KY Youth Opener

[toneloc]

What a perfect morning in the Turkey woods.  Hard frost, calmest morning I can remember in a long time, literally zero wind where we were.  Got too aggressive on a bird we roosted Friday night and blew him into the next county.  Was upset with myself....but several other birds were sounding off so we picked one and started charging.  Ended up being 4-5 gobbling together.  They flew down with several hens just out of sight.  Worked 2 hens for about an hour with gobblers sounding off at us calling.  Great vocalizations.  They finally shut up, but was still getting a gobble every 15 minutes or so.  Heard a fight during this time as well.  Finally decided a move was in order and circled slight above them.  About 10 am one of them sounded off on it's own, not far from our original setup.  A little coaxing and he marched right up to us.  Joey tried to swing just as his head popped out from a big tree.  He immediately drew back and stared alarm putting.  I started cutting aggressive and he was going back and forth between alarm putts and gobbles.  I could see his head, but too steep for Joey.  He worked off and finally shut up.  During that gobbling and aggressive calling a bird started firing off across the drainage.  He didn't seem like he was going to come up the hill so we headed his way.  Just as we hit the bottom he fired off close!  Joey sat between my legs and a few calls and we could hear him spitting in some thick to the right. Joey swang right just as he popped out in full strut.  20 yds and Joey made a great shot, dropped him hard.  The turkey gods granted us an unbelievable morning in the woods with more chances than we deserved.   To top it off was a banded bird.  22 lbs on the boga grip fishing scale, whisker shy of 10" beard, 1 1/16" + 1" spur.  Thankful for such an incredible opportunity.  Looking forward to day 2.

[Marc]

What an exciting day for him!

Honestly, I bet that bird was more exciting after losing 2 opportunities... Having a couple get away, makes success all that much sweeter!

[boatpaddle]

Joey's smile says it all...

Congratulations to both of you...

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[Jimspur]

Congratulations to y'all and good luck tomorrow!

[Yoteduster]

Congrats to you son on a nice gobbler

[Chief Razor]

Thats one proud young man, congrats!

[Kylongspur88]

That's awesome! Congratulations!

[Aaron Johnson]

That's the good stuff !

[ybuck]

well ill be danged....that is the hunt of a lifetime guys!!
many. many congrats!!!

[richard black]

Doesn't get any better than that for the young man! Congratulations to you both on an exciting morning and keep smiling! ?

[gunboy203]

Congrats ...  And a banded one at that!!!   

[Gooserbat]

Congratulations

[joey46]

PERFECT!  Big congrats.

[JeffC]

Big congrats to the young man! Sound s like a great opening day, with all the highs and lows of hunting. Good luck today.

[Tom007]

Beautiful bird, fantastic memory