Patience pays off!

[deerfever]

This ole boy whipped me all morning but eventually his jealous nature got the best of him. He gobbled at everything thing I did early on but he was roosted in an old pine stand that had been cut in places and I couldn't see him to shoot! I found an opening thinking I have him now ! Nope he skirts me in a briar thicket. I followed him as he would come in and go away. I would lightly yelp and rake some leaves. At about 845 every hunters worst nightmare! Two hens go right to him. As I sit tight another bird fires off around 945, then he gobbles again and again. In My younger days I would have slipped out thinking your not killing the bird with hens. Not in my older days either I kill the one I chased all morning or I leave empty handed. Finally as I play the light yelp game every now and then I see his hens break my way and see him blown up coming. It's so thick I can see his hens but lose him . I finally see his fan and I can't shoot! Little did I know the other gobbler had snuck in but my Strutter knew! He went out of strut and comes charging , it was hilarious watching the other run about 90 mph to get out of there. I give him a cluck and his stood straight up between 35 40 yards. It's was after 11 but worth every minute! These public birds are tough!

 

[DoubleRidge]

Good deal!! Congrats!!

 

[TDW05]

Congrats!

 

[cbhunter]

Great bird, congrats!

 

[Chief44]

Nice bird. Congrats.

 

[Wrangler95]

Nice bird,congrats

 

[tndeerman]

Good deal,nice bird

 

[Gravey]

Nice bird...congrats!

 

[thirdwilliam]

good bird. Congrats

 

[Union Co. Boy]

Nice one! Congratulations!

 

[megalomaniac]

Way to stick with him. Never leave turkeys to find turkeys.

We killed one out of a group of 4 this year that ignored all our calls for hours. Then for some unexplained reason (maybe they got whooped, maybe a hen broke off?) 2 of the toms fired up and came looking for us without a care in the world. Like you, a decade ago I would have left that group to find others and missed out on a wonderful experience.

 

[themanpcl]

This ole boy whipped me all morning but eventually his jealous nature got the best of him. He gobbled at everything thing I did early on but he was roosted in an old pine stand that had been cut in places and I couldn't see him to shoot! I found an opening thinking I have him now ! Nope he skirts me in a briar thicket. I followed him as he would come in and go away. I would lightly yelp and rake some leaves. At about 845 every hunters worst nightmare! Two hens go right to him. As I sit tight another bird fires off around 945, then he gobbles again and again. In My younger days I would have slipped out thinking your not killing the bird with hens. Not in my older days either I kill the one I chased all morning or I leave empty handed. Finally as I play the light yelp game every now and then I see his hens break my way and see him blown up coming. It's so thick I can see his hens but lose him . I finally see his fan and I can't shoot! Little did I know the other gobbler had snuck in but my Strutter knew! He went out of strut and comes charging , it was hilarious watching the other run about 90 mph to get out of there. I give him a cluck and his stood straight up between 35 40 yards. It's was after 11 but worth every minute! These public birds are tough!

Not as fun if it's easy, right? lol

 

[Huntaholic]

Congrats! THOSE are the birds that make us turkey hunters. Ive always said, "if he gobbles, you can kill him." Sooner or later, he will mess up, youll be in the right place or he will be in the right frame of mind.

 

[Acorn]

Nice bird, Congrats!

 

[PossumSlayer]

Congratulations!

 

[Bone Collector]

Congrats!