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Ruff One
Posts: 2,309 Captain
" Trophy Gobblers" Spring 2022
Ruff One
Posts: 2,309 Captain
I was fortunate to end up with a special opportunity hunt and lucky to draw a quota. First hunt was the spec opps. Scouted a day early and found a small road that dead ended in a small 1 ac. abandoned food plot. The hogs had destroyed the place. All fresh rooting. You know how turkeys love a rooted area. Put my blind right there. Opening morning found me sitting there waiting. Nothing happening. Not a single gobble. It's April, but was hoping to hear some noise. Morning wears on. Hen walks in. Ok. She leaves. I call her back. I keep cutting to her and she leaves and comes back 4 times. Finally she goes away. I look at the other end of the plot and there he is! Turkey necking. He's looking for what's making all that noise. He sees the decoy, goes into strut and zones right in. He comes all the way to 20 yards. Picks his head up and I shoot him. Excellent display. Go pick him up and find these daggers.


Spurs are 1 5/8 in. And 1 1/2 in. A nice old mature trophy!
While we are talking trophy. Get a call from friend and forum member MoBen. Killed a gobbler in same area two weeks ago. Killed in the intersection of two roads that he had seen some turkeys at. The gobbler should have listened to the old adage " look before you cross". Killed him in the middle of the intersection.

Beard was 11 and 7/8 in. Another trophy gobbler!
On to my quota hunt. Scouted again a day before. Found a sandy old logging road eat up with tracks. Good as place as any. Set blind. Was ready. Opening morning was again profoundly quiet? It's around 8 and I throw out an excited yelp. A hen barrels down the road and scowls my decoy. Things are picking up! A little while later I look to the right and there he is. He's in full strut and coming down the rroad. I sense something over my shoulder. I look and it's another gobbler. Looking right at me. I figure I am busted. He runs right by the strutter. The strutting gobbler is some tuned in on the decoy that he ignores the running bird. I am back in the game! He goes behind a bush. I turn my hearing aids off, turn on the red dot. I am ready. He steps out at 20 yds. Picks head up. I shoot.

Eleven in beard. 1 1/4 in spurs. Another nice mature bird.


I couldn't have asked for a better season.
No gobbling but the displays were excellent. Time to switch gears and get ready to chase those big old eastern gobblers in Missouri. Enjoy.
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Replies
Congratulations on 2 fine birds.
Leaving Florida... take a developer with you!