Illinois bird

[renegade19]

My half of an opening day double.  Buddy's bird was a stud.  Had them both come in but they hung up at about 60 yards or so when they couldn't see the "hens".  After letting them wonder off to a safe, don't get busted distance we moved on them probably 100 yards laterally.  Set up and called again.  Got an answer.  Soft calling, he's coming closer pretty quick.  I shut up and scratch some leaves.  Pretty soon, I can hear him walking.  He pops up over the rise we're on and BOOM!  Bird down.  We sat tight and called but the other guy was nowhere to be found.  Short hike out to the truck and my buddy was ready to head out. 

I told him that the other bird hadn't come in and didn't see us so he was still workable.  Lets give it a shot!  We do a big loop around and get above him and throw a call back down the valley.  He answers from where we originally struck them.  Woods were really open here so I slipped down the hill 15 yards and set out a hen and a strutter.  We got ready and called to him again.  Strong answer.  Soft calls, he's coming.  More scratching, he's coming.  Pretty soon he shows up just out of range down the hill, moving left to right.  I gave him a soft cluck and he stopped and looked up at the decoys.  After looking hard at them for what seemed like an hour, here he comes, looking like he's ready to whup somebody's butt.  At 30 yards my buddy dropped him like a hammer.  My bird weighed 22 1/2 pounds, had a 10 1/2" beard and a small 2nd beard, 1/2 inch spurs.  Buddy's bird had a nice double beard with a few of the strands from the main beard stretching to 13" and some great hooks but didn't weigh near as much.  I was thinking maybe they were father and son?  Another interesting thing, I killed another nice double beard about 800 yards from there a couple years ago.  Figure they all have to be related?

[nsselle]

Where abouts in IL, I hunt mt. vernon area and also elizabethtown.  Nice bird!!

[renegade19]

Jackson County.  We hunt some private ground but a lot in the Shawnee National Forest.  Funny thing is, both of my private ground spots bombed today.  Both birds came off of public ground mid morning.

[hobbes]

Congrats!  I'm going to miss hunting back home in Pope.

[tomstopper]

Congrats....

[strutnva]

congrats

[Mtd69]

Congratulations

[SteelerFan]

  Sounds like fun!! Congrats!

[I hate turkeys]

Bet I know the hills your running around in.
Love Jackson county.
Go Pioneers

[mgm1955]

Congrats!!

[taylorjones20]

Congrats!

[kyturkeyhunter4]

Congrats!

[Gooserbat]

Congratulations on a good one

[Mike Honcho]

Congratulations on sticking with it for the 2nd bird!   Nice job!!!!

[renegade19]

Bet I know the hills your running around in.
Love Jackson county.
Go Pioneers

I bet we know some of the same people from "The Bottoms"!

Good luck this year!