I was rained out for work today, so knowing that was the case.I went and roosted some birds last night and decided we would go in and sit in the rain, and call a bit, and see what would happen. We had 4 hens, 4 toms and 2 jakes fly down about 200 yards away from us and I played with my trumpet a little, I had called in 8 jakes with it opening morning but I had some longbeards stay just out of range the previous few mornings I have been out in the 9 day old season.
I called the hens within 10-12 steps of us this morning with the trumpet, and called in the 4 toms to about 31-33 yards, We tried for a double but It just didn't pan out as the bird I ended up shooting was about 7-8 yards to the right of the other 3,and they were about 1 yard apart, my father was sitting about 5 yards to my left, and never could get a shot, without shooting more than one and when I shot, the birds ran and one flew away.
The beard was thin and had severe beard rot but he has decent hooks for this area and weight wise,he is a little above normal. It was a great morning,they gobbled 10-12 times on the roost and a few times on ground but did not fan,windy and a steady drizzle. I worked up the hen enough to drag them all within range, this is my first kill using a trumpet call and the first with this gun, 3.5" longbeard 6's sent this one to his last ride.