I didn't kill a turkey last year even though I hunted in NC AND SD. I finally broke ice last week just North of Custer, SD. I literally broke ice because the rental car thermometer said it was 23 degrees. There was a foot of snow on part of the road I walked in on. The crust on the snow was hard enough to support a 200 pound man but Wade, gun and turkey hunting stuff weigh in at about 250. About every 3rd step broke through. After making it past the snow I heard a tom gobbling back between me and the highway, I had crunched by him in the dark. Not wanting to try crunching back by, I opted for an end around. Up on the mountain I set up my hen decoy and settled in. After it was completely light the bird and his 3 buddies shut up, so I found me a sunny spot to sit and tried to warm up. Just before 8am a tom gobbled on his own. I let out some sweet, sexy hen sounds and immediately got a response. "In the game." He answered everything I threw at him and seemed to be coming in. Then the gobbles faded and he quit gobbling back. After waiting a few minutes I made some yelps on a box call made by my friend and turkey hunting guru Eddie Wynne. The tom answered from just downslope of me. Already at 35 yards when he came strutting over the rise I could have shot him if he had been in the clear. The 4 small pines between me and him gave me cover but also prevented a clear shot. He strutted back and forth 17 steps from me just like he knew how far he could go left and right without getting shot. Finally he moved far enough to his left and I leaned far enough to my right and I pulled the trigger. After thanking the good lord for creating these wonderful birds and allowing me to hunt them, I got to my feet and claimed my prize.
