Shredder
Life Member
I had a nice bird fool me yesterday so I made the move this morning in anticipation of him roosting in the same location which put me within 40 yards of his roost this am. As planned, the bird was on the same limb as yesterday overlooking the ridgetop and valley below. I figured luck would have it that he would drop into my lap today since I had a bit of luck on the way in finding a small shed in the dark. He made his few gobbles of the morning and just strutted in the tree calling hens to him........As luck would have it, he pitched down across the valley and went silent
I decided to move to the opposite side of the farm since one had been gobbling his head off there all morning. I got back into the field and worked around the edge and crossed thru the most beautiful valley in Illinois. I had to sit back and just relax above the 30 foot water fall and watch as the creek took a tumble and crashed on the rocks below.
As I sat back and viewed the scenery, the gobbler I had heard on this side of the farm fired up again and sounded like he was getting restless and looking for love. I packed up my gear and went on the move. I crossed one more small ravine and started to make my way up the ridge. At halfway up, I decided to remove my vest and begin to belly crawl up to the top. Just About 10 yards from the top, I made a soft purr to entice a gobble.......he sounded off about 50 yards out. I got up to a kneeling position and raked the leaves with my hand to simulate a hen feeding. I was just about ready to crouch back down to my belly when I haerd footsteps in the leaves and the distinct spit-drum at about 10 yards. I shouldered the gun and within 5 seconds, the bird was at 5 steps........needles to say, #4 shot and a turkey choke does not expand much in that distance so he took the full load and flipped him over backwards. I had to turn around and look at the sun penetrating thru the trees into the vally I just came thru and be thankful for another sucessful spring. 23.5 pounds, 1 1/8 inch spurs and a 10 inch beard and a 6 inch shed to boot.
I decided to move to the opposite side of the farm since one had been gobbling his head off there all morning. I got back into the field and worked around the edge and crossed thru the most beautiful valley in Illinois. I had to sit back and just relax above the 30 foot water fall and watch as the creek took a tumble and crashed on the rocks below.
As I sat back and viewed the scenery, the gobbler I had heard on this side of the farm fired up again and sounded like he was getting restless and looking for love. I packed up my gear and went on the move. I crossed one more small ravine and started to make my way up the ridge. At halfway up, I decided to remove my vest and begin to belly crawl up to the top. Just About 10 yards from the top, I made a soft purr to entice a gobble.......he sounded off about 50 yards out. I got up to a kneeling position and raked the leaves with my hand to simulate a hen feeding. I was just about ready to crouch back down to my belly when I haerd footsteps in the leaves and the distinct spit-drum at about 10 yards. I shouldered the gun and within 5 seconds, the bird was at 5 steps........needles to say, #4 shot and a turkey choke does not expand much in that distance so he took the full load and flipped him over backwards. I had to turn around and look at the sun penetrating thru the trees into the vally I just came thru and be thankful for another sucessful spring. 23.5 pounds, 1 1/8 inch spurs and a 10 inch beard and a 6 inch shed to boot.
