First Double Beard dwn in Tenn

[hoosiernavy]

I will set the scene, it was a very memorable but fast hunt. Last weekend was the opener here in Tenn. I learned last weekend were one very large Mature Tom was roosting along with his harem of hens. So with this information I put a plan together to sneak in the backdoor so to speak and get close to the bedroom.
I awoke this morning to a chilly 37 degrees, and alittle apprehensive to how these Middle Tenn birds would handle the cool weather. Get to the property and with the full moon didn't have to use my head lamp to get to the timber. Once there I headed about 100 yards to the right of where I had heard the birds on the roost last weekend and then cut in to the middle of the timber and started back to the left. Once I got the rise of the ridge I found a good cedar to set up on and set the decoys out.
It was about 25 mins later I started seeing objects moving in a large cedar about 40 yards out. Then a crow crys out and a thunderous gobble lets out about 80 yds to my right.
So now I have a smile from ear to ear. Well as you guessed the objects that were moving in the cedar turned out to be 10 hens. They never made a sound till around 6, they started tree yelping softly. I had made my mind up that I wouldn't call till the hens were out of there roost. The hens over the course of the next 30mins got very aggressive with yelping and cutting and making the Tom to my right really losing his mind, but as this is going on another Tom fires off on the roost out in front of me about 80 yds on the edge of the hay field.
Well the Tom to my right flies down with three hens still left in the tree, once he is on the ground out in corn field the last three hens take off. The other Tom out in front of me is still in the tree, HIS MISTAKE. When the last hen took flight I grabbed my slate call and gave some yelps, and he cut me off every time, GAMETIME he knows I am here, so after 3 series of sweet music, I set the call down and pick up the gun. At this time he pitches down in the timber with me about 60 yds to my right, I then start alittle yelping with my mouth call. Spitting and drumming ensued as he closed the distance around a plowin down cedar that was between him and I.
When he saw the Avian X hens, he committed and broke strut, and the 835 barked at 6:48
20.5lbs
1inch spurs
10inch Beard
5.5 inch beard

[Wrangler95]

 



Very nice gobbler,congrats!!

[boomer]

Congrats!!!

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk

[cannonball]

Congrats!

[M,Yingling]

Nice 

[beagler]

Great Bird!

[JVA54]

  Congrats!!

[captin_hook]

Nice!

[Wingbone]

Congrats! Always nice to get a bonus beard.

[VA_Birdhunter]

Very Nice!! Congrats!! 

[Rio Fan]

Nice looking bird, congrats!

[ground control]

Didn't know it was a double beard! Way to go man! 

[rempumpman]

A tip of the camo hat to ya on that one!! congrats.........................rem

[pullit]

Way to go, love it when they "volunteer" to take one in the face.

Congrats

[RustySap]