2 down in Mississippi.

[Spitten and drummen]

On opening day I was at my lease and had the blues. 700 of the 1300 acres had been turned into a parking lot by loggers. Not only that , they were still cutting 100 yards from my favorite hardwood ridges. I eased in and owled  with no response. Skidders had already fired up and it was still dark out. Disgusted I eased out to head to the other side of my lease. I got back to my cart and was about to head out when I heard a faint gobble where I had just came from.  Over the beeping and saws I heard another gobble and knew exactly where that bird was located. Got back to where I figured he was roosted and leaned against a tree and waited for another gobble. It was already fly down time and he was on the ground The woods are really open here right now and I did not want to make another move and risk bumping him. As if on cue , he gobbled and he was about 70 yards from me over a ridge . I did a fly down with my wing and when done let out 3 soft yelps and a barely audible cluck. He double gobbled. I eased up 50 yards to the base of the little finger ridge and got tucked in. I immediately heard him drumming. Clicked off safety and had my gun in position. I could hear him in the leaves and the drumming was getting louder. His head popped up and he stood there. I could have killed him but did not shoot because I could not see his beard. I knew he was a good bird but with no visual of the beard or spurs I just could not do it. He walked away . I got up and made a wide loop . He continued to gobble and I was able to keep track of him. I dropped into a bottom and cutt hard and got a immediate gobble . He was about 80 yards out. I tucked against a tree and immediately heard drumming to my right. The bird in front of me continued to gobble but wasn't getting any closer. The drumming to my right was faint but I knew it was drumming. Minutes past and I strained to see the bird. The light 20 ga was as heavy as a cinder block by not. Finally I saw the white cap of the Gobbler's head. He was 35 yards and standing dead still in a full strut. He had to be like that the whole time because I had not picked up any movement. He then slowly turned blocking his view with his tail fan. I immediately shifted and he broke strut and periscoped up. I squeezed the trigger and the tss did it's job. Not a single flop. He was a 2 year old with a 9 inch beard , almost one inch spurs and weighed a whooping 16 pounds even.
  I had a few more close calls but could not close the deal. I worked turkeys 2 more times but this weather has been horrible. Each time birds would be closing the distance and the bottom would fall out and the birds would slip away and I would be soaked and birdless.
  Fast forward to today. Was going to try the bird from opening day again. Loggers were back and I could not hear anything.Went around to the other side of the lease and heard a bird gobble. I was about to head down the ridge to get around on a flat with him. I waited for him to fly down and I'm glad I did. I was in perfect shape to move on him. He started up the ridge toward the gravel road. This road runs through the middle of our lease and me and the other guy do not allow anything on it during turkey season except electric carts. Anyway I maneuvered around and set up in the ditch beside the road. The bird fell off the opposite side of the ridge and gobbled. A few soft yelps and he hammered back and closed the distance. My 20 ga was on my knee with the safety off when I heard the pfffft vroooom. He stepped up on the ridge at 15 yards and the tss stomped him. I believe he was a 3 year old but not sure. Definitely no 2 year old.He had a 10 inch beard , 1-1/4 spurs and weighed a tad over 24 lbs. he is one of the heavyest birds I have ever killed. I will go back to work tomorrow and hit them again this weekend. I have pics and will post them when I can. I have been having a lot of trouble uploading them. Thanks for reading. Hope everyone has a great season.

[daddyduke]

Congrats on Gettin Ur Done!!

[jblackburn]

Nice job, congrats!  That second bird was probably older than 3, 1 1/4 are serious hooks.  I'd say at least 4

[taylorjones20]

Congrats!

[GobbleNut]

Great story,....you're off to a good start! Congrats...

[dublelung]

Congrats on the gobblers. I feel your pain when dealing with the logging equipment during turkey season.

[zelmo1]

Really nice bird brother. Earning them is sweet. Congrats 

[kyturkeyhunter4]

Congrats! Job well done

[Spitten and drummen]

Thanks everyone. I will get pics up if I can figure out why I can't  upload them.

[renegade19]

 

[1iagobblergetter]

Congrats on a couple nice Birds!!
Curious...Do they clear cut everything when they log? The only logging done in the area I hunt usually is to turn timber ground into a field or more pasture ground.

[chuckward]

Congrats!

[Spitten and drummen]

Congrats on a couple nice Birds!!
Curious...Do they clear cut everything when they log? The only logging done in the area I hunt usually is to turn timber ground into a field or more pasture ground.

Timber companies own most of the land they lease it out. They will scalp it and comeback and replant it in pine. They do not control burn so it is one huge briar thicket after a few years. Great for deer but sucks for turkey. It's hard going from 1300 acres of mature hardwood to a desolate landscape. I hate loggers.

[shoer2]

Congrats

[walk_n_squawk24]

Congrats!