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Limbhanger Down
Set up yesterday morning at a farm with a jake and hen decoy in a field off a swamp where I've taken birds over the years. Much to my surprise a tom began gobbling shortly before legal light approx 75-100 yds into the bush. When he flew down he decided to go the opposite direction so I backed out quietly and thought up a plan for the next morning.
This morning I set up in the bush wearing my ghillie suit under a cedar tree at what I thought to be 75 yds from where he was roosted. As light drew nearer I kept thinking I could hear spitting coming from a tree very close by but dismissed it as something else. I was settled in enjoying the sound of the woods waking up when a gobble sounded off literally over my head. I slowly looked up and I realized he was in the tree no more than 15 yds across the trail. The only reason he didn't see me was that there there's a mammoth cedar tree between me and his roosting tree. Well he gobbled his head off for what seemed like an eternity, then at just before 6:15 he pitched down in the opposite direction that I was expecting and he was out of sight. At that point I picked up my slate and soft yelped and he immediately responded. I continued with soft clucks and purrs and switched surfaces in an attempt to sound like multiple hens with him gobbling the entire time. This went on for a short while but clearly he wasn't going to budge...yet. I finally got to try something I've wanted to try for years, and that was scratching in the leaves to sound like feeding turkeys. I made some soft contented sounding yelps and began to scratch in the leaves but suddenly he became quiet. I positioned myself at the ready when suddenly he appeared and he was marching directly at me and of course not on the path I figured he would take (go figure, eh?). I had my gun on a makeshift rest and somehow had to get it off the rest and pointed his way. When he passed behind a tree I took the opportunity to make the short swing but old eagle eyes spotted the movement. Luckily it was to my advantage and as he stretched his neck around the tree to get a better look at me I sent a swarm of #6's his way at 12 yds. The time was 6:25 am. Now I can really focus on helping my wife get her first bird.
Not he heaviest bird at 18.6 lbs, 9.5" beard, 1 3/8" and 1 1/8" spurs.
http://i.imgur.com/FVFDJcx.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/maV025f.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/xpt5A9x.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/GcJvoxM.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/poYAmur.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/3FB2s28.jpg
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Do they ever come down the trail we think they will..LOL...
Congrats, now get out and call one in for the wife !!
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massive spurs for such a light turkey. that looks like a big old boss tom.
congratulations and good luck with your next ones....
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Great bird and story Congratulations....
TurkeyJohn
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the one spur sure is long! congrats on a mature tom!
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That's an older bird with those great spurs and the nice beard. Congratulations on a successful hunt.
