Well, I have just returned from my Kentucky and Indiana hunting trip. The birds in Kentucky were very tough and un-cooperative...it happens, but then I was on to hunt with my cousin in Indiana, southwest area. Opening day found us in our usual setup area in an upper back field where birds typically roost over a large pond. However, it had rained hard the night before so they were quiet with only one distant gobble. So bout 7:30 we set out to do a little prospecting and we rimmed the entire field casting calls down into the many hollows and ridges that frame the field, but no responses. We concluded it was best to head down to the lower field where we have a good history of birds collecting around 10:00 am. On our way down the logging road we continued to toss out calls....bout the time we hit a small pond 3/4 down we had a hen start barking/cutting hard to our calls directly behind us next to the pond. We hit the dirt and set up...got into a good argument with her for about 5-6 minutes and got a gobble beyond her at +- 250 yds. I suggested we shut up so they didn't get too attracted to her and we let her walk off. After 5 mins or so we started calling again, Clint Corder glass and got an immediate response...he was closing fast...we waited for a couple more, hit the glass and he cut me off, but he was sweeping around the upper side of the pond which meant he would circle and come up from our hard right...we quickly reset around the trees, guns up. We waited a couple more and check him....he was 50 yds out hit the logging road and we got a double gobble, yipee 2 gobblers!!!! We waited 2 minutes and checked them softly with a hooks mouth call, they hammered from 40 feet!, but because they were down grade 3-4 ft we couldn't see them or them us. 5 seconds later they stepped up on stage at 12 yds....a quick 3 count and down they went. A couple solid 3 yr olds both came in at 23.5 lbs, mine had an 11" beard and 1.25" spurs right and left, and my cousins was same weight, 10" beard and 1.25 and 1 3/8" spurs. This was our 2nd double in 3 years!! You can see the pond in the pics and we were set up off to the right. A very memorable hunt with super moments shared with my cousin.
