Another gobbler falls to the Northern Scratchbox! My buddy went out last evening, worked this gobbler, and almost got him, but the bird turned and went to roost. We showed up this morning at about 5:00, and set up on opposite sides of a strip of woods. At 5:37, the bird gobbled, and we had misjudged where he'd be. He was about 60 yards away, behind me and off my left shoulder, but his roost tree was only about 10 yards from my buddy. At about 5:45, I scratched out a faint tree call on my Northern Scratchbox. That was enough to get his attention, and all he needed to come looking.
When he flew down he was behind me. I probably should have stood up, turned around, and waited for him, but I elected not to move. He came to me along the edge of the field to my right. I had to turn without spooking him, and the shot was difficult. I shot him at 5:55, about 35 yards away. It didn't kill him, but I waited for my buddy to arrive and we succeeded in chasing him down.
This was the companion gobbler to the one I shot last Saturday. He weighed 19 pounds, had a 10" beard, and a 3/4" spur. (The tip of the other spur was broken off.) A nice 2-year old. He was the dominant bird there, with the feathers worn off his breastbone and a big callous from breeding.
Steve
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