Opening Day Double in NY

[njdevilsb]

My dad and I pulled off a double this morning.  We had 2 birds on the ground by 6:05.

In previous years, we hadn't been able to hunt this particular piece of property since it was leased by another group of guys.  Last year a friend of ours ended up leasing it so we had permission to hunt it this year.  It is right across the road from our main lease, but owned by the same farmer.

We roosted a big group last night so we had an idea of where we wanted to be this morning.  There was about 15 birds.  The best option for a setup was about 150 yards away on the opposite hedgerow across the field from where they went in.

They only gobbled a couple times on the limb this morning.  We had rain last night and wind so it may have had them shut down.  Legal shooting time was 5:28, 30 minutes before sunrise.  At 5:30, I happened to catch a bird already in the field by itself about 80 yards out.  I realized it was a longbeard.  He only went into strut once but he slowly worked his way into our decoys.  I was caught with my gun down since I didn't expect them to be down that early.  Once he got to about 20 yards I pulled the gun to my shoulder and shot.  At 5:35, 7 minutes after the season officially opened, I had my bird. 

After the shot we heard a few of the other birds gobble and it sounded like they were still in the trees so we just left my bird in the field.  My dad and I switched positions and called some.  We figured they were going to stay on their same pattern and hit the field at some point.  At 5:55, the field starting filling up.  It ended up being 3 more longbeards, a jake, and 3 hens.  They slowly worked their way closer.  Once they got to about 60 yards, they started to turn and head down the field instead of to us.  I cutt and yelped on my box and they all started coming back with the toms in full strut and gobbling.  One of the hens got spooky once she saw my tom on the ground and started to move off with the flock in tow.  My dad found the head of one of the toms and dropped him at 37 yards.

The last couple of years have been tough hunting and we only got 1 bird total so it was nice to have the plan workout this morning.  Now the long wait until the weekend so we can get back after them. 

[Roost 1]

Congrats... looks like beautiful country.

[renegade19]

 

[mikejd]

Nice job. Congrats. What part of the state.

[TauntoHawk]

nice job! way to stick with the set

[njdevilsb]

Nice job. Congrats. What part of the state.

Thanks guys.
This is Jefferson County.

[sierra6]

Well done!  Delaware county?

[owlhoot]

Congrats to you guys!

[hobbes]

Congrats!

[mikejd]

Nice job. Congrats. What part of the state.

Thanks guys.
This is Jefferson County.

Nice area. Congrats again.

[SteelerFan]

Beautiful scenery. Congrats on that double!!

[tha bugman]

Awesome Love the pics!

[beagler]

 

[Gold Spur]

Good job gentlemen.

[surehuntsalot]

congrats on the bird