Monster gobbler in the southeast

April 8, 2017 at 9:53PM
Andy Ness bagged this big tom last year not farm from his farmstead in southeast Minnesota, near the Iowa border.
Andy Ness bagged this big tom last year not farm from his farmstead in southeast Minnesota, near the Iowa border. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Last spring, my friend Logan Hinners and I set up one morning at 4:30 for toms in a spot where we had been given the slip a time or two previously.

Our strategy was to keep things simple and avoid repeating ploys that might have cost us a gobbler in years past.

Setting a lone hen decoy on a field edge to the west of a little brush pile, we hunkered down, waiting for the woods to wake up.

The first gobbler sounded off around 5:15, not too far to the southwest of us. Then another four toms announced themselves scattered throughout the nearby 6-acre woods.

Logan gave a few cuts on his box call. That's when a tom told us to hang on, because he was on his way.

Down the big bird flew, but presented no shot. For a long while he stared at our decoy, then nonchalantly walked away.

Befuddled, we sat another 20 minutes listening to toms that were still roosted.

Then I noticed our big friend had strutted back silently.

I waited for him to commit to coming into our decoy. When he did, he presented a shot at 7 yards.

This was a big bird: 25.4 pounds, with ¾-inch spurs and a 9 ½-inch beard.

Goes to show you that sometimes you're best off just sitting still, being quiet and letting nature take its course.

Andrew Ness (above)

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