Nothing like those spring woods. Buddy, his daughter, my son, and I all ran over to the farm Friday and did some evening scouting. Found a few birds and came up with a plan. Set up Saturday morning and had one gobble about 40 yards to our left where I expected. They heard a fly down. We got ready for them to pop out to our left. Kept waiting and looking, nothing. Turned my head and there are two long beards standing at hard right about 20 yards from us. They were gobble and strut. The lead bird would start taking a few steps to the decoy but would stop. I could yelp and he would take a few more. Just needed a few more steps but he turned around and they took off to go meet with a flock that was moving behind us in the woods. We were excited we were had some fun but disappointed as well.
Decided to move and saw plenty of birds but nothing close the rest of the day. Called it quits at lunch as the kids were tired and wanting to play in the yard. Buddy and I ran out and scouted some spots we saw some birds. After supper we did one more ride around and made our plans.
My boy and I decided to go sit up in the front off a field, clear cut, and pretty woods. We had seen a good sized flock there a few times and they were there our last ride through. We got in and got set up and waited. I expected there to be some good gobbling but it was silent other than a bird across the cutover on another field. I would just throw out some yelps here and there. About 7:55 am I thought I heard a gobble in the opening. I looked across field and nothing. We were talking when all of a sudden three jakes came walking over to decoy. I had him set up on rest and they would not separate so I would not give him the go ahead. They turned and walked away and I clucked. They all stopped. He was off the tripod following them free handed. Finally the two back ones turned and fed and the front on took a couple steps. He said I am on the front and I said do it, bang and flop at 30. Was proud of his shot with no rest.
We took our pictures and headed to truck. Drove over to a spot close to where buddy and his daughter were. He calls and says they are in birds but they would not come. He wanted us to come call with them. We head over that way and have two birds hammering at us in woods behind us. They finally quiet and after a bit I get into conversation with some hens. They come out to field and feed down it. About this time we hear a faint gobble, like half hearted. I call and nothing. About 5 minutes later there is drumming on the road behind us. We turn and he is standing 10 yards to our right. The young lady gets turned around and he disappears. About two minutes later here he comes out in the field now behind her. He is searching for us. She slowly gets turned around. She gets set in him and I cluck. He stands up and looks, bang and flop at 20 yards.
Great to be back in the spring woods!
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