Only days before my turkey hunting opening day May 7th on a scouting mission, the first turkey sighting began at 6:15 am and continued over three more hours with non-stop action every minute.Although only two juvenile toms showed, the session held promise, because where there are hens, gobblers may follow.
A dense pattern of number 6-shot at a 40-yard test target confirmed all was well with the equipment and portable blinds were set in ambush positions the day before. At 6am opening morning, it was showtime.
My lone hen decoy was placed some 28 yards from my blind and a curious hen started the season’s excitement with a rather relaxed approach. Between the decoy and me, the strolling female began a one-sided conversation with the stuck-up pretender. As the morning evolved, a lone jake (immature male) finally came into view, but sporadic rain turned steady and the young gobbler went into hiding. Soon thereafter, I did the same when thunder reminded me I was no longer safe, either and headed home.
The second day gave me a clear view of the stars, as I ventured out once again in pre-dawn light with heavy dew afoot. A mated pair of goldfinches was feasting on dandelion seed and gave me some close-up photo opportunities, but nothing else until an unmistakable gobble came out of nowhere. Sure enough, two mature toms were in front of my blind – just not the one I was hiding in!
Feverishly, I began to work the Ring Tone slate call for all it was worth and wondered if the sound would carry some 300 yards toward them. An hour later, with the two longbeards only minimally closer, I discovered my dilemma: a lone hen was in their company.
She began to ease a bit nearer my hideout with the two fellas following all the way. Although they were quite curious about my “other woman” and her desperate pleas for love, they wouldn’t break company with their real, live girlfriend. Fanned out and gobbling, it was as if the toms were saying, “No! You come over here!”
Inexplicably, however, the female leader began to lead the adult toms on a path to the woods, where all hope would be lost for a turkey treats if the big guys followed. When she vanished, however, I gave the Ring Tone call life, as the gobblers finally gave in to my ventriloquism techniques. Since I had plenty of time to decide on which bird was best, my focus was on the larger of the two beards. While one of the two keepers remained out of range, my chosen target began a fateful descent downhill directly toward my plastic accomplice. It was game on and I called no more.
The decoy became my rangefinder and when the bird had been fooled to within 35 yards, I let two-ounces of copper-plated lead dictate the season’s end. The camouflaged Browning Silver 12-gauge shotgun with an extra-full choke saw to that.
