With the heavy rains from last night I wasn't sure what would unfold this morning but just couldn't stay in bed. As I was walking in, to where I usually stop to listen, I thought I heard a jake attempt a gobble. This was the first bird I heard gobble on the roost in this area so wasn't convinced. Another gobble and yes, it was a jake. Not what I was after but where there's one there could be two. I moved in on the bird and got settled in. He had already hit the ground so I gave him some clucks and a couple of yelps from the box call and he came right back at me, then another one hit it from the opposite side of the bordering field. This one wasn't a jake gobble! As the events of them coming together unfolded I played the scenario in my head because they were too far and on another property where I didn't have permission. Once the gobbles got close together, the jake never gobbled again. The longbeard gobbled well and we were talking back and fourth but not making any head way. Once I got him worked up, I went silent and so did he. After about 20 minutes I let out a few more clucks from the box and then followed with the mouth call and he cut me off but not any closer. He was reluctant to leave the bordering field for the wet thick undergrowth but he finally broke and the gobbles got closer. Two deer fed through and I thought the hunt was over but somehow they got by without smelling me. Once I thought I was clear then there are two more deer with two turkeys coming my way. I could just see bits and pieces of the longbeard as he slowly worked his way up the next little finger over. Watching the deer and the turkeys and trying to keep moving with the longbeard was exciting as he put on a beautiful show. There were two lanes in where I could see well and he stopped in one to strut and try to find me. Well, he finally made out that I wasn't supposed to be there and folded his wings and took a step away from me. The bead had been on him for quite some time so it ended there.
