my side of the story
Thanks to my partner for getting this post up! This is "my side of the story"!! This was a last day of second season bird, from my go to spot for when I have not pre scouted a bird, with a permanent blind all set up and ready to go!! I will also have to admit that I did swing and miss at a bird earlier in the season (called him in to close) at least that is my excuse! The miss turned out to be a blessing in disguise as I got to experience quite a hunt for this bird!
Had birds gobbling right away and one flew into the field a couple hundred yards away and was very active and kept working in and out of sight. Suddenly a hen came into my setup and I thought it was game on... which it was, as I was watching the hen I looked out the corner and here he was coming hard! Worked perfect, let him get in (but not to close) and whacked him! The hen ran off and I jumped out to check it all out and take a couple pics/selfies! Called home and told my wife I would come home quick and show the kids before school and she could take some pics (she loves helping me early in the mornings!)
As I am screwing around checking things out I hear a gobble CLOSE, as in right behind the blind in the timber! I drop the bird and dive back in the blind to see what will happen! Next thing I know the second bird is strutting in to check things out and I figure I am going to get a show with him destroying the decoys and beating up the dead bird. I was almost right... but apparently he was more of a lover than fighter! He proceeded to spend almost an hour mounting/terrorizing and "having his way" with the dead bird, and both decoys! I have almost 20 minutes of footage of this over the hour! I would video until my phone got full... find some stuff to delete, record again etc!! I finally had to get out and he wouldn't leave even after I got out of the blind, I had to walk towards him and yell and wave my arms! I was a little nervous about whether I was next on his list!!
The decoy picture shows some of the cleanup I had to do on the decoys! He "left his mark" all over them!!
Crazy funny deal... turned out to be a great experience!