One Down

[WillowRidgeCalls]

Decided to go out this morning cuz they were talkin rain today, a good cool morning with a northwest wind. So I headed back to where I seen those 3 gobblers Fri. Got in there and set up by 5:45, sat there until season opened and gave a couple soft tree yelps. I thought I heard a bird cluck back, so I gave a couple raspy jake yelps and heard the same sound, but couldn't tell just where he was. I kept quiet until it was light enough to see good in the woods. Then gave it some good loud raspy jake yelps, followed up by a couple kee kees and more jake yelps. Waited about a half hour and did the same calls, which was cut off by deep clucks. answered him back with jake yelps and saw 3 birds come on to the island and into the woods. Gave them some kee kees and 3 heads popped up and turned bright red. Gave them 3 good jake yelps and they came running. One big bird and two smaller ones, the big bird went behind a blow down and the other two stood at the end of it looking for that jake. I couldn't get a clean shot at the big bird so I chose one of the others. At the shot he rolled over and the other two took off running, I got back on the call with fighting purrs, hoping to call the others back in as that bird was flopping around, but no luck. This one was a 2yo with 8" beard and 3/4"-7/8" spurs, 18.4 pounds. Strange tail on this bird, a jake in reverse.

[ylpnfol]

nice job fella, looks like his molted feathers didn't get a chance to fill out.....pretty bird

[eggshell]

well done Scott...two thumbs up.

Good luck filling your other tag/tags

[dewey]

Congratulations on the gobbler Scott!

Dewey

[WillowRidgeCalls]

Thanks guys, this bird does have some strange feathers on him, he's got a few white tipped feathers on his tail and his breast, besides the three center short tail feathers.

[Gopherlongbeards]

Way to go Scott! I think I need to take a morning off from work tomorrow and get back out in the woods

[BigBuckeye]

Great going Scott Nice job on the bird.

[grizzly]

congrads Scott on a nice bird...wayne

[kygobbler]

Nice job Scott. The birds feathers does have me curious on why the mid tail feathers are short and why he has some white. Maybe there is a turkey farmer around the area and a tame turkey got loose with some wild turkeys. Just joking but that is an interesting bird.

[Treerooster]

Congrats Scott.

The bird lost those mid-tail feathers somehow and is growing them back. Predator attack or a fight with another turkey maybe. Scott if you look close at the short feathers you should see they are still growing and partially in the sheath yet.

Where is the white on the bird?