Headed up to the farm Wednesday night to put them to bed before my opening day of season Thursday. Not a single gobble that night despite several locator attempts. Thursday morning picked a spot between normal roost and food and set up waiting for any sign of life so I could run and gun. Not a sound for an hour then 3 jakes come into view. One short call series and they come running into 20 yards. Gun up safe off bird picked out, but I just can’t bring myself to shoot a jake on the first morning. They lose interest and move on and so do I.
Run and gun to another section of the farm. I have a bird gobble ahead of me 100 yards, I hit the ground pull up to a tree and begin to call. 10 minutes later the same 3 jakes(I think) come sneaking through the woods silent. Still the first morning so that ain’t happening. Back for a quick breakfast then off to a common strutting area.
As I approach I see 3 toms strutting for 2 hens about 200 yards away. I hit the dirt and belly crawl up about 50 yards to a little clearing on a high spot. Put out a hen and jake decoy, then belly crawl back to a tree and get set up. I made one series of yelps and one of the toms breaks strut, gobbles and makes a B-line for me. He gets in to 15 yards blue head glowing and half strutting, I take the safe off, get him lined up, give him a ki-ki call, head comes up and the hunt is over. Not a huge bird, but a nice 2 year old with 9″ beard and 3/4″ spurs. The plan worked out perfectly.
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