Saturday's hunt: I get to my favorite west GA listening spot and hear 3+ gobblers off property first thing. So, I took note of them but waited to hear other birds on my side and boom I hear 3 or 4 on the roost near by. Game on! So, I go to this little food plot that has a trial through some thick small pines (good concealment) and proceed to get in close. I get to where the hardwoods are at the end/edge of the pines and go up the hill into the hardwoods about 20 yards...it looked like a good setup. I'm close but I have good concealment with the pines. I can hear them good - there is a bunch of them all together. I do a fly down cackle and they hammer back, I did a crow call they hammer (because the real crows were getting them to gobble) back so it sure seems like game on to me. They hit the ground and I crank it up - yelping, cutting hard! Then I hear some more gobbling further away to my slight left and above them. Hmmm! Here comes some more gobblers. Then I hear someone else crow call to them on the other side of them (probably next to my vehicle) and they gobble like crazy. I was like great it's that other dude again (his crow calling is awful). However, I knew I was in a better position. So, then I hear 1 of the first group of gobblers fire off and it sounded like he was headed my way. Then those far off gobblers gobble a lot closer and he must have turned around. Then I see and hear those 3 gobblers on the opposite ridgeline and they start making their way to me. I get ready as they walk down the ridge in front of me and they are moving to my left. They cross a little creek out of sight and I soft call to them and direct the calling behind me...I hear 1 of them drumming and then I see them coming over a small hill toward me! I need to reposition because they are even further to my left - I'm watching their every move and I finally get a chance to move. I actually dropped my Trigger Stick and the 3rd gobbler sort of sees me but luckily he doesn't alarm putt hard and bug out. This whole time I think my camera is recording, so I call to them one last time at less than 40 yards, they stop and they all hammer back!!! It was awesome! I pick out what appears to be the boss of the 3 (they were not strutting - just walking fast) - it's the gobbler in the middle and he steps out into my shooting lane and BOOM! He should not have done that - he dead!
So, the other 2 gobblers didn't bug out and I call to them but they are watching their buddy flop and don't come close enough. So, I decided 1 bird was enough and get up and they bug out - 1 runs and 1 flies away. It was an awesome hunt and it was a real nice gobbler (my first double bearded gobbler)!
Gobbler's stats:
Killed on Saturday, April 6th, 2013 at 7:25AM in west GA
Weight = 18.2 lbs.
Beard #1 = 9 inches
Beard #2 = 6 inches
Spurs = 1 inch
Cave Spring-20130406-00232 by
RicochetFX4, on Flickr
Cedartown-20130406-00235 by
RicochetFX4, on Flickr
Cave Spring-20130406-00234 by
RicochetFX4, on Flickr
Cave Spring-20130406-00233 by
RicochetFX4, on Flickr
