I took a job this year at the local private school as a favor to the headmaster who I've known since I was around 16 who needed help. I told her she wouldn't hear me complain until spring
I was on birds the entire weekend here in Mississippi but due to various reasons I couldn't get one within range. Before I knew it Monday was here and it was time to go back to work.
This morning I dropped the kids off around 7:30 as I normally do and went home. At 9:15 I get a call from a friend of mine who said he heard a gobbler on his place that wouldn't shut up and asked if I wanted to give him a try. I didn't even finish my breakfast as I grabbed my gear and bolted out the door.
I arrived at the spot and didn't even get the door on my truck shut good when he sounded off down this old logging road. I eased down and set up just on my side of this rise in the road that dropped off down into a hollow. That way if the bird came up and over the rise to investigate he'd already be in range.
This bird gobbled at everything-my calling, crows, hawks, log trucks driving nearby..EVERYTHING. But I was told this bird had hens and he never would come up that road. We played the game for about an hour. The next time I heard him gobble he was way off down the hollow moving away from me. I decided to let this bird go and check out a different spot.
I parked at the gate in the new area and walked toward a food plot that has two huge lanes where you can see for over 200 yards, but unless you're in the blind you can't see everything at once. I yelped one time and got an answer to the right of the food plot. I set up on the near side and waited.
I called every 15 minutes without another sound. This went on for 30 minutes so I got curious and eased over the small knoll on the lane to my right. I only went 10 yards before I saw the tips of a strutting tail fan about 50 yards out. I eased back down, went 40 yards and set up. I called once but didn't get an answer.
Five minutes passed before I saw a hen pop over the knoll at 50 yards, followed by 3 more, and then 2 strutters were pulling up the rear. At first the lead hen started in my direction, stopped to see where the hen was she heard, but turned around to head towards the food plot.
I was furious at this point because they were going to walk directly past my previous setup. The hens got out of sight and the gobblers were strutting facing away from me so I let out a loud cut followed by some quick yelps. One hen decided she wasn't haven't that and came back with some trash talk of her own. I kept quiet and waited to see what would happen.
The lead hen came back to the lane I was on, stared for a few seconds, and the proceeded to head towards me with the rest of the train in tow. The hens walked by me at 10 yards and at 12:08 p.m. I pulled the trigger on the first bird that gave me a clean shot at 30 yards. He was a beautiful 2 year old and he and his buddy sure put on a show as they strutted the entire time I had eyes on them.
