My dad, brother and I all headed out bright and early this morning. We had went up to our lease in Appomattox yesterday and set up three different blinds on three of our food plots and set our decoy stakes up so all we had to do is put the decoys on the stakes in the morning. We had some pictures of different birds in the food plots so with the forecasted rain and wind we figured it was our best shot to split up and give it a go. We were all in the blinds by 5:50 a.m.
I was the first to hear a faint hen yelping in the distance then a nice gobble to my left down in the bottom. I gave a few soft purrs and clucks on the pot call and nothing. I then gave a couple of yelps with my diaphragm call and he gobbled. I waited 15 minutes or so then gave another series of yelps with mouth call and he gobbled but still in the same spot. I waited until about 6:50 a.m. and gave another series of yelps and then nothing. About 7:05 a.m. I had pulled my face mask down for some reason I don't know why and he pops out of the tall grass at the edge of the food plot(less than 1/4 acre food plot) looking right at me and I freeze. He slowly makes his way over the Avian X Jake decoy and starts to work it over. I then pull my mask back up and what for him to fan up and turn away then I raise my gun. He goes to the other side of the decoy and is working him over. I have the gun on him but if I shoot my decoy is dead as well. I swear I held the gun on him for 3 or 4 minutes. At this time I am starting to get tired of holding the gun in place and my adrenaline is pumping so hard and let it rest against the blind slightly. He must have seen the blind move and stepped away from the decoy giving the shot I was waiting for. Dropped him stone dead at 29 yards. I did cut the end of his beard off with the TSS but I didn't mind because he died quickly and ethically. He did have 1 1/2 inch spurs so that was a plus as well.
I shot a text to my dad and brother and then my brother calls me. We are talking and he says gotta go he has a hen in the food plot. He is self filming his hunt.
He has the hen that has stepped into plot then another hen steps into the plot and both are feeding around and one is chasing the other. Next thing a nice gobbler comes walking in the plot and instantly goes into full strut heading towards his Jake decoy he lets it take a couple of steps and then stops it in his tracks with the TSS. No flop or anything at 30 yards. He was able to get the whole hunt on film and it was perfect.
My dad didn't get an opportunity but all and all it was a great day. Two gobblers down on opening morning here in Virginia.
Very nice. Congrats to you both
:icon_thumright:
Some more pics from the hunt.
Very nice!! Looks like one of them almost got decapitated. :z-guntootsmiley:
The one I shot got a full dose of 2 oz. of TSS to the noggin and it wasn't pretty. I don't eat the head so no worries!
Congrats guys!
Congrats on a couple beauties guys!! :icon_thumright: Thanks for sharing.
Bob
Congrats! :icon_thumright:
Congrats!
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Thanks, I appreciate it guys.
Awesome job man. Congrats to you both.
congrats all around :icon_thumright:
Congratulations
That's a great hunt!!! 1 1/2" spurs are what I am on a quest for, just never happened as yet!! :drool:
Congrats. Awesome stats.
Congrats!!
Sounds like a great day :z-guntootsmiley: