and the deed was done, a good shot with him awaiting my excited grasp. I shot a nice Jake last year and was very happy to get him,my goal this year was a mature strutter. This was what I got,20lbs.,7 inch beard,1 inch spurs. The only down side was he had beard rot so the beard was all but gone except for 3 strands that measured 7 inches. Good Hunting to everyone still after your bird this weekend!

HomerJ

Great job. Calling in the Hen to drag the Tom along, is not easily done. At least you know that Hen wasn't call shy!

doetrain

She most surely was an asset to me and the downfall of her loverboy Tom. Being in some very tall grass I had no idea how many hens he was puttin on a show for,I was relieved to see just one come in.

Hoyt HavocTec

Congrats man, helluva bird ya got there. Too bad about the beard, but still a great bird all the same.

I, too am struggling with tough hunting. Thanks for the lift, I needed it.

gmil6184

That's a shame about the beard, given the size of the bird I bet it would have been 9 or 10 inches. Great trophy all the same, good job.

Turkey Goddess

Congrats!!!! Nice one!!!!

Kim

huntnma

Congrats...gobbling is always best but some times it just doesn't happen, still would of been exciting....thanks for sharing.

UncleNorby

Sounds like a good hunt!

My Indiana bird gobbled from the roost for while, then only once or twice on the ground. It was quiet for more than 15 minutes, except for live hens calling. I threw back everything they were doing, but was beginning to think I had lost out to the real thing again. Luckily I saw his white head before he saw me. Once he saw my decoy he folded up and came running.

Over all, I'd guess about half of my birds have come in silent.

doetrain

Got a picture or two,I'd love to see your bird.

Phil from Maine

Congrats on your turkey and a nice one at that.
The tom I shot this spring was doing some gobbling so I could hear him come in. The real problem was he held back and never really came up to my decoys. I am not sure why but he kept coming and then move back some over and over a couple of times. So I ended up taking a fairly long shot to get him. That was my first spring turkey as my only other turkey was a fall turkey with my bow. That was a hen though so I am quite proud of my tom. That was 20 and 1/2 lbs, with a 8 and 1/2 inch beard.
Again Congrats on your tom!!