Good for the soul MS 3/18/24 updated

[3seasons]

Haven't heard a bird since season started, but I put some trail cams out around the area I'm hunting hoping to get an idea of what I had roaming there. Along with some help of catching some poachers.   I've gotten pics of some birds throughout Feb and March so I know there are birds in the area. Didn't hear or see anything for the opener on Friday. Saturday morning I'm sitting on a beautiful ridge and can hear a long ways, there are owls, crows, hawks and a donkey going nuts and there isn't a turkey to be found.  I'm getting ready to make my way back to my truck so I can go home and get some sleep when I just happen to check my cameras and there are two birds strutting in front of my south camera with 6 hens. I make my way towards them and can't get any response from them, so I slip out and go home.  When I get up that afternoon, I check my camera and the birds are now in front of my North camera and its almost roost time. Sunday I wake up to check my phone and its storming in the area, so I rolled back over. 
Sunday afternoon is where it gets interesting, as I'm sitting at work I check my cameras, at 3:30 I get one pic of a gobbler going south at my south camera and at 6:30 I get pics of 6 hens going by my north camera, no gobblers. So, what's going on now, did they fight and split up or did something bust them up.  Do I set up North close to the hens or do I go south and hope he's still in the area. I decided on the south area, and with the north wind I would be able to hear the north end of the property too.

I leave work a little early to give myself time to walk the 1.25miles in and to get to the tree I wanted well before first light.  I get to my tree and sit down only to be greeting by some gale force winds that were not in the forecast. With all the dead pines around I got a little nervous and made sure I was in a good spot. When it started breaking day, I noticed I was sitting in the wide open, like wide open. This isn't going to work at all, so I look around and find a big oak about 40yds away. I don't want to move and bump anything, so I wait to hear a gobble.  He gobbles at 6:50 on his own. I let him gobble once more to better get a bead on him and I make my move back to the better tree.  I set up facing 10oclock and make a light call on my Madhatter copper pot and he gobbles, I give him a couple minutes and call again with a fly down cackle and do a fly down wing beat on my leg, he gobbles. About 2 min goes by and he gobbles again. I think I catch a flash of something in the wood's way off but it's still pretty dark and I can't tell. As I'm looking in the distance and the wind is howling, I swear I can hear something but can't really make it out. Could it be, maybe, but I can't tell with the wind then I hear it again, I cut my eyes to my 12oclock and I catch a black object drumming and slipping through the woods at about 35yds. (It's crazy how they just appear). Now I'm in a little bit of a bind, he half struts and drums and moves looking for the hen he heard fly down. I let him walk past some small saplings and make my move ever so slowly and when he steps out from behind the saplings, I'm on him, a light yelp and he raises his head and all I see is a ball of fire out of my barrel at 7:03am.
I got pretty shook up after the shot and said a prayer then got up and walked over to check out my bird. He is gorgeous. I'm grateful to be able to chase these birds that will work on your emotions in every way. I needed this hunt; it was good for the soul. 





tree one in the pitch black dark

much better option

[callaway71]

Awesome! Congrats on a successful hunt.

[FullChoke]

Man, A great start and I can't wait for the patented 3seasons story about how he got this bad boy!

Cheers 

FC

[JeffC]

Congratulations on your 1st Tom of the season, looking forward to the story.

[Roost 1]

Congrats!!

[cannonball]

Congratulations! I'm looking forward to reading your story on the hunt.

[zelmo1]

Nice job boss. This guy gets " lucky" a lot too  . Z

[xarcher]

Atta boy.

[paintbrush]

Way to go!  Nice read and great bird!