Second tag filled in Illinois.

[ilbucksndux]

Today is the last day of season here in Illinois and I went out to my honey hole. The woods were quiet this morning .The birds didnt start chirping till after 6. I slipped into an area that usually has a few hens roosting there and most of the time a tom close by. I sat and finally heard a gobble way off in the distance,and soon after a hen close by woke up and flew down. After I was sure there were no more I moved deeper into the woods. I called trying to strike a bird but it was silent.My plan was to put a decoy out and sit in this little finger of woods that was about 60 yards wide. I sat and waited about 10 minutes before calling. Two minutes after my call one gobbled about 60 yards away down in a bottom. I was worried he would come in up thru the over grown woods and be on top of me before I could see him so I called more than I really like to just to keep an idea of where he was.I first saw him on the edge of the field opposite of where my decoy was but he seemed to be walking down the edge. Thats when I heard a jake gobble. I noticed another turkey was with him. They rounded the point and I noticed that there was not one turkey but 8 with him taking up the tail. I only had a 3' or so window thru the under brush along the field to shoot thru so I made the decision to stand up beside the giant oak to give me a little better vantage. the first 3 turkeys to make it to my decoys are hens,followed by 5 jakes. They danced around it a bit and seemed nervous but settled down. Mr tom was strutting right up against the edge . He is no more than 20 feet from me but even standing I can only see his fan and a glimpse of him thru the weeds. I had my gun on my shoulder and pointed right at the only spot I can shoot him thru and waited,and waited,and waited some more. I turned my head to look at the other birds milling around the decoy,and heard PUTT,PUTT,PUTT,PUTT from my tom and he is high tailing it away. I look out and the rest of the turkeys are following suit. I puck out the closest jake (30 feet) and pull the trigger.

I have not killed a jake in several years and usually wont but it got the better of me today. 

[TRG3]

There's nothing like a tom in your lap that you can't get a bead on that causes the ol' ticker to race! I had something similar happen a few years back when, in late morning after periodic yelping, a hen popped out from the thick foliage blocking my view from the left. She went to my Pretty Boy which was only 20 yards in front of me and I watched her for a minute or so. Unbeknownst to me, a gobbler was with her and he sounded off only 5 yards away, also to my left but completely blocked from my view. There was an opening in the foliage less than 12" in diameter through which his fan passed and then rotated. I was sure that he was leaving! I threw my Remington 870 to my shoulder and when his head materialized in that same hole, I jerked the trigger and sent a load of #5 shot to drop him right there. That certainly woke me from my lack-of-sleep nodding!

[tomstopper]

Congrats

[Gooserbat]

If you're happy with it then no explanation needed

[SteelerFan]

The trophy is in the details! Congrats!! 

[ilbucksndux]

If you're happy with it then no explanation needed

Someone else told me that too. I have been beating myself up over it to be honest with ya. I'm aggravated at myself for shooting it because I was mad and not because I wanted it. Its a turkey,its dead and I killed it. I had 7 more hours to find another one which I'm sure I could have,but let the pressure of filling a tag cloud my judgement. 

[Greg Massey]

If you're happy with it then no explanation needed

x2

[tomstopper]

If you're happy with it then no explanation needed

Someone else told me that too. I have been beating myself up over it to be honest with ya. I'm aggravated at myself for shooting it because I was mad and not because I wanted it. Its a turkey,its dead and I killed it. I had 7 more hours to find another one which I'm sure I could have,but let the pressure of filling a tag cloud my judgement.

Brother as long as you didn't just kill it and then leave it in the woods, no reason to beat yourself up over it. They all taste the same. I have had seasons before where I couldn't kill a gobbler to save my life and then had a jake come in at the end and I took him. I was upset with myself too until I fried it and seen how much my kids liked it. Made me forget about how upset I was for taking a jake....

[renegade19]

Like we talked about in the PM, you played it perfectly!  Congrats on the bird.  I'd have done the same thing. 

[mgm1955]

If you're happy with it then no explanation needed

[knifeshark]

 "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush" , congrats on your bird!

[Happy]

Ain't nothin wrong with a flavor hunt.

[surehuntsalot]

 ......good job