I shot this bird at 1:45 this afternoon. I was kind of bummed after bumping a big Tom early this morning. I covered the rest of my property without hearing a single gobble after that. On my way out, I spotted a hen walking an adjacent logging road through the burnt pines. She passed by without incident and I had a little bit of time to kill before I had to head home, so I decided to set up right where these two roads forked and do some broadcast calling. I had a good view of where the hen came from in case a Gobbler came down it. I got my glass call out, made a few cuts on it and was cut off by a gobble, straight up a pine ridge above me. He gobbled on his own again, so I answered him with a cluck and again, he cut me off with a gobble. I gave him a few minutes to see if he’d break and head my way, but he gobbled twice more from the ridge top. One more cluck and I was cut off by a gobble yet again. I set the call down and waited him out. He held his ground for a little while but finally he broke and came down the ridge, gobbling as he made his way down. He stepped out in the road at 125 yards and slowly made his way to me. Once he got to within 45 yards, he was locked up in full strut, drumming and gobbling his head off! I let him get to 35 yards and he was still in strut, drumming and gobbling. Once he cleared some brush and raised his head, I dropped the hammer on him! It’s been a couple of seasons since I’ve had a hunt quite like this, God really blessed me with this one!
Beard was 10” on the mark, spurs were 7/8”, i didn’t weigh him, but he was probably a good 20#. Total time from my last call to the gunshot was 40 minutes.
Beard was 10” on the mark, spurs were 7/8”, i didn’t weigh him, but he was probably a good 20#. Total time from my last call to the gunshot was 40 minutes.
