Incredible hunt in the Deep South for Savannah River swamp gobblers! I had birds all over me morning after morning before smoking this bottomland tom yesterday at 7:45AM. Heard six different toms and this twenty pound 2 year old snuck in without a peep to check the decoys. First spotted just his head periscoping over road bank at ten yards (couldn’t see his beard) then he angled out toward jake decoy revealing his 10” beard. He passed behind large oak giving me the chance to lift the Space Age Parker and draw a bead. Dear friend, hunting buddy, call maker and PGCA member Niles Oesterle provided the longbox which was magical talking softly to these Dixie devils. Truly a turkey hunt of a lifetime for this damn Yankee, southern birds are tough customers! Sorry these photos load sideways.
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"I don't hunt turkeys because I want to, I hunt turkeys because I have to." Col. Tom Kelly
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