Bird down at 10:30 MO opener. 21 1/2 lbs 10" beard 3/4 spurs. Typical 2 yr old. Norman I'll try to email you the pics later this evening.
Well heres the story,not sure if it is as "epic" as Fullchoke said it would be but here goes. Opening morning(monday) here in MO starts out as a beautiful day. Somewhat cool,clear,no wind. Hunting a 90 acre property about 15 miles west of home. have about 6 birds gobbling within a 400 yd radius of my predetermined first setup point. I have one gobbler in particular about 150 yds due east of me just inside the timber of the pipeline im set on going nuts. Flydown time comes and birds are still gobbling decent on the ground and answering calls,but I know hens are close by so it becomes more of a waiting game. At around 730 i see movement onto the pipeline from the neighbors to the north(no permission to hunt) and to my surprise its...............2 jacklegs trying to sneak into the timber on my side after the birds that are gobbling
After I confront them(very much to their surprise) and learn from this older dude that at 730,exactly 1 1/2 hrs into the season that its already over because the turkeys arent working and then learn that hes killed more turkeys than most people have probably seen, I proceed to show them back to the fence. Im not really sure they even had permission to be there as thay left gobbling birds to come over to my side.I decide to pick up my stuff and move further south to another small pasture/clearing and setup since im sure dumb and dumber didnt wander far from the fence. Get moved and setup and its now around 830. Do some light calling and get the occasional gobble off in the distance. About 945 I get a unsolicited single gobble about 75 yds behind me to the left. Give some light yelps,purrs and clucks,do a little leaf raking but no response. Hold tight with an occasional purr and cluck then I hear it...........Pfffft.The unmistakeable drumming sound. Ease my head around and there he is about 25 yds behind me in strut staring down my 1/2 strut jake and hen dekes. He eases closer but acts a little apprehensive(but not scared) of the jake. He turns his fan to me at 20 yds and I move my 870 20 gauge to the other side of the tree and line up the bead on his fan. One set of clucks and he comes out of strut head up looking for that hen and BAM!!! Dead bird on the ground at 1030!! I really wanted to find that yahoo that told me that it was already over and said this guy didnt get the memo.Redemption for a goose egg last year so 2016 is off to a good start with me and even better my 6 yr old killing a nice gobbler on his very first hunt during the youth hunt the weekend before.
As a side note I talked to the landowner that night and he said me and my boys plus one other guy are the ONLY ones to be in there and I now have permission to show any and all trespassers the fence,via the gun barrel if necessary.
