This morning started at 5:00am, went into a property I have not hunted this year and walked to a spot to listen. It was beautiful! The moon was still up and Whippoorwills were calling. I heard no gobbles so headed down to a small stream where even if no birds came it would be such a pleasant place to sit. I made some calls but got no response. As the morning got lighter I walked the stream a bit and used my camera. An odd way to turkey hunt but i was already planning tomorrow morning as I figured the birds were not going to gobble. I swung around through the woods toward my truck but since it was only 8:00 I decided to walk toward the river, make a call or two and then go home and get some work done. I walked the woods road and as I got to this little ridge that parallels the river I stopped to make a call.... GOBBLE!!!! He was close! I sat down quickly and broke a couple of branches in front of me to allow a good view of that roadbed running uphill from me. 35 yards to the top of the ridge from where I sat. I called, he gobbled. He sounded like he was walking the road just ahead of me. After maybe 4 more calls I could tell he was coming. I had the gun up when I saw a gobbler crest that little ridge, then another and back there behind more feathers. I had the gun on the gobbler to my left but there were others behind him- can't shoot. The second bird fell into a strut and I saw a mature tail. He moved to the right a couple of yards and raised his head. My shotgun moved right too- BOOM! He fell and 3 or 4 or 5 turkeys took flight. I can't say for sure since I was focused on my bird but there was at least one more gobbler and some hens in the bunch. I don't usually tag out in turkey season, this is just my 3rd time doing it. I was lucky to have a generous man offer this land to me to hunt and lucky that the time I chose to walk to the river happened to be the time this gobbler was on that road too. I'm very pleased to have taken 2 fine birds this season and added a few great memories to my mental collection. This bird was shot at 35 yards, had a 10" beard and 1 3/16
" spurs.
" spurs.
