Tagged out!! What an opening weekend!
Well, after taking my first double bearded bird Saturday I wasn't sure what to expect Sunday morning... especially with all this wind!! I setup further back in the open field I took Saturday's bird and wait. Much better gobbling Sunday morning vs. Saturday. Birds started hammering about 5:45 and they didn't stop even after fly down for me. My blind was facing the west and I had 2 birds hammering all morning to my south about 100 yards away on a hillside, but they never headed my way... I was cutting and yelping like crazy and they would answer every time. Never saw them as they continued to gobble heading west. I just shut down and they finally stopped hammering about 7:15 and by then I had one hen visit my setup and spotted a couple more hens out in the open field. A little before 8 a bird to my south gobbled once and he sounded close.... I gave a few yelps and purrs on my slate call and I glanced over and here he comes. Once he spots the Jake he makes a bee line right for him and starts puffing up right next to the Jake decoy. Lights out about 8:15! My Jake decoy took a few for the team, but no major damage! Not sure if one of those birds circled back or this was a satellite gobbler sneaking in to all the "hens" he heard earlier! 22lbs with what's left of a 9" Beard (with some beard funk) & 3/4" & 1" spurs.
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Re: Tagged out!! What an opening weekend!
Good deal!
At least someone had some good luck. Haven't even heard any early morning gobbling on the farm where I've been hunting. Only birds I heard or saw were all the songbirds around me.