[imgI woke up around 4am and it was pouring. I decided to roll back over and catch up on some sleep. The rain seemed to let up around 9 so I headed out. I covered a couple miles running and gunning and never heard a peep. The rain started to pick back up again pretty good.
About 1130, I let out a series of calls and a bird answered. I called again and a second bird gobbled closer. Eventually he made his way to me but stayed just out of range gobbling and strutting, then made his way up a hill behind me and got on top of the ridge, and just kept gobbling. Not wanting him to get away, I re-set up about 50 yards away, right where he had just walked through, knowing he may come back down to where he just walked through. His gobble sounded further away, so I started cutting hard and got him worked up pretty good, and he popped his head back over the ridge and it was all over.
He's a scrubby 2 year old with a 8 inch beard and 3/4 spurs. I'll take him. He's the ice breaker.