Spittin' n Drummin'

[Tenth Legion]

This Maine tom spied me walking up the tote road and we had a two hundred yard stare down, which he won. I slowly retreated back to the bend and slipped off to the south, all under his courious gaze. Then started the circuitous route to the far side of the log landing he was patrolling. Thank goodness for iPhones with aerial positioning! Thirty minutes later I was just where I wanted to be, set up on a lane leading to the landing. A few sweet yelps on the longbox followed by some seductive cutting and I was in business. No gobblin', no yelping....instead the unmistakable penetrating sound of a real close tom spittin' and drummin'!! A hen appeared first, she was casually feeding along, and behind her came her suitor. I raised the old 1882 and placed the bead at the base of his neck. At 25 yards he came out of strut and I tripped the hammer. When the smoke cleared, an 18 pound two-year-old with an exceptional beard was flopping, marking the end of another grand spring hunt. Tomorrow will be another guide's hunt, switching to an 1889 GH.

[Todd Schrock]

Great hunt and nice bird!

[Dean Romig]

Congratulations Jim!

I just spent three days in the Readfield area (east of you) checking all the spots I've seen good numbers of turkeys in past years (not hunting, but driving back roads checking pastures, gardens, and fields as well as the hardwoods) and all I ever saw was one lonely hen. Are turkey numbers in Maine down this year?

[Tenth Legion]

Hey Dean, we feel turkey numbers are good and sightings are down because the birds are in the woods. They are cleaning up last falls bounty of pine seed and acorns. Spring dispersal was late and there are still good sized flocks about. Our harvest is above 2014, similar to 2013, a great spring.

[birddogdoc]

Looks like a good time to me. Very nice

[Dean Romig]

Great looking birds and guns! Congratulations!

[Fred Slyfield]

Nice, Nice ,, very nice , love to see the old guns taking out a gobbler!

[charlie cleveland]

those are nice gobblers and i really enjoyed the storey...charlie

[Tenth Legion]

Son Tim is using an old fancy Claborough 12 gauge hammergun and I've switched to a pristine 1889 GH. We are enjoying our vintage hunts for old gobblers using RMC and Ballard brass, classic longbox turkey call made by dear friend Niles Oesterle and cleaning our birds with a Jake Jacobs custom Damascus bladed knife. Tim's gobbler peeled off from his buddies and strutted through some beautiful mature hardwood, just starting to leaf out. I was too slow at the shutter to get a picture of the smoking right barrel. Ah, but tomorrow is another day!

[Tenth Legion]

Another photo