Bird down in N Florida

g8rvet · April 22, 2015, 10:50:06 AM

Been chasing some gobblers, they are gobbling their heads off at first light for the last 3 days and twice we have seen hens heading to them at a fast trot. This is on hard hunted public land, so we knew we needed to get on them. I have passed on two jakes this year, one public, one private and I decided last night as I was still blanked, I was gonna kill the first legal bird I had in my sights today (I could hunt today and Sunday and the season is out). Bird gobbles this AM and I move in. The only place to set up as close as I wanted had zero cover and to get to it, I had to walk right by his roost, so I backed up a little on a road that comes from a field. I called sparingly and he answered. He came up the road, gobbling frequently. He gets to the spot I wanted to get to and hangs up, strutting and gobbling (maybe 60 yards away). I think no sweat, he will come, he knows a hen is here. An hour later, he is still there and still gobbling and I am just being patient. I had packed a lunch and planned to hunt until 1PM if needed. About that time I notice movement to my right and see 3 birds heading to him at a trot across a grown up field. Crud. Henned up again. They are too close to me and him or I would have waved and scattered them if I had seen them across the field. I get my gun up just in case as I can't see the trail birds real well. The first is a hen and #2 following her has red on his head! He steps out for an ID and I clearly see a beard and down goes Frazier. 38 yards. My first public land kill (I have called 3 in for others on public, just never killed one) and my first kill with a 20. He did not flop until I stepped on his head. The Fed HW #7 performed as advertised. I cut it close this year, but never gave up and hunted harder instead of getting discouraged. Even though he was a little 6" beard bird, with the lack of gobbles and the lack of tracks and the lack of birds after the first week, he feels like a trophy.