so i took the week to run NE WA and then Idaho 21-28 April. Picked up 2 in NE WA, was tuff with birds not responsive but i managed to hammer out 2.. Moved to new location in Idaho on 24 April to arrive just at twilight. Birds all around me roosting up. picked up a very nice pair of big rios (im in blue in picture with 4 birds) over 3 days there with the best show in a couple years happing saturday. Rained over night to wake saturday to wet conditions. worked a bird for a couple hours but he busted me. moved closer to camp and reset on a tom i saw strutting hillside with 3 hens.. when they drifted off, i worked into that location. i setup deep in trees and am glad i did. nice pine bow blind setup. While setting up had at least 5 toms in the next valley partying hard. scratched a call and got a reply. half hour later, scratched again and reply closer - game on~ he came up to my level and was maybe 100 yds to my left, no wind so drumming was audible. as he got closer, my setup didnt allow for shot to left. now he is close, maybe 30yds to left. BAM! from right a hen completely wound up struts in and attacks my hen decoy. thought i was in big trouble for next 10 minutes she carried on pecking and arguing with it.. point here is a great well prepared blind setup saved me from being busted. Tom still just out of view left. Hen decides she is not going to affect this unwelcome decoy so she tries one final hail mary, and passes the tom to left and clucks to draw him back away from the decoy..my boy was committed and came in after the gals stopped fighting over him...didn't have a camera to film but my best show in past couple years for sure. still have one to fill in WA and a trip to Oregon next month~ Bruce
