TiminTN
Well-Known Member
I had the honor of an invite hunt with a close friend and my oldest son Derek. My buddy Tony had a good idea where they been roosting by game cameras he uses. We walked from our parking area and no more than 200 yards in, we heard some Jake's fire off, man that sounded so sweet! Not hardly any foliage on the trees so I was concerned to stay back further than usual on our 1st setup. We came to a small field, beautifully manicured green short pasture grass, we sat down within 10 yards of field edge with a good view. I was trying to decide which call to use, when I heard some sweet light yelps from Derek's box call, and booming gobbles answered. He sat beside Tony, but I knew he had to be smiling, at such a good response. We had Jake's appear in our field. The older birds were in a smaller field that was separated by a hedgerow with mature trees and brush. Derek kept up the chess match, with regular responses. They just never seemed to be closing the distance. I pulled out one of my favorite calls, and those older birds hit back hard. I was loving it, but they never would commit. The 2 Jake's in our field finally sniffed me out and left clucking. The older birds gobbled on their own and were further away. I gathered my stuff, told my buddies "let's move". It was risky business for sure, but I said let's get over in that next field where they been all morning, so we set out. We eased around and entered that field and stopped next to an island of trees. We were watching in the direction of the woods where the birds had moved to. I hit a few yelps and we about got our hats blown off! We sat down and the chess game began again. We actually had spread out our spots well even in the rush to sit, Derek had left side covered, Tony watching center, myself on the right. The calls were softer because how close we were and they answered. This went on for 15 minutes, but seemed an hour. Nothing seems to be getting closer, stalemate. I decided to give them a good dose of excited loud cutting non stop until they had gobbled 3 different times. I kept cutting even after their 3rd time to answer, then I shut up. Maybe another 5 minutes and I hear, but did not clearly hear, Tony says Derek sees them!! Oh crap I start watching the edge and appearing out from behind a fallen tree were 2 enormous white heads, then a 3rd being a Jake with the 2 longbeards. They were right of our position and I hear Tony say "shoot", I eased my 870 youth 20 up real easy, and got the cross hair to settle on the gobbler spitting and drumming, and was the strutter. Boom, and turkeys fly, Jake's clucking and my bird flopping! What a day to be alive! I thank God for each and every day he allows me to go to the turkey woods. Derek measured his beard and called it 11 inches. Spurs right at 1"
