Finally!

[DeWayne Knight]

I have been battling some closed mouth, henned up birds!  The last 4 days I bet I've called in 30+ hens.  Yesterday I had 3 all out, cackling/cutting/fighting purr fights with three different hens in different areas, and still didn't have a gobbler show.  I haven't even heard a gobble since Saturday.  Well yesterday afternoon I spotted a strutter on a field edge.  Got there this morning, no gobbling on the roost.  So I let it get good and light and start calling. within 5 minutes the first of 9 hens showed up.  She fed her way out of sight.  The third hen fed to within about 25 feet of me, then stopped and proceeded to groom herself.  I watched with great interest, when movement to my opposite side caught my eye.  I slowly turned my head, but he picked me off.  I re-set further down the field edge, let things quiet down, and started calling again.  A couple more hens visited, one with the gobbler and a jake in tow.  I had the gun up and was waiting for him to close the distance, and somehow he picked me off again!!!   So I re-set a second time, this time behind a screen of greenbriars, and start all over.  About 30 minutes later movement catches my eye, and the jake works into view.  I get the gun up because I'm ready to burn some powder now!  I'm watching the jake work closer, when I see the gobbler through the greenbriars  I get my gun on an opening, and he takes what seemed like forever to get there.  When he did, I put the Pro Diamond reticle crosshairs on his waddle and squeeze the trigger. 




19lbs, 8 3/4" beard, 7/8" spurs.  Not my biggest bird but he was a warrior; broken wing primary feathers, not an ounce of fat on him, and wing tips worn more than any bird I've ever seen.  Now the pressure is on to finish out in the next three days!

[Hognutz]

Well done..Persistence is the key to win a hard fought battle..Well done..Mike   

[strutnva]

good bird

[spaightlabs]

Right on DeWayne.  There are a lot of times when ANY bird is a trophy.

[JVA54]

          Congrats!!

[AndyH]

Well done Dewayne

[hookedspur]

 

[turkey slayer]

Nice bird congrats!!

[cannonball]

Nice gobbler!

[Rio Fan]

Nice looking bird, congrats.

[Kywoodsman]

Congrats! Sounds like a bird well earned.

[bowhunter84]

congrats!