MD limit 2

[Remturkey]

   To piggyback off of mdtkyhntr's post about limiting out in MD, I too have had a great but short season.
   I save my vacation and holiday time at work for spring turkey. This year I had the first three weeks of the season off.
   Opening day always finds me in Allegheny County hunting with a good buddy on a great piece of property. We heard 5 birds but by 8:00 they went silent and that was the day. Day two and three had encounters with birds but passed on some Jakes and others had hens.
   Day four I awoke to surprisingly gusty winds but decided to try it. Went to an abandoned farm with some fields and heard one hammering from roost. Set my HS penny and Suzie snood decoys out in a field facing east and gorgeous rising sun and began to call with him cutting me off. After I knew he was on the ground I gave a couple more yelps on my slate and waited. Couple mins later I see the old white golf ball peeking over the hill about 150 yards away. He sees the dekes and goes into full strut and starts his march in. While he was strutting in a red tail hawk screams over top of him and lands in a tree above me to watch the show. I hoped he would not ruin things for me and it turned out didn't. It was a chilly morning and what a sight it was to see the birds breath drift up as he gobbled. At about 40 yards out a pair of Canada geese flew over very low and let out a honk. As the strutter gobbled at them I squeezed the trigger and ended one of the most beautiful hunts I have ever had. Nice two year old bird 19lbs with 3/4" spurs but a thin beard which didn't matter a bit to me.
   Day seven I call three Jakes in off roost that nearly landed in my lap and walked by at 8 yards looking for this hen they had been hearing. I sat there and listened to them gobble as they fed up the hill and enjoyed the day come to life. I had a hinch there was a bigger bird in this area and relaxed for a long sit if I had to. At 7:35 he gobbled in the bottom below me a good ways off. I waited to see his temperature and after he was keeping a pace of gobbling every two mins I sent my first call his way. He answered and the game was on. He cut the distance quick and I got my remmy 870 20gauge up and ready and laid down my slate and started using my mouth call. His next gobble was close and I began scanning and picked him up to my left almost running up the hill. He came on an opening about 30 yards and I ckucked to get him to slow but no avail I swung to the next opening and when he reached that he slowed and I heard the ole putt putt and knew it was now or never and sent a load of heavyweight 7's on their way and he folded. Heavy mountain bird at 22lbs, 1 1/8" curved spurs and 9.5" beard.
   What an exciting end to a awesome seven days. I went back to work a little early to save some days for next spring and will be the designated caller for some friends the rest of the season. Still have a WV and PA tag but am satisfied with how the Lord blessed me already. Good luck to everyone and stay safe.

[Remturkey]

Field pic

[Remturkey]

Gobbler #1, April 23rd, 0625

[Remturkey]

Gobbler #2, April 25th, 0758

[wvmntnhick]

Nice birds man. Congratulations

[Gooserbat]

Good like you caused some floppage.

[TRG3]

You're right about just being out there on a great morning! Congratulations on two nice hunts.

[mdtkyhntr]

Nicely done, sounds like the birds were on fire in MD early.

[albrubacker]

Awesome nice birds, congrats!

[maytom]

Another two nice birds!!! WTG!!