BetterNBottomland
Well-Known Member
First solo bird. Didn't get out there till 6:50 this morning, but told myself you can't get one laying in bed. I see him strutting with his lady in the neighbor's field on the way to my access point (300 yards from them). I slip down in the hardwoods holler between us and let out a couple of cluck-purr sequences…10 minutes go by, and he gobbles. I do a similar sequence just a bit louder, and boom, he gobbles back immediately. I get situated at the base of the big oak in the pic and give him a couple of louder yelps, which he responds back immediately each time. I'm on the lower side of the holler, and then I see a head poke up just over the crest of the hill. It was the lady. She comes marching in, clucking every other step, looking. He is just over the hill, out of sight, gobbling back to every other cluck she lets out. She comes within 20 yards from right to left, and I catch a glimpse of movement coming just over the hill. His reddish-colored head pokes around a tree as he half-struts through the hardwoods. His lady is still clucking and looking, now about 50 yards to my front left. He disappears behind a couple of trees, slowly making his way down the hill. He steps in the perfect window, I squeeze the trigger and he disappears. I get up with a leg that's been asleep for the last 10 minutes thinking I missed. But, as I get closer, I see him just as still as he could be (TSS at 49 steps is no joke!). What a morning!
11.5" beard, one spur was 1 1/4", other was 1"
Beautiful longbeard
11.5" beard, one spur was 1 1/4", other was 1"
Beautiful longbeard
