The Trio....

**David Rearick** · #1 06-02-2009, 05:59 AM

Date: 4/29/2009

Location: Western PA

Sunrise: 6:06 A.M.

Weather: Clear, Rain the night before

Temperature: 40's rising to 50's

Equipment Used: Avery® Fleece Caller’s Gloves, Avery® Double Slate Pot Call Holder

Hunters: Avery® Pro-Staffer David Rearick

Journal Notes:

It was day three, and after trying to get on a bird that I knew was a good one from pre-season scouting for the first two days, and getting interfered with by another hunter both days, I was anxious to get into one of my old haunts. The day prior, my plans changed slightly as I gained access to a new tract of land that had two birds strutting in it that morning. I decided to give them a go first thing the next morning, which turned out to be a bad decision, as the birds were roosting across the road and it became apparent that going in blind to this spot wasn’t a good option. Since I was trying to get a quick hunt in before work, I decided to slip out and leave them for another day and go feel out one of my old spots that a hammer had given us the slip last year on a few occasions. With surprisingly no trucks on this essentially public spot, I gathered my gear and headed out. When I rounded the bend to the hidden field, I quickly noticed the gobbler in strut and ducked into the woods. After a few unsuccessful set-ups and calling in the hens all while listening to 5 different gobblers sound off, I slipped out and left them for the next day. Like always, I couldn’t wait and tried them during an early lunch break with no success. Tomorrow, I was going to be in there and my sights were set on the boss tom that was strutting with 6 hens, definitely the same one from last year.

I slipped in early and got to where he strutted initially yesterday morning. I figured I would sit to 6 am and listen, then decide whether to move or not. Impatience got to me and I decided to change my plan at 5:50 and run to the power line he had strutted on the day before, as it was lower and had a better chance of him coming through at first light. Just as I set up the decoy, he gobbled and I quickly gathered my gun and gear and got hid in the best place I could find. He gobbled on his own and at the call and while checking the barometer, it was on the rise and I was hopeful he would continue to stay hot once he hit the ground. I decided to shut-up and let him be the one anxious to meet the hens. He continued to go off when three more birds gobbled together on the right. I had seen what I thought and heard, were two jakes and a 2 year old in this bottom the day before, while working the big one, so I thought; at least something should come my way as I was in an ideal location located right between the gobblers. With all the birds now on the ground and talking, the one to my left was going away and the three on my right were moving in. 30 minutes later they were still moving towards me, but very slowly. I decided to get them fired up and laid into them on both the Zink crystal call and my mouth call. They went nuts, I laughed at hearing the jakes trying to work up their best gobble, but re-gained my composure enough to get them going, and then a hen sparked up between us and they went quite. I thought I was finished, but one more call and they had cut the distance again. 5 minutes and nothing, another call, and nothing, so I decided to wait just five more minutes and then I was going back up the ridge and going to try to get the other bird, before I had to hit the road to work.

Just before I was about to leave, I let out one more yelp and was cut-off by what now sounded like three gobblers. Either someone had a sore throat this morning and had finally taken a cough drop or these were different birds and they were on top of me. They slowly and very cautiously slipped out and I looked for the big adult bird. #1 longbeard, #2 longbeard, and #3 longbeard all accompanied by one hen. They slowly slipped out towards where I could shoot, one in strut, but the first bird had the thickest rope. I made the decision to shoot the lead bird with the best beard and once he slipped out, I centered the bead on his head. Unfortunately, I had a stick lying on my rib, and I was positioned in a very unfavorable way. When I let the Hev-13’s fly, I was shocked as he got up to fly, but the goose hunter in me brought the gun to my shoulder and I swung through him and he rolled at 40 yards. Not 100% dead, I got to him just as he gave it up. Shock, panic, and desperation all took place in about 3 seconds time, but my first tag was filled, and I was headed to work before 7:30. As I slipped out, I caught the big boy strutting in the field where he gobbled left by his lonesome. Today was probably one of my best bets to kill this old tom, maybe next time.