Bird from Plan B

Hi Gang,
I just got back from my annual spring ritual of getting abused by turkeys and Mauna Kea. It was (and is until Wed) a tough season for spring turkeys. The drought has affected all the wildlife and plants. The cover and vegetation are dry, dry, dry. One careless toss of a cig or a hot exahust pipe in the grass, and we'd have a big problem.
Anyways, the turkeys, until last Tuesday were silent and not gobbling. The hens and toms were still separated. Last Tues, I was back in Kemole. I hiked up into the rugged "mamane-rock-pukiawe" country where the "turk-zillas" live. At 6:00am sharp, I heard one gobble and then in the course of 10mins, 15-20 birds all over the mountain, and down on Parker Ranch were greeting the dawn. I called a few times, but couldn't get a definitive response. So, I noted a few spots where toms were gobbling from. After checking another spot on Wed, I went back to Kemole on Thursday, am. I snuck near a flat spot near where I heard a gobbler sounding off. I waited, and as the sun peaked the ridgeline, I saw the sun reflect off the bronze back of a roosted tom. A few minutes later, he pitched down and landed just below my line of sight. I heard him set his wings, walk through the grass but didn't have a shot. He gobbled a few times, and I purred on my slate call to let him know "I" was there. Other hens stared softly yelping, and "big daddy" started spitting and drumming. The spit sounds like "fffttt", and the drumming like a deep base, almost too low to hear "wooouum-wooouum-wooouum". Usually, if you can hear the spit, he's in range.
I tried to bend my eyes out of my skull to catch sight of him, but no dice. Then a second gobbler starts spitting & drumming just below me, on a small ledge about 30yds away. Another bird close enough to shoot, but not in sight. Now, I'm freaking out, being right in the middle of all this strutting action, and no shot opportunity. I hear a third bird, way down the hill drumming. This guy I can see, but he's over 100yds away. I noted his strut zone and see that it has some good cover nearby. Birds 2 & 3 are drumming, but as long the big dude was gobbling, they stayed silent. After bird 2 snuck away, bird 3 moved across the ridge to the southwest. I heard him gobble once more, and he went into the brush down towards Parker Ranch.
A little after 7am, the big guy drifts away uphill. Then like magic, birds 2 & 3 start gobbling. I wait until they drift away. If I didn't booger the place up, I could probably sneak in again and have a crack at the big guy. Firday morning, at o-dark :30, I hit the ridge again. While moving in, I know I'm near the spot, when "Putt!"...there were hens on the ground at 5:15am. They fly off, and I hear a bunch of thrashing from the roost tree. Blew it! I was heartfallen. All that work and I blew him off the roost. I waited for a little more light in the sky, and heaed down to set up for Plan B. This was the third gobbler, near the bottom of the ridge. I got under a mamane tree, at the back of a shallow draw between two rock ridges. I place my hen decoy 20yds out to my left, and waited. I heard birds gobbling on the ranch, and one ridges on each side of me. After 30mins, I heard a lone gobbler sound off on the ranch. He was answered by a hen who sounded like she was 30-50yds above me in the grass. That was my cue. I copied her yelps, and the gobbler responded. The hen went silent, and I waited. After 15mins, I hit my call again, and the hen answered me followed by the gobbler. He was sounding closer, but still far off. Another 15mins, and I started yelping to the hen. We'd go back an forth, real soft with yelps and purrs.
After 20mins of this, just on the other side of the rock ridge to my left I hear a loud gobble. It was then that I realized that it might happen. He gobbles again, hot & loud. I see the top of his fan over a rock. I get my gun up and wait. I can see that he's strutting, but he's just on the other side of a boulder. Now, my arm is cramped, and he steps clear. I wait for him to come out of strut. He sees my decoy and his neck sticks straight out...
I click off the safety and he jerks his head. Blammo...I ram a load of shot into his head and neck. He dropped like a bag of hammers at 46yds.

https://i.servimg.com/u/f69/11/89/37/84/plan_b10.jpg

https://i.servimg.com/u/f69/11/89/37/84/p1020210.jpg

https://i.servimg.com/u/f69/11/89/37/84/p1020211.jpg

Right On Joe,
At least you had some action. Sorry to hear the toms eluded you, but that's what makes it so much fun when you do get one. I sure would love to go try that sometime in BI. If I were you, I'd use a gobble call and s strutting gobbler decoy to get those hens to come in and bring the tom in tow.
No turkey hunting for me this spring- but saw some when drove through Parker Ranch a few days before season. It sure gave me the fever. I was just as happy to get that peacock on Kona side. I had the best trip ever.
anyhow, give me a call anytime you want to talk turkey.
Aloha,
Andy

Awryte Joe! Nice story and nice bird. Yeah, boy it sure looks dry up there.

Turkey Joe,
Well deserved! Congatulations.

MAUKAKANE1
Onipa'a a ku ha'aheo

Right Turkey Joe,great story nice catch!!!!!!

Aloha,Robert C.

"SOME GO HUNTING,SOME ARE HUNTER'S"

Hey Joe,
Way awesome brah, the first time I replied to your post the entire message was not there, I thought you came up empty handed- SWEEEET!
Congrats on the fine job- way to go! So cool!
drop me an e-mail, I'd love to talk turkey. Or I'll e-mail you soon.
Aloha,
Andy

Right on T Joe, after reading ur post my blood is boiling. Mean!!!!!! Heard NE is infested with Turks!