Took the youngest boy out this morning. He has been four times this year and the birds have not cooperated. Last year he missed three shots at a group of five jakes during the youth season and he has really been wanting to redeem himself.

Story goes like this. Been three or four gobbling to the South every morning out this year but they have been going to a strutting field across the property line a few hundred yards and then working farther West as the morning passed every time out.

There was one last Sunday that roosted across the field from us and hung up on the top of field about 250 yards from us strutting back and forth for half an hour but just would not come in.

This morning something had changed. There was only one bird vocal to the South...not sure if someone busted them up or not but either a couple of them had decided to be quiet or someone busted them up since Friday morning. I did hear one gobbling to the West about 1/2 mile occasionally but the one South of us went Southwest off the roost but didn't sound like he made it all the way to the strutting field they had been going to. He had answered a tree call I did early and then a little later I cut and yelped and he answered so I just went quiet with an occasional soft yelp or three.

Did have a hen come out early into the field at the same spot the gobbler hung up last Sunday and worked off to the East.

About 7:15 I saw a hen come out in the corner down to the South of us. I looked over and Bryce was asleep. I did a soft series of yelps and the hen froze and looked up at the two hen and jake decoys. I tapped Bryce on the leg and told him there was a hen....at that same time one popped three times behind us about 50 yards by the creek too. He said he heard it and I told him I was watching one to the South.

She stood at attention looking at the decoys for about 3 minutes and I did four soft yelps again and it relaxed her and she went to pecking on grass seeds and corn sprouts for about 15 seconds then went back to alert....she stood there for about 10 seconds and then did an about face and ran for the timber.

Something wasn't right because there is no way she saw us and there was something most definitely caused her to do that. About that time I was going to look to my left to see what Bryce was doing - Past him about 6 yards from the blind on the North was Mr. Gobbler who had came in silent...other than the three pops I guess, and was eyeballing the jake.

I whispered to Bryce - right there...gobbler. He went to get the gun and get it out the window and made just a little noise with the gun...the gobbler turned away and took a few steps straight North and the gun barrel went out the window. His head was down and I whispered to not shoot and I was going to alarm putt to get him to put his head up and before I could do that he put his head up and started to spin back around towards the decoys.

He was maybe 10 to 12 yards then and the redemption happened as soon as Bryce had a head shot....a damn fine morning to share with the youngest son.

Between 24 and 25 pounds....10 1/2" beard...1" spurs.