I set up before light where I heard the birds before darkness arrived yesterday. When the sun lights up the landscape I am tucked into the brush, shotgun ready. I am going "traditional" today with period clothing and gear. Because of this, I am using a decent sized tree to sit partially behind in order to stay concealed. After many clucks, purrs and squeaks nothing has come nor answered. I pick up and move about 500-yards into some heavier cover with a sparse opening. Before setting up I cluck a few times and get an instant reply. The reply seemed kind of squeaky but whatever, its a turkey. I pick a spot for the decoy and back off about 25-yards to hide. At first, my soft clucks are getting responses that are probably 100-yards off and are a simple "pock, pock, pock". After 25-minutes nothing has come and the answers stop coming. I wait patiently and only make two soft purrs every 5-minutes. After nearly 40-minutes since setting up I see movement. A turkey comes into view next to my decoy. This is a Jake, his beard is only about 3-inches and his head is partially red. He struts in as it starts to rain. After a 3 or 4-minutes show I decide I will take him. The limit hear is 4 birds. I would like 2 but would be blessed with one. This one will do. I ease back the hammer on the modified barrel, stack the bead just below his head and squeeze. Before the smoke clears I hear the wing beats on the ground. I do to the bird and it is motionless. Several blood spots on the head tell me the load hit its mark and did its job. The rain is coming down hard now so I make the half-mile towards the truck quickly. It is supposed to clear this afternoon....
