Florida 2014 is now over and it was a great trip , but oh so sad it over. The first victim fell to a Frank Kruer shortbox, Steve Lumma trumpet, Ed Jenkins glass and a Joe Slayton Mouth caller. The ole boy first gobbled a ways off and I began letting him hear the calls I had and he was hitting them well. He finally showed up at my location and stood there with his 2 buddies until a jake came in on the scene and I thought it was all over as the stutter sent him to another county with all birds after the youngster. He did come back for the jake to return and the scene to repeat itself again...I didn't feel good about his retun, but he did finally .
The last hunt--I really had a plan. I had a spot for a video hunt in a huge filed where I had seen 3 groups of gobbler that were strutting most of the morning with hens in different groups. The weather was horrible that morning so I decided to go in a Live Oak flat and save to field hunt for the next morning. I got set up in plan B,only carried a Ed Jenkins Pot, Chad Scruggs trumpet, and a Steve Lumma trumpt , and daylight came and went.... Heard nothing. Was really feeling down thinking about where I chose not to go. Then after 8 oclock, a bird finally hit on my calling. Then 2 different birds gobbled also. Its was on...
. The birds got together in my oaks and refused to get closer than 85 or so yards. They loafed there for ever. Then they began drifting to the other end, they would hit the calls, return, loaf and drift off again. This repeated two times, and I decided if they did it a 3rd time, I would make a move to their hang up spot. Well, they did, they weren't in sight for 20 minutes or so, I yelped on Chad Scruggs trumpet, they gobbled. I made my move, sat up and called and they gobbled!!! Here they came!!! There were 3 strutters, a crippled gobbler, 2 jakes, and 7 hens. They came to within 20 yds of me and the hens held up and started pruning. I strained to see spurs on the strutters and I ignored the crippled gobbler. I could not see the spurs because of the wings on the strutters for well over 15 or 20 minutes when the crippled bird stood up and walked by in sight, I saw the spurs and they were impressive. I immediatlly knew he was the target at that point. Nitros flew ....
