We set up right as the sky started to lighten at our regular listening spot. Had gobbles to the north, south and east. North and south were close. So we sat down square between a good old fashioned gobbling contest. I really liked those odds of course. Both gobblers worked their way in our direction but never committed closer than 100 yards and eventually worked off. Typical behavior of gobblers with hens, and we actually heard hens off to the south. About 8:00 or so, I decided to get up and do a little scouting to see where they might be. Glassed up the birds to the south but they were on the neighbors farm. A good size flock of hens, jakes and long beards about 250 yards away and would get a courtesy gobble from time to time. So I set up the junior hunter with his dad right inside the property line with a jake and hen decoy in a spot where the flock could see them if they cut the distance to under 150. What I thought would take maybe the rest of the morning to pull a gobbler across the property, ended up being about 10 minutes. All it took was a few yelping sequences which were cut off by the gobbles and next thing I see is 3 red heads popping out of the brush and proceed to stroll about 20 yards in front of the youth and his dad. (I'm about 5 yards off the side). I cut at them, they pop there heads and all gobble. But the youth does not shoot. I can't believe it. he had his pick of the litter at 20 yards standing still. Well they proceed to flog the jake decoy. I cut at them again, they pop their heads up and this time bang flop. I see 2 run off and stand up to see a black lump laying in the grass. #9 TSS out of Savage 410 stone cold dead.
This was the youth's first turkey and certainly got his money's worth. 23.5 pounds, 1-1/4 spurs, 11.5 and 9 inch beards. Had them cranking in his lap and saw them flog a decoy.
The good news is his 2 brothers are still there. Come Monday morning so will I.
