After 2 weeks of getting skunked I finally got one score-worthy. I had killed 2 the first week of the season but I just knew I'd kill one bigger than either of them so I didn't score those first 2. Passed on another last week as it was a young bird and I couldn't tell it had a beard until it got within shooting range. I tried a new place this morning. I had only seen jakes there at this spot so far, but I hadn't hunted there yet so I gave it a shot. I knew there were nice gobblers in the general area so I felt maybe one of them would mosey on over. I was set up by 5:55 AM and had set my jake decoy up in a field 38 yards away from where I was sitting in the woods. Had a feeder hen and a breeder hen set up coming to me but off to the side so I'd have a clear shot at the jake. This is pretty much a standard setup for me this year. Once I was settled in I made some soft clucks and yelps, but nothing responded to my CM (Crystal Mistress). I repeated that about 20 minutes later with the same result. I didn't hear any gobbling on the roost at all this morning. I waited about 30 minutes and notched up the volume with my EZ wingbone and heard a faint gobble east of me across the property line. This bird was on the ground by now, and when you get a bird around here to gobble on the ground it's almost a sure thing. Hit him again with the wingbone and got another faint response. I decided that this bird is coming on and decided to switch back to the CM as I can call more consistently on that than the wingbone. I really hadn't practiced with this wingbone in months and I was struggling some, felt like I needed a call I could control better with him coming. Waited a bit and hit the CM and he sounded closer. Hit him again and he cut me off about 200 yards away. Game on! I waited in silence now and suddenly he made a short gobble in the field and came in hot with a bead on my jake decoy. He was half strutting and half running. He hit the jake without stopping and began the flogging. I waited until I had a good shot and ended him at 7:20 AM. I knew he was a good bird before I walked over to him. My routine when I shoot a bird is that I sit there and watch it flop until it stops while I pack up all my stuff around me before going to check him out. I knew when I saw him up close that I'd be scoring this bird this morning. I checked out my decoy and he had knocked out the little jake beard that I'd just inserted this morning. It was laying nearby so I didn't lose it. Best hunt I've had this year and tagged out in NC. I have 2 tags left in VA with 2 weeks left in the season. It's a good thing I have identified 3 gobblers in VA that need killing.
Way to go brother! Congrats!
CONGRATS !!!
Killer B's stackin' em up !!!
Congrats! 8)
Very good! We're hitting stride now!
Congrats!!
Yes sir! Congratulations.