Just A Swinging

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I had gone into an area several times and had yet to hear any gobbling...I went one morning last week...decided to sit until I heard one and I would be the first hen he heard...at 9:30 he gobbled next to a gate not far from the property line...I called he walked heading east at a fast clip...as he gobbled and got further away another bird I could barely hear gobbled...I cut loud and hard on $6 box...the first bird answered...the second bird answered the first and another one much closer answered...

I decided I would only answer one turkey...the first...he was getting further and further away...but would answer..both the other birds would gobble at me but I wouldn't respond...I figured the closest bird would slip in quiet....

The first bird gobbled again still heading west...me and $6 box jumped on him hard and heavy...both other birds gobbled...then all got quiet....

I waited on first bird about 20 minutes and he gobbled back up at the gate where it all started...he and I talked some more and he finally broke on the ridge that separates the properties...I watched as he came through the open pines ...simply beautiful...I noticed movement to me left...all three gobblers were coming from three different directions and met about 50 yards south of me...I waited and watched as they slowly came 15 steps closer...but at that point I could have gotten the limit with one pull of the trigger...

I waited and waited and one begin the rubber neck on me...the strutter was still drumming though...then the other bird got to rubber necking...a soft purr seemd to relax them...well finally one broke out of the group...I still had the gun on the strutter but his partner was just too close...

They milled around and and then the strutter got that Uh Oh look ...and raised his head...but was still too close to the other bird....I eased the gun on the one that had separated ...when they all started rubber necking I killed him...

I sat there another ten minutes and let the others walk off after they realized their buddy wasn't gonna get back up...

9 1/2 beard...18 lbs...1 1/4 spurs

Congratulations OSG! When all else fails, you sometimes have to break out the expensive callers.

I paid $6 for that box about 40 years ago....I wish I knew how many birds heard that thing before they flopped....never could find out who made it...

Well done----beautiful bird and great story. Good memories from that hunt.

Excellent!
My neighbor got two this weekend, both looked to be 3 year olds, nice birds.
Which meant free legs & thighs for me since he doesn't like them. Good eats and I didn't have to get up at 3am two mornings in a row!

Good hunt and a nice bird, congrats.