Beautiful gobbling day, and the birds did not disappoint. Until they hit the ground that is. Seemed like hens had everyone preoccupied and they zipped their little beaks. I spotted a longbeard strutting in a field and tried to follow him. Seemed like I'd spot him, get a good move in and the next time I saw him he'd be even farther away. I followed until I saw him strutting down a trail and made a good loop to get there, but he had already moved through. I slowly walked the trail trying to stir up a gobble from him when I ran into the private boundary. I break out the box call and hit a series of yelps when he hammers back but like 150 yards out. Well, it's something so I back into the public woods and set up. Cut and he gobbles again. But after that he went quiet. A few minutes go by and I yelp , he cuts me off 60 yards away.. NICE! Before long I see movement through the woods as he breaks into strut under the holly. Very slowly he works his way to me, headed to the right. He gets to 40 yards but is still on private land. I give him a quiet 3 note yelp to straighten his path and he responds with a
thpooom and does just that. This bird was quite the drummer, drumming the entire way in. Seemed like forever it took him to get up on the trail and on my side of the boundary, but when he does he's behind a big tree. I follow his drumming to know which side he's going to pop out on and when he does he pops his head up just a little, drums back into strut then lifts up again.. 21 yards at 0855.. longbeard down! Quite possibly the most drumming I've ever heard from a bird.
20lbs 15oz
9 3/4" beard
15/16" spurs
