2 1/2 weeks into the local season I finally sealed the deal. We have a one bird limit so I'm done. Thankfully I have a buddy who has a tag and likes for me to call for him.
It's real late in the season here and gobbling has been waning. I found a bird Monday who didn't know that tho.
He gobbled on the roost like crazy. He gobbled every six seconds on average. He flew down and away from me, crossing a pipeline and going into some recently thinned pine timber, gobbling every minute or so all on his own. I followed him into the woods and set up in the edge.
He acknowledged my calling and stopped his march further into the woods. He hung out about 100 yards or so and waited for the hens. After about 15 minutes he had closed a bit and went silent. A minute later he came into sight at 40 yards and broke into strut two times while closing to 25 yards. I settled the red dot on him and had my 2015 Texas Eastern tom at 7:35am.
He gave me a great hunt, from all the gobbling to the strutting, I got it all.
About 18 lbs, 6.5" beard (had beard rot) and sharp 1 1/16" spurs.
