Took my buddy and his 6 yo daughter out for MO youth season and although there isn't a bird down, it was one of the most memorable weekend I've ever had in the turkey woods.
Got set up in a blind in timber before sun up. Heard a gobble way off in the distance but nothing close, so with 2 decoys, a gun, 2 guys and an energetic little hunter it was time to make a move. Made it to the timber edge and saw birds 300 yrds out in a dip in the field. Buncha hens and the 3 resident boss tom trio I've been getting trail cam pics of. Knew I had my work cut out for me. Found a good spot where we had some shade and a rise in the field obstructing the turkeys view of us, had my buddy and his 6 yo grab a tree. I then proceeded to belly crawl up the rise while showing off my xtreme jake held up high where I knew the birds could see it. Staked it down with a breeder hen, crawled back and proceeded to call. And it worked! After a few calling sequences the 3 toms were fired up and broke away from their hens and came running in!
When the lead gobblers white noggin crested the field rise he was at 25 yrds. Unfortunately our lil miss moved right before the shot and he just ducked it.
I don't know if you can see the white head on the GoPro video I took without watching it in 1080 and zoomed in, but you can sure hear him gobble moments before the shot.
Here's the 3 toms.
Went trout fishing and caught dinner afterwards. Foil wrapped trout seasoned with lemon, Cavenders, and dill over the campfire was delicious!
Got regrouped for morning #2. This time we set up the blind and decoys near the field edge where we saw them before. Heard several gobbling from the front and one behind. Watched a bunch of hens pitch down, followed by the 3 boss toms and then a group of jakes all at 300 yrds out. Called to the group cutting off the hens and trying to sound as dominant as I could. After an hr the hens started to commit with the toms in tow. All of the sudden a gobble explodes from behind us. We hear him jump the wood line fence and was soon in view, strutting the whole way. Unfortunately she clipped the blind. Another miss.
Great weekend though. I've never had this much success calling to field gobblers with hens. The slate call I just got from Schaffer was the culprit both days.
4 birds called into range total and none down in 2 days. I will be banging my head against the wall till season starts next Monday lol.
