I would like to congratulate my significant other who just shot her very first turkey! This is her second year of hunting and she certainly paid her dues. We had numerous encounters both last year and so far this year but we were unsuccessful. In fact this year we had 5 different toms just outside of 40-60 yards but no shot opportunities. 
We got a tip from a buddy of mine who spotted a couple of toms before dark on an adjacent farm. The plan was to set up in a small strip of woods between a hay field and a freshly planted corn field. Across the hayfield from us were big woods and a ridgetop where I suspected the birds to be roosting. As we were making our way across the field we heard a gobble on that very ridgetop. Perfect…. 
We decided to face the hayfield thinking that the birds would fly down there. A soft yelp on my slate call produced a gobble immediately. 
He heard us and he’s interested. About 15 minutes went by and then the torpedoes started flying right over our heads! One, two three four turkeys flew right over us and landed in the corn field behind us only about 100 yards away! 
We were facing the wrong direction and had to reposition.
I quickly made Tina get around to the other side of the tree hoping that I could call them back this way. The strip of woods was about 25 yards deep so if they did make there way over to the edge she may be able to get off a shot through the brush. There were two toms and two hens. The hens were working away from us while the toms were strutting their stuff. I softly yelped and they both gobbled. 
They remained strutting within a few yards from were they landed. Another soft yelp produced more gobbles. 
This went on for a few minutes and they slowly worked our way closing the distance to 75 yards away. We could now hear them drumming and it was awesome! Every time I yelped, they answered. This went on for about 20 minutes and they were still out 70 yards. And wouldn’t you know it, here come 3 deer. 
They walk right in between us and the turkeys and finally made their way to the woods, fortunately not bothering anything. At this time we could no longer see the hens and we started to wonder what would happen next.
We both feared that they would make their way towards the hens and away from us. I whispered to Tina that maybe they would get bored of the non receptive hens and eventually come over to find us. I started to call more aggressively now and they kept on gobbling. I made successions of two yelps and then waited for two minutes.
And wouldn’t you know it, here they finally come! Ever so slowly they made our way towards us closing the distance. Tina only had two shooting lanes through the brush to choose from and they were heading towards the one on her left. I told her to click off the safety and ready the shotgun. The first tom ever so slowly approached the shooting lane now just out 35 yards. He was just about to step through the small opening but changed his mind and turned the other direction! He was now walking to our right towards the other shooting lane. She had to reposition herself and get ready to shoot through the opening on her right. Tina ever so slowly made the move and did it without being detected. Just when the tom was going to walk through that shooting lane he stops again and turns back to the left again! So I get her to move back again helping her move her gun and her body about two feet. She again does a great job repositioning herself but this time there his some prickly ash on top of her shotgun hindering her from seeing her sites! I can’t believe it! The first tom walks through the small lane and she does not get a shot off. She’s fighting the brush on her gun barrel. The second tom approaches the opening and I say to her “can you see your sites now?”
She says yes! I say OK shoot. BANG!!!! The tom folds immediately! I yell “YOU GOT ‘EM!” I quickly grab the shotgun, put the safety on and run out to the field. He’s down and he didn’t even flap his wings once! GREAT SHOT HONEY!!!
We celebrate jumping up and down hugging each other. She worked so hard for her first tom and she finally did it on her very first shot! I’m very proud of her. Not once did she quit and give up. Persistence and patience finally paid off.
Her tom weighed in at 21 lbs. 6 oz., had a 9.5 inch beard and ¾ inch spurs.
This was truly an awesome hunt and I will never forget it. It had everything that you would want. Gobbling on the roost. Turkeys flying over our heads. Strutting and drumming. Gobbling every time they heard the slate call. Deer walking between us… A beautiful sunrise… And finally……. Tina’s very first tom! 