Tagged out in FL.

[Muzzy61]

Lucky enough to take my second bird this year. He turned out to be a really good bird. I along with several others in my club had a little history with him. He roost in a section of some woods  off our lease. But will come to a field that boarders our club. He's been henned up all season, normally always with 4 hens. He will stay in the field gobbling most of the day and then always seems to narrowly avoid us as he slips into our property.

Myself, one of my buddies from Kentucky that came down to hunt with me and 3 other club members have hunted him in the last 3 weeks. All of us have had him in shotgun range at least once and have not been able to kill him. He's got one hen that I swear has a sixth sense, she has been the one to save him on multiple occasions.

There is 3 gaps that exist the field onto our lease. I setup in some pines about 20 yards from one of the gaps which is not unusual for me. The unusual part for me to day was I was hunting with a 410 that I bought and set up for my grandson to use next year, I just wanted to see how it performed. I also took a wing bone call with me. I have never used one. I bought a cheap one on line last week. Been trying to learn to use it but I sound awful. Well today this gobbler would not respond to a mouth call, slate or glass call. But every time I made whatever sound that was I was making with that wing bone he would gobble. This went on for about 2 hours. I never saw him but could tell he was on the far end of the field, It took all I had not to try and make a move to get closer but I stayed put. After going silent for a while he finally gobbled on his own about 50yards away in the field. Through my bino's I could see two  hens moving to my gap, still had not seen him.
Where they come trough the gap you can see their heads first for a couple of steps before you see their body. Of course I'm expecting a hen's head and instead it's a big red head. But as soon as I saw it he spun and went back to the field.  I said what the heck and gave a soft I guess you could call it a yelp with the wing bone. About 10 seconds latter he step out of  the gap and the little 410 ( With TSS) killed him stone cold dead.
I guess it was just his time, I'm convinced if the skittish hen had come out first she would have somehow saved him again.

Pretty cool hunt, I'm now a big fan of the wing bone. 

Wing bone by Tom Patterson, on Flickr
hooks by Tom Patterson, on Flickr

[JeffC]

Way to go Muzzy!! Great read, way to get it done sir..! And I see some HOOKs!! I guess you are feeling better?

[Muzzy61]

Way to go Muzzy!! Great read, way to get it done sir..! And I see some HOOKs!! I guess you are feeling better?

Yep, feeling better. Appreciate it.

[Spellnj3]

Nice bird!!! Congrats 

[lacire]

Sorry, somehow I missed this. Congratulations on a really nice bird. Your hunting story is the kind I like to hear, work for that bird and you appreciate it when you get him in range. My son and another avid hunter I know have been using wing bone calls this season and have now called in and shot five toms with them, I thought the same thing using them at home, this really doesn't sound like a real hen. I've gotten better but at first I think I could have called in a few gray squirrels with it. 

Again congratulations Muzzy.

[Muzzy61]

Thanks bud.  Definitely going to continue practicing with it. In all seriousness I believe the different sound played a big part. Him and his hens had heard a lot of slates and mouth calls.

[HillclimberWV]

I think the winbone is just cool. Its nice to use as much of a turkey as possible and even if they dont sound the best the make cool momentos.
Congrats on the bird. Bonus points on the bragging rights among the club.