LoessHillsArcher
PMA Member
Really the first chance I had to hunt solo and try to fill my 4th season tag tonight. Took about 30 minutes and I was done! Parked the truck, hopped the fence into a pasture. Glassed a spot we always see birds and immediately picked out a strutter in the distance. I tried to sneak along the back ridge of the pasture and get in closer. I'd check every now and then to see if the bird was still there and he was, but no longer in strut. I wasn't sure if he saw me at one point. I finally got behind a tree line and made a move to put me about 300yds from him. I hit the slate call seeing if he'd respond. He didn't... but another tom much closer did! So I snuck up to the top flat of the pasture and laid near a cedar tree with the fan infront of me. The grass is getting tall and I couldn't see the bird. I called a little bit more and got him to respond one more time. I couldn't tell exactly how far he was but it wasn't too far. I waited for him to show up but he didn't... so I backed down the hillside and continued on after the original bird. I got to the edge of the field and bird #1 was no where to be found. Time to get after bird #2. So I go back to the top flat of the pasture, hit the slate call and get no response. I slowly crawl through the grass, hopping from cedar tree to cedar tree glassing for a tom. I spot him about 100yds ahead in full strut with one other bird by him. Turned out to be two toms. I flashed the fan in the air and they saw it immediately but didn't come running. I dropped by vest and binos and belly crawled closer, this brought the toms to life and now they were coming in to me. I stuck the fan in the ground and readied for a shot. Trouble was me laying in this tall grass and trying to shoot was difficult, I was fumbling around a bit as the birds were easily in gun range. the non-strutter tom got a little skittish and turned around. I had the red dot on and put it on the strutter but waited for the two heads to clear each other. The birds separated, the strutter went to half strut, and then got folded at a little under 30yds. Smoked him right in the noggin'! Man I love turkey hunting. 
10.5" beard
1.25" spurs
24#s
That's bird #11 off the farm this year. It's been an incredible year. We've taken a bunch of really nice toms with some great hooks. Seems like that habitat work and trapping is really paying off. Lots of birds around on our farm but for the neighbors who continue to bull doze... not the same story.
10.5" beard
1.25" spurs
24#s
That's bird #11 off the farm this year. It's been an incredible year. We've taken a bunch of really nice toms with some great hooks. Seems like that habitat work and trapping is really paying off. Lots of birds around on our farm but for the neighbors who continue to bull doze... not the same story.
