boneil
Member
This hunt started last weekend. Set up early in a corn field and had turkeys gobbling. Had 5 jakes fly down and come right into the decoys, but I was waiting for a longbeard. Had a couple of other birds gobbling but just wouldn't come in. Knew if I were to set up again, I knew the exact spot I needed to be. Thinking to myself, next weekend I will get myself a nice tom. Fast forward to Thursday, track and field day at the elementary that I teach at. Last race has been run and we still have some time to burn before the buses come, so my principal decides to get the 5th and 6th grade teams that won the 4x100 to race the teachers. My gut told me it was a bad idea, but the competitor in me said LET'S DO IT. I get the baton on the anchor leg and take off. Was moving pretty good for an old guy, and then... 1 hamstring pulls, as I grab that hamstring, the other one pulls. I am heaped up on the infield. Half laughing, half realizing that this is really going to hurt. Then realize that I can't golf league that night and good chance I won't be able to hunt this weekend. Decided that no way I could do it on Saturday, but thought I might be able to make it out Sunday morning. So I got up at 4 and headed out. Thankful that it hadn't rained for awhile so I was able to drive a level B road and not have to walk very far to get set up. Had to take the blind and a chair as I knew that if I sat on the ground, I might not get back up
Get the decoys set up and was in the blind by 4:50. First gobble at 5:15, but it was a ways off. Little while later another 1 fires off and he is pretty close. Heard 4 fly down and did some soft calling. He would gobble but was behind me and I couldn't see him. He ended up working around me but came out in front of me about 60 yards, would gobble every time I called but kept working away from me so I just stayed quiet. Next thing I know, I have 5 jakes come right into the decoys and knock my jake decoy over. They would not leave.
Dusting and all five of them trying to strut, was fun to watch. The tom would gobble every 5-10 minutes so I continued to do some soft calling. Next thing I know he is back out in front of me @ 50 yards. Strutting and drumming for 5 minutes. Can't really get a clean shot as I have the 5 jakes and some small trees between us, and I notice that the jakes are pushing the tom away from me. He ends up circling to my left and I lose him. Thinking he is gone, I am half tempted to let one of the jakes have it. Next thing I hear is the tom gobble behind the blind, and he is pretty close. As smooth as I can move with 2 bad legs I get turned around in the blind, drop the back window and let the Franci throw some number 5 shot. He dropped right in his tracks. Put him up on this fallen tree and took a picture with the phone.
Nice long beard 11.5", 24 lbs, 1" and 1 1/8" spurs.
Best part, I could drive the truck right to where the bird dropped. Now back at home with ice bags on both legs
Get the decoys set up and was in the blind by 4:50. First gobble at 5:15, but it was a ways off. Little while later another 1 fires off and he is pretty close. Heard 4 fly down and did some soft calling. He would gobble but was behind me and I couldn't see him. He ended up working around me but came out in front of me about 60 yards, would gobble every time I called but kept working away from me so I just stayed quiet. Next thing I know, I have 5 jakes come right into the decoys and knock my jake decoy over. They would not leave.
