Brother and I left for the cabin sunday afternoon to see if we could roost some birds that evening. Didnt have any luck but felt good about the weather forcast opening morning.
Set up the blind in a saddle area early monday morning where we had killed some birds before and procceded to call lightly and wait. Things were slow and quiet till 8 am when a tom let loose not 30 yards away. He strutted and gobbled a few times in the woods and then proceeded to make a belign towards the decoys as hard as he could go. He got real antsy a few yards from the decoys and looked like he might get out of dodge so my brother drew on him and shot through the blind and dropped him in his tracks. It was a nice bird 20#, 10 1/2 beard and 1" spurs.
Brother took him back to the cabin to cut the breasts out and I moved the blind farther back the "strip" on top of the hill and set the decoys back up to see if I could have some luck. Set one group out in front of the blind and another set 40 yards down the hill. Called every 20 minutes or so but nobody was talking back. At 9:30 I noticed a bird coming down the strip from the very same area that he had killed the bird earlier. He was about 120 yards away when I first saw him and he proceeded down the strip for about 25 yards then got into the woods. I figured he would stay in the woods until he got close to the lower decoys and then show himself.
I waited for what seemed like forever but suddenly he popped out and strutted straight for the decoys. I drew a bead on him and when he turned towards me I shot him in the face with a winchester 3 1/2" #5 at 43 yards.
He dropped like a rock.
Young tom but he weighed 18.9 ,9 1/2 beard and 3/4 spurs.
Set up the blind in a saddle area early monday morning where we had killed some birds before and procceded to call lightly and wait. Things were slow and quiet till 8 am when a tom let loose not 30 yards away. He strutted and gobbled a few times in the woods and then proceeded to make a belign towards the decoys as hard as he could go. He got real antsy a few yards from the decoys and looked like he might get out of dodge so my brother drew on him and shot through the blind and dropped him in his tracks. It was a nice bird 20#, 10 1/2 beard and 1" spurs.
Brother took him back to the cabin to cut the breasts out and I moved the blind farther back the "strip" on top of the hill and set the decoys back up to see if I could have some luck. Set one group out in front of the blind and another set 40 yards down the hill. Called every 20 minutes or so but nobody was talking back. At 9:30 I noticed a bird coming down the strip from the very same area that he had killed the bird earlier. He was about 120 yards away when I first saw him and he proceeded down the strip for about 25 yards then got into the woods. I figured he would stay in the woods until he got close to the lower decoys and then show himself.
I waited for what seemed like forever but suddenly he popped out and strutted straight for the decoys. I drew a bead on him and when he turned towards me I shot him in the face with a winchester 3 1/2" #5 at 43 yards.
He dropped like a rock.
Young tom but he weighed 18.9 ,9 1/2 beard and 3/4 spurs.
