HuntingNet.com Forums - Textbook Tom

It’s not often things go according to the script. When they do, it sure is special. Scouting had been a mixed affair, no gobbles and little overt sign contrasted with just the satisfaction of being in the turkey woods again. The first two days of the season were silent as well, along with dicey weather. It cleared last night and I decided to try to roost one, although I’ve never had much success with it. The shock gobble at last light shocked me as well. It rained again overnight, but stopped by 4 a.m. I moved to within about 200 yards of where I thought he was and hooted in the dark. He was awake and gobbled instantly. I set up, had him answer a few tree yelps and then shut up, waiting for fly down. He proceeded to exercise his tonsils and I finally got to enjoy my favorite spring serenade.

He flew down, apparently strutted around his tree a few times, took a dump, and looked himself over in the mirror. After about 15 minutes of silence, I yelped a few times and he answered. I took his temperature, increasing the urgency. He cut me off with double and triple gobbles, moving in pretty fast. Then I heard footsteps in the leaves behind me and figured he’d already circled. A purr and a couple of yelps brought a thundering gobble about 70 yards away. She started towards him and I picked up the call and clucked. She purred. He gobbled, visions of a threesome dancing in his head. She circled my tree and, not even blinking, I thought, Perfect. She can call better than I can. She started moving away, yelping, and he gobbled behind me. I figured he was going to follow her and then I caught a glimpse of his white and blue head moving through the brush. It was pretty thick down on the ground and I couldn’t get a clear shot. He dropped down into a little dip, rapidly getting out of range. I threw caution to the wind and stood up. He was still in range and I put the red dot on his neck and shot. My first Massachusetts gobbler, he weighed 21.5 lbs., with 9” beard, and modest three-quarter inch spurs. Sometimes these birds do play it by the book.