Second bird down and I am done

[BilletHead]

        BilletHead finished up this morning, 

      Up early and set up. There is one particular field where the birds work and at the North end two pinch points where the birds enter or exit at a fence row. I set at one and they use the other and vice versa. This morning it was more of the same. Not responding to calls early and doing as they please. I gave it a go and sure enough a tom excited in the other place and their was no gobbling here to speak of. I heard one jake on the roost. I took a break around eight and took some of my layering off, cooled down and went back out again. Forty acres away from the early set up. Sat and made a few calls. Heard one bird and it faded away. Circled back to morning spot looking in fields between. Nada. Between the pinch points is a patch of cedars and persimmons. Thick in there tangled mess of multiflora rose and honeysuckle. I worked on a spot with clippers making a shooting lane or two. Did some calling in the process. Hen call and then a gobble or two. Even checked OAF and read where Seth finished up. I then heard to the North a gobble. I crawled forty yards through the mess in the persimmon grove to see a tom heading my way. I called some and he hung up. I gobbled to him and he turned and ran away. I watched in horror. Crap. He entered some brush and then I seen him jump and he was being chased by another bird. Round and round they went. I began to get aggressive with my calls but to no avail. Then from the other side of the persimmon grove I heard a gobble close and I mean close. I crawled back to the trimmed out hide watching the exit point of the field. I made a hen call to nothing. Gobbled again and he answered really close. In the fence row it is so thick I cannot see the field and he was a mere five yards away. I watch the trail under the fence. Soft hen yelps and then I caught him ducking the fence. He cleared the fence eight yards away and when he stood straight I let him have it. When I did another tom that was with him came out and into flight. I went to the tom and on the other side of the fence when I cleared the tangle there was a third tom on the other side of the fence. 

   Todays bird sported an 11 inch beard and 3/4 inch spurs.A bit better beard than my first bird and much shorter spurs. Go figure. This bird was killed at ten-thirty exactly. If Mrs. BilletHead wants to try for her second in the morning we will. If not I am going to sleep in!

   BilletHead

[ness]

Save the nads for me, Clark! 😄

[BilletHead]

15 minutes ago, ness said:

Save the nads for me, Clark! 😄

          There in the fridge with the wobbly bits that will be the base for dirty rice . 

[Johnsfolly]

That would be some dirty rice indeed! Great job on your second turkey! 

[Deadstream]

Yaack.   

[Ketchup]

Congrats BH.  Here a few of you are done, and i still havent gone out. Yesterday morning while whizzing off the back deck at 6:03am, there were 2 owls hootin away 30 yards behind me. Everytime they would sound, a few birds would sound off. Beautiful sound coming down that ridge. Got me excited but had to do that work thing. 

[Seth]

Congratulations BH!

[fishinwrench]

Can I get a couple sets of matched wing feathers?    I wanna do up a dozen traditional muddlers, but I'm not a fan of wild thunder-chicken.  They'd just go to waste in my freezer.

[BilletHead]

5 hours ago, fishinwrench said:

Can I get a couple sets of matched wing feathers?    I wanna do up a dozen traditional muddlers, but I'm not a fan of wild thunder-chicken.  They'd just go to waste in my freezer.

  Well as a matter of a fact you can. I have each secondary taped together in matched pairs. Will fix you up friend!

BilletHead

[Quillback]

13 hours ago, BilletHead said:

          There in the fridge with the wobbly bits that will be the base for dirty rice . 

If you bring that particular "dish" to the Jigfest, please label is clearly so that I can avoid it.