My opening day didn't have the best start but it turned out to be a good day. Little wacker and I headed to the foodplot behind the house here for sunrise. The birds were there just the day before so I had high hopes. No gobbles close as it got light. We did have a flock of crows going crazy over the decoy. At 7 we heard a hen yelping that turned out to be the neighbors buddy taking a morning stroll. With no noise close we packed it back to the house.
Tried to get her to go but the kid had other plans for the morning so I headed over the farm solo. My stepfather was planting so I stopped in to get the scoop, no shots and birds gobbling on the sidehill so I headed over the clover plot. It was 8am and a bird was sounding off over the ridge. Got setup, gave a few yelps and I can hear several birds were coming in. It seemed forever for them to get into the plot and then they hung out in the corner ~50 yards. So I'm sitting there looking down the barrel locked into shooting position on two strutters when I notice movement to my right. Lifted my head just a little and there a big doe standing 10' from the decoy sniffing. Now I'm thinking, great I'm going to get busted. Then two skippers follow her out and I hear more noise to my left......another doe and skipper! At first the birds drop the strut with long necks looking cautious and still at marginal range. The two big does reared up and had a short boxing match and ended up working their way between me and the birds. Suprisingly the birds took defence by strutting up and moving farther into the plot so now there's 5 deer between us. I ended up waiting them out for a clear shot and hammered the bird that acted most dominant. When they busted is when I noticed there were 3 birds in all. I had to chase and finish mine off but what a tense/exciting hunt it was!
Double beard on him to, one 9.75" and the other 6.25".
Home 
