Today was a local refuge youth hunt that I gotten the girlfriends grandson signed up for. After taking him along last Sunday bowhunting for them with a buddy and me. He was more than excited for his chance to try to get one. First time he ever went hunting.
Last night we got to go do a little scouting. Located a couple birds inside of the refuge also located a couple across the river on the outside edge of the refuge. Well they had the meeting this morning before the hunt and there was 35 kids there. From what I was hearing by people talking most of them was staying in the park. So I thought we're going across the river to those birds. Everybody lined up at the gate ready for it to open and all of the trucks went to the inside of the park. Granted there is a lot of birds in the middle and pastures to set up blinds short walks and easy for the kids. I just thought that many staying inside the park. We're the only truck that went to the outside edges.
Well I thought I made I mistake after the mile and half walk back to the trees where the birds were roosted at. They never made a noise. Finally one gobbled farther east of us so we hurried up to try to cut the distance. Got set up about 150-200 yards from him got him gobbling pretty good on the limb. He flew down about 6:35 gobbled only once on the ground and made his way to us. Once he got to the dike road about 40yards away he got locked on the DSD jake he came in at a fast pace. Just as he got in about 20 yards he went off the backside of the dike. I thought it was going to be over but he popped back up on the dike right in the decoys. He went straight for the jake. Really didnt want him to shoot right next to the decoy but I couldn't take it any longer told him to take him. Hoping he didn't shoot low. He made a great shot never hit the decoy. He had a 9" beard only one 1" spur other one was broke off and weighed 22.4lbs. The hunt only lasted about 5 minutes after he flew down we're done by 6:40. Zach was more than excited about it and said he couldn't believe he hit.
Here is a short video of it.
http://youtu.be/3PyWjZbMvwY
