Well it’s been one of those season where I was in the right place at the right time. Was able to harvest another tom this past weekend. I had a friend of mine join me for Thursday evening and Friday morning hunts before he had to head back to town. Unfortunately the birds were not cooperative while he was with me. After he left I went to a farm where we hunted during the second season. Sat on a field edge for about an hour with no sighting of birds so decided to climb a steep ridge and get to the top so I could hear if there was any toms sounding off. Unfortunately it was dead quiet for most of the afternoon. I would set up and call for about a 1/2 hour before changing locations. Did this pretty much all afternoon before I decide to call it quits and head back down the ridge. As I am heading back to the truck, I hear a gobble down the ridge from me about 500 yards or so. It’s about 5:00 and after hearing the gobble I am re-energized. Took out the box call and hit it pretty hard. He sounds off again and I go after him. Went about 400 yards or so and decided to make another call, sure enough he is still there, but I need to go about another 30 yards or so. Make my move and set up. He gobbled a few more times and shut it down. Figured he might be coming in silent I waited. After about a 20 minutes I decide to try and get closer, but no answers. Not sure if I bumped him or not trying to close the last few yards or not, but I decided I think I can get him in the morning and sneak out of there and hope to have better luck in the morning. Next morning I set up on the field edge again and listen for gobbling. Nothing, dead quiet. At about 5:45 decide to climb the ridge as quick and quietly as I can. As soon as I am at the top I am greeted by gobbles down in the valley. Went to where I can hear him gobbling, set up and start my calling. After a few minutes he stopped gobbling and I figured again he might be coming in silent so I stay put. Waited for about a half hour and decide to sneak down the ridge a little when all of a sudden a thunderous gobble sounds off in the direction I was about to go. Sat back down and could hear hens yelping. So I called to the hens and got them fired up. About a minute later here they come just a yelping trying to find the intruder. I shut down my calling as they approached, but ever time they would yelp the strutter would sound off. The hens came within 10 feet from me, but no signs of the tom. I could not move as the hens had me pinned down. As they moved past me I could hear him drumming and spitting but could not see him. Then out of the corner of my eye I see his fan behind a log. I need him to come around the log before I have a shot, but I am not in position to take the shot as he came from a different direction than the hens. So as he gets closer he clears the log and gets behind a big oak, time to make my move and hope the hens don’t bust me. Moved the gun, took aim as he clears the tree and let him have it. He never knew what hit him.
Has been an unbelievable season for me. Harvested a jake and 2 toms, and was with my daughter when she took her tom and was able to get her boyfriend a bird as well. The Lord has been good to us this season.
Here are a couple of pictures. When Mike and I were in MN for the archery season last week, I had found where a hen was nesting and took some pictures.
on the long beards this year! Makes up for the years you had not getting any. Now I got to eat 3 tag sandwiches this year…but I have learned a lot from this years hunts. Looking forward to doing it all over again next year with you! 
Congrats on a great season…now lets carry that over to Colorado when we chase those big “turkey’s” in September! 
this year on the birds Dan! You certaintly had a year of good fortune and something that can never be taken away from you, congrats again. 
I bet it was extra special being with your daughter on her first tom!