Luck continues - Turkey Hunting - Turkey Hunting

Was able to get out on Saturday, May 9th for a few hours. My wife was suppose to join me, but decided with rain and wind in the forecast, she would take a rain check. Hit the road at 2:45 am, and headed to a couple of new farms we just received permission to hunt. I set up on field where we knew the birds used quite a bit. Sure enough, had two strutters fly down about 250 yards from me, but would not come in. Watched them for about a 1/2 hour before they disappeared with a hen over a hill. I decided I would make a move to see if I could close the distance. Packed up my gear and took off after them. When i reached the area where I thought they would be, I decided I would sneak to the field edge to see if I could locate them. As I reached the field, no birds could be seen. As I am about to enter the field I notice them down where I originally had set up. Now I am frustrated with myself, as I usually am quite patient and can sit pretty much the whole day if I have to.
After the birds moved back in the woods, I decide to climb the ridge and see what the top of the ridge looked like. My plan was to become more familiar with the lay of the new land so I would be better prepared when I take a friend of mine along for the last season. So I climbed to the top, found a nice green field and recently planted corn field. Set up there and stayed there for about 2 hours before I decide it was time to move again. I moved back into the woods about 300 to 400 yards off the field. Sat there for an hour and a half with no luck. Heard one gobble this morning and that was right when the toms flew into the field right off the roost, so it was hard trying to locate birds this morning. Again, I packed up and moved again, when I realize I am not on the land I am suppose to be hunting and back tracked to the green field. When I get there I notice two large birds feeding in the field 400 yards from me. Made the decision to try and cut the distance in half. Got in the woods and hustled as quick as I could to the corner of the field. Popped up, place a decoy in the field, and started calling. To my amazement, the both answered my first calling sequence. So I decide to wait to see what happens. About 20 minutes later, here they come. Put the glasses on them, but could not see a beard on either one. Figured they both were beardless jakes. There was a small hill in the field and I lost sight of the birds for a few minutes when I decide I better try and stand up to see if I could see them. As I start to get up, there they are about 20 yards from my decoy and looking right at me. I was not going to shoot them, but did not want to spook them just in case there was a tom in the area. As we have our stand off for about 4 minutes, I am in an awkward position and start getting a cramp in my leg, so I have to do something when I notice that one of the birds has about a ten inch beard!!! I could not believe it, how did I not notice this before? Figuring there is no way I will be able to pull this off, I slowly start to raise my gun. At any time they are going bust me and start running. After about 30 seconds or so, I can not believe that I have the gun shouldered, and have the bead on the bird with the beard…both are still looking right at me on high alert. Take a deep breath, make sure I am on target and let fly. The tom I was aiming at dropped in it’s tracks, and the other tom runs off as I enter the field and I notice as he is running off he has a nice beard too. He then comes back and starts jumping and pecking the dead bird. I can not believe what I am witnessing. This was the strangest, luckiest hunts I have been on. There is no way I should have tagged one of these birds. The bird ended up with a 10 inch beard, 7/8 inch spurs, and weigh 23 pounds.

Will have to see if the luck continues as we head to Minnesota.