K
Kat
Guest
I stalked this tom two days ago but long story short, he left to go on a date while I was waiting for him to get in range. He was strutting for a bunch of hens and it was impossible not to see the gap in his tail feathers. He was also the opposite of muddys 'loudmouth'. He was the strong silent type. I had set up on the edge of the field close to where I saw him enter before, but only hens came in the field today. It was about 9:15 when I had a strong intuitive hit to move and move fast to a small green area below a ridge where I had taken a boss bird a few years earlier. I left my decoy and moved the quarter mile to the spot. I sat down under a small cedar about 60 yards away from the bottom of the ridge.
I had only just sat down and made a few hen yelps when I kid you not, he stepped out from the trees. I don’t know how he didn’t see me out walking. He puffed up and started to strut, and there was that tail. It was him! Suddenly a hen started calling about 30 yards to my left. He strutted more. Was I going to have a hen take him from me again? Not this time... she came right behind me, calling. I just had to hope she wouldn’t bust me. She didn’t and he came in on a string. Oddly enough, after the shot she stayed there, and even came closer to me. It was a great team effort and I thanked her.
I’m not sure of the weight, but he was a lot heavier than the jake, had to stop and rest a few times on the way back. Beard is 11 1/4" and 1 1/8" spurs.
I had only just sat down and made a few hen yelps when I kid you not, he stepped out from the trees. I don’t know how he didn’t see me out walking. He puffed up and started to strut, and there was that tail. It was him! Suddenly a hen started calling about 30 yards to my left. He strutted more. Was I going to have a hen take him from me again? Not this time... she came right behind me, calling. I just had to hope she wouldn’t bust me. She didn’t and he came in on a string. Oddly enough, after the shot she stayed there, and even came closer to me. It was a great team effort and I thanked her.
I’m not sure of the weight, but he was a lot heavier than the jake, had to stop and rest a few times on the way back. Beard is 11 1/4" and 1 1/8" spurs.