A great day.

[captpete]

 It was opening morning of Iowa's 1st season. It was partly cloudy, about 40* and the wind was blow 20-30 mph....not perfect conditions, but much better than being at work. I had several gobbling about 300-400 yds. away on some other property. I know the birds couldn't hear my calls as the wind was blowing from them to me. I sat there for 4 hours in hopes that one or more would move my way as they have a tendency to do...to day wasn't that day.

I moved on to another spot and shortly after getting set up I called in a Jake and he preceded to have his way with my DSD hen decoy. It went on for about 30 minutes. I sat there for 3 hours without hear anything or anything else showing up. Sorry can't figure out how get the short video loaded. I added a link or you can click the picture and it will take you the video.
20210412_123144 by CaptPete17, on Flickr

https://flic.kr/p/2kSMkBE

I left, grabbed something to eat and hit a 3rd spot. I got set up and gave a series of yelps, cuts & purrs. About 10 minutes later I had a bird gobble about 100yards away. I gave him a few yelps and he gobbled a couple of more times from farther away. Fast forward about 30 minutes and he shows himself at about 150 yards from the north instead of the east from where he gobbled from. I gave him a couple of yelps and some purrs....10 minutes later he was strutting at 20 yards for my decoy. I couldn't get him to come out of strut. I yelped, whistled, yelled and even waved my arm. I ended up shooting him while he strutting. He had a 7 1/2" beard, 1" and 7/8" spurs respectively and weighed 24.6lbs...my heaviest bird.

Like the title says...A GREAT DAY!

20210412_154431 by CaptPete17, on Flickr

[culpeper]

Congratulations and like you said, it beats working

[richard black]

A great and exciting day. Congratulations on your success.

[Meleagris gallopavo]

Nice job and great story!


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[btomlin]

Sounds like a great hunt!  I'm impatiently awaiting Friday's opener!

[zelmo1]

Love those 3rd/4th spot birds, lol. Saved many a season with them. Congrats bro. Al

[JeffC]

Congrats

[chadly]

Congrats.  I was out for the Iowa opener as well.  Like you said windy it was.  ridiculous actually.  Glad it worked out. 

[Sixes]

Congratulations

[jhoward11]

What a little lunch will do for ya! No giving up! Congrats.

[silvestris]

"I couldn't get him to come out of strut. I yelped, whistled, yelled and even waved my arm. I ended up shooting him while he strutting."

Why I don't use decoys.  It takes the wild out of the bird.

[Sungrazer]

Congratulations.
Came for the video-stayed for the Morel pics!

[3bailey3]

Awesome hunt, congrats..

[randy6471]

 Congrats!! Sounds like you had an awesome day!

[Yoteduster]

Congrats on a really nice gobbler