I got to the property early and was walking to my spot by 5:30am. It was a short walk and I was set up by a large pine by 5:40 or so.
I decided not to owl hoot or do anything to pin point my whereabouts until the turkeys started their own introductions. Much to my surprise, I was able to get to this area where I knew the turkeys like to be without spooking any birds on the roost. I was set up in a mature pine stand, just off an interior road with an old logging loading dock about 70 yds in front of me.
I was alerted to the presence of a gobbler about 120yds to my left after a sweet talking hen made him strike up a gobble. I thought to myself, alright here we go... I did some soft calling, but he really never gobbled at me directly. As day started to break there were several other gobbles in the area, but nothing as close as the first one. Then for some reason the woods quieted down for about 20-30 minutes no gobbles, nothing. Just when I was starting to wonder what was up, boom! A gobble down to my left again and he was close. I started with some clucks and he immediately responded. A few yelps later he appeared in the pines down to my left, white head shining in the morning sun. As he started his display complete with all the things that gets a turkey hunter’s heart pumping, I could tell he was going to be stubborn and draw his line in the dirt at about 70yds.
After bird #1 eventually lost interest in the obvious "No Show" hen, he disappeared and was once again out of sight. A short time later a sound like I have never heard erupted just outside of my view on the other side of the loading dock. This must have been Holyfield vs. Tyson with the ringside seats to match, because it started a symphony of gobbles like my ears have never heard before. So much so, it was almost inaudible given the number of turkeys gobbling and length of time it lasted. I even considered moving closer to the action, but decided against it given the bareness of the woods this time of year.
After the TKO was awarded, I heard another gobble down to my left again to which I immediately responded. There was the winner of the fight back again looking for the "No Show" hen after his dominance was confirmed. After some back and forth between us something caught my eye just left of the loading dock...
All of the sudden here comes all the fellas from the cheap seats on a direct line my direction and closing fast. There were at least four gobblers, maybe five moving in quick. I readied my gun, clicked the safety and got into position. A quick glance at my gobbler in the pines indicated that he was not amused by the display of interest from the rat pack. He has now broken strut and starts his sprint to beat them to me. At his point, I gripped that 870 a little tighter and got ready for the fire fight.
Before I knew it I had five, maybe six gobblers within sling shot range. I picked the biggest one and laid him flat at 10yds. My buddy squeezed off another shot and had #2 bird on the ground at 15yds. Whew.... what a rush and a hunt that I will never forget.
