A hard earned Gobbler

[270Shooter]

I began with an early 3:30 wake up this morning, it was windy and cold, I didnt expect much and I had to be at work by 10 a.m. As I was driving to my spot I kept thinking to myself, "I should have just slept in." With winds gusting around 25 mph and a temperature of 38 degrees I didnt have much hope but still I continued on. I came upon the first canyon that I thought might have some birds roosted in it at about 4:50. I crow called and got no responses, I move across the draw and called again with the same result. I decided to try the next canyon to the west as I had chased a tom in there on the 2nd but he hung up at 60 yards and I elected not to shoot that far. As I worked my way down the canyon I still hadnt heard a gobble, when I neared the bottom of the canyon I noticed pretty fresh turkey tracks in the road I was on, probably from the evening before. I called and got a response finally. I moved another 100 yards closer and decided to set out my Avian X hen decoy and I took cover about 25 yards behind it. The tom gobbled almost constantly while on the roost and was still pretty hot even after he flew down. I started calling once for his two or three gobbles but he didnt seem to be getting any closer. After about 20 minutes of talking back and forth I can tell he is coming my way. Just then I hear a hen yelp about 150 yards off to my right. I figured this wasnt going to help my chances at all. She called again and the gobbler headed for her. Eventually I could see them milling around in a meadow below me (private land) they were about 150-200 yards away from me and I could see them moving around, the tom was in full strut 95% of the time I saw him in the meadow around that hen. After about 45 minutes of strutting and no gobbling I watched him breed the hen and the hen soon left the meadow but I didn't see in which direction, the tom moved slightly closer to me and was still strutting around. I noticed his head was getting redder since the hen had left (it was only whitish blue when he was with the hen and not gobbling). I called and immediately he gobbled. This went on for about 10 minutes but he still continued to strut in the meadow. Then I noticed movement off to my right and it was the hen moving towards my decoy, she got out to about 40 yards and knew something wasn't right. Either she didn't like the decoy of she could see the sun shining on the bridge of my nose and eyes because my facemask doesn't cover that part very well. I heard the classic "putt putt" and she takes off back the way she came from and I am thinking that this game is over for me. I decide to call to try and keep the toms attention and he double gobbles. I call softly one more time and he gobbles again and I see him moving my way much quicker than before. Now I decide to stop calling and let him find me. Withing 2 minutes he closes the distance from about 125 yards and makes his way onto the huntable ground. He struts his way in and at 40 yards he lifts his head up and I let him have it with 2 oz of copper plated 6's out of my Benelli M2. It was the same bird that gave me the slip a few days ago and I must say it feels pretty good to finally whack him. He had an 8.5 inch beard and 5/8" spurs. Time of the kill was about 7:10 so I was able to get him cleaned and make it to work on time. 

[Greenhorn]

Great write up and pictures!

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[buglebuster]

Congrats jim, I'm glad it finally all worked out for you

P.s. I think I know where that bird came from

[Tree Killer]

Great looking bird...congratulations!   

[Gobble Doc]

Right on!  Way to stick with it. 

[oneshot12]

great Job  and nice story to go along with it   

[mossy8352]

Great story and a nice bird!

[270Shooter]

Thanks everybody, I'll be heading back down to klickitat county this weekend trying to fill tag number two since we can only shoot one a year around here.

[bowhunterforever]

Nice job, Congrats

[Jester052]

This proves that birds don't just disappear with inclement weather. Nice resolve to push through and great bird.

[kirkl]

Are you driving an older white f150? Were you up there this morning with a young gal?

[jasnt]

Congrats

[270Shooter]

Are you driving an older white f150? Were you up there this morning with a young gal?

yeah that was me, you kill one of those birds this morning? Saw you were parked there right after we heard them gobble.

[kirkl]

Nope, he hit the ground and shutup. I got up on the ridge and watched them feeding. There was a couple hens with him to. I left about 9 and he was silent. Gonna try it again in the morning and get up there and try to cut them them off if they roost in the same spot.

[270Shooter]

Well good luck, they should be in there unless someone messes with them today.