Another gobbling upstate bird for you Cromer. And a public bird.

I have hunted this guy 4 times in the last week and he has gotten the best of me all 4 times. Always has a hen with him. Very vocal bird. Yesterday he started gobbling at 6:25 which allowed me to get in close to his roost. Just knew I had him yesterday. After 30 mins of hearing him gobble I still had not heard a hen and he still had not flown down. First hen I hear is at 7:15 and she is across a big creek from the bird and I and probably 80-100 yds away. Tom is still on the roost and gobbling his head off. At 7:20 and after an hour of gobbling on the roost old boy decided to fly clear across the creek and straight to his lady. Talk about a slap in the face. Once he hit the ground he never made another sound. I feel rather confident that the hen he went to is the same hen he was with the previous 3 times I hunted him. She hasn't been very vocal but when she would talk it was always the same three note yelp every single day.

Today: Blew my mind. I was sitting in the truck with the windows down and at 6:00 I start hearing a bird gobble. I thought I had fallen asleep and was dreaming, but sure enough I was awake and he was gobbling. I got ready and eased on in towards him. He was in a better spot for me today and I was able to get less than a 100 yds from him and he was farther from the creek today. Day began to break and little did I know, I was sitting right under his hen. She spooked and flew off back behind me and away from the tom. I smiled.....
Just like the morning before he gobbled his head off on the roost. 7:00 rolls around and he is still on the roost gobbling. 7:25 and he finally hits the ground. At this point I have heard no hens at all make a sound except for the sound of wings of the one that spooked. Once he hit the ground I gave a few yelps and he cut me off. Gave it to him again and he cut me off. I can finally see him working my way when suddenly I hear a 3 note yelp come from over my right shoulder. Glance over my shoulder to see her coming and heading straight towards the tom. Tom is too close for me to run her off. Tom spots her and veers off course for me and heads towards her. Luckily they meet up just in gun range at my 3:00.

Solid bird.
20 lbs
10.5" beard
1 1/4" spurs