Persistence paid off this morning. Didn't shoot this bird until 20 minutes after 9 and he wasn't one of the original 3 birds I had set up on. I had fooled with those birds for 2 hours but they were staying out there about 150 yards gobbling at everything but not coming any closer. This bird slipped in behind me while I was fooling with the other 3. Never knew he was there until he thundered behind me in a thicket. He was probably in gun range the first time he gobbled but I couldn't see but 15 to 20 yards out into the thicket behind me. I turned as far to my right as I could; switched my gun to left hand and waited. Nothing. Eased my slate up against my leg and purred and clucked one time. He thundered just out of sight in the thicket. Got both hands back on the gun and then I saw his outline moving right to left through the brush. When he hit a lane I could shoot the Hevi-13 7's eat him up.
Just a 2 year old but I'll take him. 9 inch beard, 13/16 left spur, 7/8 right spur. Weight 16lbs 13oz.
