Derby City Game Calls

I headed to Mt. Washington as soon as I could get off of work today.  I wanted to take advantage of the great weather and try to kill my second longbeard of Kentucky’s spring season.  Driving back to the field, I ran a hen off of her nest.  I was hoping that would be a good sign.  As I was about to go through the gate to a pasture field, I saw a nice gobbler down by the wood line.  I snuck through a winter wheat field to get out in front of him.  I stayed there for about an hour, calling off and on every 20 minutes.  I never heard or saw that bird after the initial sighting.

I decided to pack up and head out to the spot I originally planned to hunt.  I was on a tree line that divided two freshly planted corn fields.  I placed my Peep-n-Tom and Pretty Penney decoys out and sat about 30 yards inside the tree line.  I called sparingly every 20-30 minutes.  Around 5:10, I did some cutting on my Aluminum Magnum.  I put the call down, glanced up, and there he was about 120 yards out.  He was looking around, but started to feed in the opposite direction.  I picked up the Magnum again and did 3 clucks.  That got his attention.  He put that head up and started looking my way.  I started to do a little purring and he started walking my way. 

He finally spotted the decoys and came in on a dead run.  He stopped about 15 yards to the right of the decoys.  I did not give him a chance to fight or spook.  He was 22 pounds, with a 9 3/4 inch beard and 1 inch spurs.