Smoked #2 this morning (video link and story added)

[Ricochet]

Gobbler #2 down - pics, story and video coming up shortly.  

[harvester]

Congradulations, can't wait. Great Job Jonathan. 

[Ricochet]

Thunder chicken #2 down for the 2011 turkey season...

I get to the hunt club at 6:15AM and see Mr. Reid Sr. and his grandson and talk about the gobbler I killed on Wednesday, and they are headed to an area close to where I killed it.  I thought about going over there as well, but let them have at it.  So, I think about where else I can go and decide to try my luck where I heard a gobbler on the roost opening day.  I drive through a section of planted pines to trails that get me on the backside of where I heard that gobbler.  I went there once earlier in the season with no luck, but the good Lord and lady luck where smiling on me today.  I get to an intersection in the trail and stop and listen...either way will take me to good swampy areas and turkey habitat.  I finally hear one off in the direction of where I heard a gobbler on opening morning.  I walk the muddy trail to where there is some good dry ground and a nice semi-open area.  I found this place earlier in the season and it seemed like a good place to setup and wait.  This spot was over 100 yards away from their roost spot, and I figured it might take them some time to get to me, but I felt good about the setup.  They flew down right sunrise (7AM) and I hear them hammer 1 time – it's at least 2 gobblers.  I break out my Supreme "Talking Dirty" aluminum pot call and play a few notes – yelping and hard cuts on it and they hammer right back!  OK, game on – they are headed my way.  Around this time I start hearing 1-2 more gobblers off to my left and hens as the other 2 gobblers approach from my right.  They are all getting closer and I get quiet and put in my Dan Kendall "Secret Weapon" mouth call, and starting yelping and putting softly.  No response and I'm wondering where are they now – they should be close.  Then I grab the pot call again and BAM they are to my left near those other gobblers.  So, I yelp and cut hard again on it and I think I get them to finally change direction toward me.  I wait and call a little more on my mouth call and BAM they are right to my left approx. 60 yards and closing – I can see them now and they are walking from my left to right, and should come right out in front of me.  There is a strutter and another non-strutting Tom and 1 hen.  I get quiet and watch them walk into my "shooting lane"...they walk out and I call 1 last time (as you can see and hear on the video) and they hammer back.  I wanted to play with them a little and get them to gobble some more and possibly get them to line up for a double, so I call again and they start acting spooked and that's when I decided to stop playing around and BOOM!  Thunder chicken #2 down in the SC low country @ approx. 7:30AM...another lovely (semi-short) off or near the roost hunt...my 2nd this week!  It's been an awesome week and I still have time and 3 more tags to fill (plus 3 in GA).  It would be nice to kill 1 or 2 more...we shall see.

Stats:
•   17.4 lbs.
•   11.25 inch beard
•   Left spur was deformed and 0.75  inches
•   Right spur was 1.25 inches

I'll get pics up soon; the video upload to Youtube took a long time since it's in HD!  

Here is the HD video:
http://youtu.be/e2w1vy5Ya6w

Here is a photo and I posted several in the kill thread:

[keyser12ga]

That's great, congrats, nice long beard on him.

[mfd1027]

That was neat!!!  Thanks for posting it.   Congrats on another fine bird.   

[Ricochet]

Thanks y'all!  I added a photo (link).

That was neat!!!  Thanks for posting it.   Congrats on another fine bird.    

Dan, that's your call you hear at the end.  

[mfd1027]

Sounds pretty good!! lol    Man, your camera takes nice photo's.  What are you shooting??

[Ricochet]

Sounds pretty good!! lol    Man, your camera takes nice photo's.  What are you shooting??

Yep, it does sound good...I misplaced your Whistler call.  I need to try that one on them birds. 

It's actually just a "cheap" Sanyo HD camera I got off Amazon for $130.  It works well, but battery life sucks...it almost died on me, but I got the final shot off in time.  The recoil shuts the camera screen and turns it off.  LOL  I need to figure out how to keep it open/on, but I guess there isn't much to see after that.  So, it works pretty darn...I was happy with the results. 

[ElkTurkMan]

Great Job JP.

[unclerick]

Another nice bird Jon, WTG!!!