Woke up to a cold and damp morning. I heard nothing on the roost so kept moving around until I struck a bird with my Marlin Watkins box call (Never use box calls) around 400 yards away. I set up and they (2 longbeards) started gobbling really good but wouldn't budge. After re-setting up 4 times and switching to my mouth call, and having the rolling terrain to my advantage, I sat down and gave a call, and he hammered back right away under 30 yards over a little rise. A few seconds later, I catch movement in front of me and I thread the needle under a downed tree and knock him down at 15 yards.
It's been a rough few days. Other than a bird I screwed up on Sunday morning, there has been very little roost gobbling or really gobbling at all. Appears to be shaping into yet another strange season like the last 3. I'll take them when I can get them. Ill get the contest pics posted in a little later. He's a triple beard with a little over inch spurs.