Multiflora Rose Gobbler

[TRG3]

The moon was so bright at 4:45 this morning that I never did turn on my flashlight for the 20-minute walk from my truck. It had been several years since I'd hunted this place, but I still remembered the geographic features, even in the moonlight. When I got to my listening spot it was 5:05 a.m. and, fortunately, an owl hooted and a gobbler responded some 300 yards away. Great timing!! Now I knew where at least one gobbler was and I started in his direction but before I got to my planned set up spot, a second gobbler sounded off nearly where I was headed. I was now positioned between the two gobblers, one probably 100 yards away and the other 150 yards off, sort of like being at the spot where the two lines of a capital "L" come together. With me being in the moonlit field and the gobblers in the edge of the woods, I was locked in to finding a set up spot were I was; however, the entire edge of the woods was thick with multiflora rose. Fortunately, I'd put my snips in my fanny pack just before leaving, so I began a meticulous clipping of the multiflora roses, opening up enough of a "cave" to comfortably slide in my ground lounger. Ever so quietly, I set up my foam jake hovering over a hen in the breeding position some 20 yards out so that they would be visible from either direction should a gobbler fly down into the field. I slipped into my new temporary home and continued with the snipping as I tried to make myself comfortable in my prickly surroundings. By now a far-off third tom had made the gobblers a trio...and they always sounded off in the same sequence. With my Primos gobble tube, I joined in after the third tom.  I kept this same sequence for four or five cycles, then moved into third position, then second, and finally I was leading off the gobbling. The progression from fourth to first probably took 15 minutes. Sometimes I'd double gobble and at times I'd gobble out of sequence. I only used my gobble tube and kept my diaphragm mouth call silent. Around 5:50 a.m., the original first gobbler went silent but did not fly down into the field. The original second gobbler flew down in the field, but sounded like he just dropped out of his tree, still 150 yards away. He gobbled on the ground to which I answered. Less than a minute later, he gobbled again, but this time closer. I didn't respond. In just a few seconds, I could see him through the multiflora roses about 10 yards off to my right along the field's edge headed toward my decoys, fan up and wings dragging. He was now in the clear and facing down my jake. When he turned his fan toward me, I lifted my Remington 870 12 gauge such that when he continued his rotation and his neck stretched out, I put the red dot on his head and sent a load of #6 shot his way, filling my third and final Illinois tag. A mature bird at 19.4#, 8" beard, and 7/8" spurs he won't win any prizes, but in my book he's a top dog 'cause there's no thrill like a plan coming together which results in bringing in a gobbler! Now I've got to wait until next spring.

[2eagles]

Good story. You need to post pics. 
I've never used a gobble call like that.

[mgm1955]

Congrats!!

[tomstopper]

Congrats

[backwater]

 Great story.  Pictures are always welcome.  Lol

[albrubacker]

Great story, congrats!!

[renegade19]

 

[SteelerFan]

Congrats! 

*and yes, sometimes we need pictures because reading words requires brain function. Now, get back out in that rose bush and snap some pics so we really know what it was like! 

[lmbhngr]

 

[Illini Tom]

cool story and hunt. congrats 
i've had my share of dealings with the multiflora rose while hunting in IL 

[Mike Honcho]

Great hunt, thanks for sharing that.

[trkehunr93]

Congrats!


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[Cleveland48]

Great story and congrats


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[surehuntsalot]

 

[Jmbradt3873]

Awesome story, I have just started using a gobble call, mainly because I am fairly certain I don't want to find out what a load of #5s feels like.

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