CA Public land longbeard

[TRKYHTR]

Joey and his friend Jake took me to a piece of public land they had scouted and found some sign. We dropped Joey off in the dark in the pouring down rain. Oh did I mention it was a boat ride across a lake in a 14" flatbottom boat in 20 MPH winds and pouring down rain. Jake and I got to our area about the time it started to get a little light. It was still raining but not bad. We heard a turkey gobble and the game was on. We got to a point where we couldn't go any further because it was too light and not enough cover. So we set uo and I started calling. Jake had killed 3 turkeys before today, 2 jakes and 1 longbeard that Joey called in for him last year. The turkeys were responding well to my X-terminator mouth call and my macassar ebony trumpet. They finally flew down and I knew there was at least 1 hen. After about 30 minutes I knew it was time to move. The gobbling had slowed and we needed to get around in front of these turkeys. We made our way around and I hit them with some cutting to see where they were and he cutt me off about 75 yards away just over a rise. I put Jake out front and started calling. He gobbled good a few times and then I heard some spittin and drummin. He was just on the otherside of the rock outcropping we were set up on. I spotted some movement about 100 yards away and then 4 Jakes popped out on the road we had walked in on. They were coming down the road in our direction. I yelped a few times and the hammered back. They cutt off the road and came straight at us. I was watching Jake because I didn't know if he was going to kill a Jake or not. I pulled them within 10 yards of Jake and he passed. They went over the rock outcropping and I could hear them spitting and drummin. The I catch some more movement. It was 2 hens and 1 had a 5" beard. He passed. He has now passed 4 Jakes and a bearded hen. I thought ok no problem. The Jakes came back over the ridge and headed away with the 2 hens. Then I hear the spitting and drumming just on the other side of the rocks. I motioned to Jake that I could still hear a turkey strutting, I don't think he could hear it. A couple minutes later I notice Jake trying to look further down the ridge when I hear a PUTT PUTT. I started clucking a purring agressively. I came back at the turkey everytime I heard a putt. Then he stepped out at 35 yards. It was the longbeard. He had spotted Jake moving. My clucks and purrs had settled him down just enough to give Jake some time to ease his gun up. The gobbler was at full alert and still putting and I was still clucking and purring. Then he started walking away and calmly said you better shoot. Boom and he went right down. It was a great hunt and Jake got a turkey hunting 101 on public land. The the rain stopped and the sun came out. We spotted another gobbler and I almost was able to throw and gobbler over my shoulder. Today was Jakes day and it was a good one.

TRKYHTR

[JVA54]

  Nice bird, nice pic's!  Congrats!!   

[boomer]

Congrats!! Nice pics

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[sugarray]

That sounds like a great hunt.  Fine looking land there too!!  Great 2 days for you guys.

[MDbowman]

Sounds like a great hunt!  Congrats!

[jde]

Great job and those pic's are aw some 

[guesswho]

Good job and congrats to Jkae.  Man, some some pretty hunting ground.

[VA_Birdhunter]

Congrats!! 

[ceejay]

What a beautiful place to hunt 

[ccleroy]

Do work Joe!

[TauntoHawk]

You hunt some of the coolest looking landscaping I've ever seen

[TRKYHTR]

I haven't hunted this area in 20 years. I called in my first longbeard here 27 years ago. Forgot how pretty it was and let me tell you there are more turkeys there that need killin.

TRKYHTR

[cannonball]

Well done Joe, and congrats to Jake!

[dlquinn]

  Nice bird and great story

[drenalinld]

Awsome Joe. Proud of Jake for waiting on the big bird! He is a good one! Let the Benelli roar!