Yesterday was the opening day for the youth shotgun season. Ended up getting the girlfriend's grandson signed up to being able to hunt a local refuge at the last minute.
Yesterday started out a little cold it was 23 degrees. Located some birds on the roost got set up as close as we could. It's hard walking in the timber there after the big flood along the Missouri River in 2013. Trees laying all over the place. Ended up about 100yrds from the birds. After fly down they started to come our way but with the big brush piles in between us they ended up going the other way.
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About around noon found two toms all by themselves but after about 45 minutes the close they would get was about 100yrds so Zack and his dad took the jake decoy and started to belly crawl towards them. They made it about 30 yards before the toms saw the jake decoy and they started walking right to them. They got about 25yrds away but Zach had to much brush in the way to make a good shot on them. Ended up calling it a day after that.
This morning it was a lot warmer at 55 degrees. After yesterday and watching what way the birds walked off too. We made the walk around the other side of their roost. Thinking we had to walk little more one gobbled right above us so had to back it up some. Got setup about 75yrds from the one that gobbled at us. Pretty much walked into their bedroom had birds almost all the way around us. Only good thing when the rest of the birds started talking all the toms was in front of us and most of the hens was behind us and off to the side if us. Had two toms pitch down in front of us about 40yrds way and came strutting and gobbling the whole way in. He ended up taking one at about 20yrds.
Had 10 3/4" beard 3/4" spurs and 23lbs
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Sounds like it was a great hunt! Congratulations to the young man on a fine bird!
Sent from the Strut Zone
Nice bird, 23 pounds is huge. Congratulations on s great sounding hunt.
X2 on a exciting hunt!!
Good for the kiddo!
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