This morn found Watts and myself waiting well before daylight where we expected birds to be roosted. Hadnt been there sense spring-but the woods there are more suited to bow hunting deer-if ya know what I mean...just not pretty woods for turkey!!! We slipped into a stand of pines that was the best suited roosting spot on the place and sat and waited. That time came for birds to announce their presence--and we heard not a peep. We started with soft clucks and yelps from the trumpets, moved up to a short box and graduated to some longbox action to try to prompt them....still nothing. Flydown time passed and we knew we had to MAKE something happen if it was going to. We talked and decided they must have roosted near agricultural fields where beans and corn had just been cut. We were off...we cut through the width of a big block of woods with a plan on checking the ag fields and gradually circling the block to our original place. The beans and corn held nothing either.....BUT while looking in the distance---we noticed a flock of hens working in the tall pasture grass feeding---it was on
....we actually had to drop in place and didn't get to set up. We started with one of Watts mud cured trumpets he just finished for a rooster here,a Watkins snakewood trumpet, a Watkins snakewood fiddle call and one of my Butternut/Bloodwood long boxes......here they came --slowly but one came and worked behind a tree between us forever. Tried to get Watts the shot on his first fall bird for what seemed like hours,but the bird kept the tree between them...I had the shot most of the time, and Brian finally coaxed me into not letting it get away. Bang-bird down
....turkeys flew everywhere ...in all directions around us. Brian thought the hunt was over,,,BUT ...I whispered it had just begun !!!! After only 5-7 minutes --the kee'ing began. For a fall hunt---Brian experienced about ALL IT COULD be...the birds were as vocal as any I have ever heard. We played with them with everything we had---and they always co operated. Finally, he they came. There had to be at least 40 hens parade past Brian---the gun roared.....and his first fall bird fell....
---nothing like seeing what unfolded this morn, and being with Brian when he took his first fall bird ever....with action that cannot be described ---congrats Brian----I enjoyed witnessing it as much as you did friend.
