A good morning

[petey]

This is my 4th time out in the woods since Saturday's opener.

Yesterday after my hunt I saw 2 longbeards in a neighbor’s field, one strutting and the other one just walking around right at 7:00 am. I figured I’d break out my secret weapon, Ol “Tommy”, a full strutting jake decoy. I called up my neighbor for permission and was set up right at 5:30. This bird stared gobbling about 300 yards away and I could hear 6-8 other birds in all directions around 5:45. About 5:50 this bird quit gobbling but I could still hear the other birds.


By 6:15 it was complete quiet, a typical morning with the birds shutting up as soon as they hit the ground. I never called b/c I knew by 7:00 am a bird would be here. Well I was wrong. By 7:15 I looked at my watch and figured with the 30 min walk out of the woods I better get going or I’m going to be real late for work. I no more than got my decoys put away and walked 50 yards and this bird gobbled about 200 yards away. I quickly turned around and placed ol tommy back on the edge of the field and made one series of yelps and a few purrs and clucks. 2 Mins later I watched this big ol boy step out of the woods in the far end of the field. He immediately saw “Tommy” and came running. He closed the 150 yards in less than 20 secs and stopped at 15 yards for an easy shot.


Not the biggest I've shot, but a nice bird and even better when the plan I schemed actually worked. That rarely happens with turkey hunting!


9 5/8” beard
1” spurs
I didn’t weight it but I’d say he was no more than 19 #’s


So ends my season in PA, and second bird of the year. Now I’ll be off to help get my nephew a bird.