I named this turkey Hard Head last year, and this is the third year ive tried to kill him. I know its the same bird from the many encounters I have had with him. He always goes to this one spot at the corner of a hardwood head and meets hens. Well he ought to be easy to kill then you think, but he was not. Im not ashamed to say that I have tried to bushwack him several times with no success, something always went wrong. I would always make the wrong move or a hen, or deer, or something would mess up the hunt. Several times I watched him from 65 yards or further. He was the smartest turkey ive ever killed, and I almost didnt kill him this morning.
I actually missed him opening weekend when he poked his head out of a briar patch, all I saw was his head, by the time I got the bead on his head, it was disappearing and I shot at him and missed him clean. I haven't been back till this morning.
I got there before light this morning and entered a blind I put up before season, and haven't set in yet until this morning. The blind was placed about 100 yards and around the corner of a food plot strip from his go to spot.
I didn't hear any gobbles this morning, and I have several pictures of a few on trail cam, so I figured this old boy had them shut down.
I sat there until 8:00 and decided to look around a little. I walked about 15 yards just past my decoy and saw fresh strut marks. I immediately eased back to the blind and hunkered down. I knew he would show up sometime during the day.
Once I settled back in the blind, I made a few series of low yelps and clucks on Clints purple heart slate call, that I won playing the college football pic em contest this year...I did this every 30 minutes or so.
At about 10 oclock I see something white moving thru the brush. Its his big ole white head and he is walking very slowly toward me. When he rounds the corner he see's the decoy and locks up, breaks into a strut, and starts strutting back and forth at 65 yds...I wish I hadn't put the decoy out now...He struts back and forth for at least 30 mins,( thank god I had a shooting stick) He knows that hen ought to come to him. Every round he makes he takes about a half step closer, Finally I think he is in range, and I try to squeeze the trigger but it wont move, and the safety is off!
I say a little prayer and check the forearm, and put the bead on his head again and squeeze, and the gun goes off, and he goes down at 40 yards!!! Thank you god!
He is a whopper too, 12 inch beard, 1 3/8 spurs, almost 21 pounds!
