Was in the woods at 6:30 am on Saturday and didn't see a bird all day. It was 5:50pm when compliments of a cow, we heard our first shock gobble. 2 minutes later it sounded like the neighbor got him.

Got back in the woods with my buddy Sunday before sunrise and aside from a shock gobble in response to the coyotes at first light, all was quiet. At 10am, we split up and went our separate ways. I got set up in the woods at 10:28 and let out one series of soft yelps on the box call. Waited 15 minutes and repeated a few soft clucks and yelps on the Twisted Sister Crystal. A few minutes later this big boy let me know he was coming. I responded with a soft yelp and then shut up. He showed himself right in front of me coming down a small hill at 130 yards in full strut. What a show to watch him close the distance over the next 2 or 3 minutes, switching between displaying and closing the gap. He came in with a hen trailing him but he just could not stand seeing that jake over the mating hen! Aside from my son's first bird, this was my most memorable hunt. Even had some time to do a little shed hunting. Best time of the year to be in the woods imho!

Double beard: 9" and 7.75"
Spurs: 1 1/8"
19.5#

GOBBLER DOWN! Craziest turkey hunt I've ever been on. Packing this beast out, story to follow. Holy crap what a morning!!!

So I hit the woods about 6:30 & began trying various locations to get birds to shock gobble or respond to yelps on the box call. After about two hours & not so much as a peep I was pretty frustrated. In addition to my barred owl call, there had been numerous coyotes, hawk screams, barking dogs & crows that could have caused a turkey to gobble.

About that time, I was sitting down & a boar came right at me. I had the wind & he just didn't see me. He probably would have gone right by me but I wasn't going to let that happen. Being pissed, I gave him a face full of shot at 25 yards. He spun around quickly & appeared unharmed. (he was a good 150#) Immediately after I shot a faint GOBBLEGOBBLEGOBBLE! A shotgun blast was apparently what it took to get these Toms to shock gobble!

I packed up & headed towards the sound got as close as I dared & waited 15 minutes before I yelped on the box call. Ten minutes go by & a lone hen comes silently through my setup paying no attention. I let her get some distance from me before I yelp again. More time passes & finally I hear a response gobble. I wait 10 more minutes & another hen comes through. I again let her go & then wait before yelping. 10 minutes & another gobble, closer this time.

30 minutes must have gone by, no sound no nothing. I stretch my legs & sit back down. Not 5 minutes later I begin to hear yelping in the brush. I work the slate very quietly every 10 minutes. Finally 8 hens drift into the clearing with two strutting gobblers in tow! The hens made a beeline to my decoy & I put up my call. The gobblers followed behind while the hens circled the decoy & began to give the plastic imposter the works: Pecking, bumping, fluttering wings at her. This got the Toms pretty worked up & they really put on a show, drumming, gobbling & strutting in pirouette. I had no shot as they were all flocked up around my decoy about 15 yards away. I was smiling from ear to ear this was awesome!
Finally after nice show, one gobbler drifted off to the side & I let him have it. He went down flapping & the other birds seemed incredulous! They stayed in the area & the other Tom kept strutting until I stood up.

This was a two hour setup & I got a total of 3 gobbles until they were right on me at the decoy. This was by far the longest it has ever taken me to call one in & many times I thought about picking up and moving. Patience rewarded me with a great scene at the end. 19 #, 9.5" beard, 1" spurs. It's a good thing that hog came out!


Gobbler still strutting after I shot: