I started seeing this bird about 3 weeks before season. I watched him about every morning with his 3 hens. I assumed by the first day of season they would be on nests. About a week before season another guy got permission to hunt the property. I told him he could have the first two days...He hunted the bird and never saw nor heard him.
He showed back up on wednesday and I hunted him on thursday. I had him at around 40 yards but couldnt see him due to the rise in the field. He escaped. I hunted him friday...his hens took him away...he escaped. I had to work the weekend so I arrived back on monday morning and he wasnt roosted where he normally was. I decided to more about 10 minutes after legal shooting time. I found him about 400 yards away over the hill in another pasture. I set up and called...once again his g/fs took him the other way..
Last night I roosted him in his normal hangout. I knew this morning I had to get on him because I had to work wed and thurs. As light approached he started his usual gobble session. He gobbled for about 30 minutes and pitched down. He wade his way up the hill and behind me. he gobbled and I knew he was within 60 yards..I remained motionless and quiet and was hoping my new tactic would work. He saw my strutting tom decoy and made an about face and walked the other way quickly. I was baffled. He made his way to about 200 yards away and started gobbling. His hens flew the roost and went straight to him. GAME OVER....
I had a pretty good idea where they were headed....I went to the neighboring farm to see if I could persuade a bird to gobble...no luck. So I jumped in my truck and headed to the other side of the farm he was on. It was about an hour since I had seen him last and I peeked over the rise and sure enough...There he was with his babes strutting. I back up and sat where I saw them cross the day prior...After an hour I didnt see a thing. My ADD kicked in and I couldnt take it any more. I got on my knees and crawled up to the edge of the rise in the field. I saw his fan.....and he was within 50 yards. I belly crawled another 10yards undetected. I laid there motionless for 15 minutes. He and his hens worked to about 10 yards, he never broke strut the whole time...Once they got to about 30 yards I couldnt take it anymore.....BOOM!!!
Game over for the invincible tom....He is my biggest bird to date. 10 3/4 beard and
1 1/4 spurs and 24 lbs....It was a good feeling to kill the bird that made me look like a fool for the last week. I just wish I could have done it the conventional way...but hey....I figure sneaking within 40 yards of 4 turkeys in a wide open field and waiting for them to close the distance is a task in itself!
He showed back up on wednesday and I hunted him on thursday. I had him at around 40 yards but couldnt see him due to the rise in the field. He escaped. I hunted him friday...his hens took him away...he escaped. I had to work the weekend so I arrived back on monday morning and he wasnt roosted where he normally was. I decided to more about 10 minutes after legal shooting time. I found him about 400 yards away over the hill in another pasture. I set up and called...once again his g/fs took him the other way..
Last night I roosted him in his normal hangout. I knew this morning I had to get on him because I had to work wed and thurs. As light approached he started his usual gobble session. He gobbled for about 30 minutes and pitched down. He wade his way up the hill and behind me. he gobbled and I knew he was within 60 yards..I remained motionless and quiet and was hoping my new tactic would work. He saw my strutting tom decoy and made an about face and walked the other way quickly. I was baffled. He made his way to about 200 yards away and started gobbling. His hens flew the roost and went straight to him. GAME OVER....
I had a pretty good idea where they were headed....I went to the neighboring farm to see if I could persuade a bird to gobble...no luck. So I jumped in my truck and headed to the other side of the farm he was on. It was about an hour since I had seen him last and I peeked over the rise and sure enough...There he was with his babes strutting. I back up and sat where I saw them cross the day prior...After an hour I didnt see a thing. My ADD kicked in and I couldnt take it any more. I got on my knees and crawled up to the edge of the rise in the field. I saw his fan.....and he was within 50 yards. I belly crawled another 10yards undetected. I laid there motionless for 15 minutes. He and his hens worked to about 10 yards, he never broke strut the whole time...Once they got to about 30 yards I couldnt take it anymore.....BOOM!!!
Game over for the invincible tom....He is my biggest bird to date. 10 3/4 beard and
1 1/4 spurs and 24 lbs....It was a good feeling to kill the bird that made me look like a fool for the last week. I just wish I could have done it the conventional way...but hey....I figure sneaking within 40 yards of 4 turkeys in a wide open field and waiting for them to close the distance is a task in itself!
