Third hunt of the season was the charm this morning. Chris and I had fooled with this bird a few mornings but he had not seemed very receptive to calling. Set up near a little clearing where Chris saw him strutting the other day. He fired up at 06:35 this morning and gobbled 16 times on the limb. The 17th gobble was definately on the ground at about 07:00. He was just out of sight over a slight hill on the far side of this little woodland clearing. The whole clearing probably isn't 40 x 40 yards in size. I yelped softly to him after he was on the ground with the Woodhaven slate. Nothing. He stood just over that ridge and gobbled randomly about 16 more times. All the while I'm thinking, "if he keeps this up he's going to call up every hen in Monroe County." Miraculously I never saw a one. I yelped softly one more time and added a few soft clucks. He gobbled but he didn't exactly cut me off. But the next time he gobbled he jarred the ground he was so close to the far side of the clearing. He had to be just a few feet from being in sight. I got the 870 up and pointed in the right spot and waited and waited. Finally I reached over and raked the leaves and straw like a hen does. Not sure if that did it but within 10 seconds I saw that blue head peeking over the ridge through the trees. He had been gobbling so much it looked like it was glowing blue. LOL! I barely had to move my barrel to get on him and lowered the boom at about 40 yards. 17lbs 14oz, 9 1/2 inch beard and 3/4 inch spurs. Nice to have the first one under my belt and to christen the new 870 super mag.
, Great looking bird!