I headed back to the area my son Jarrett and I were hunting on Saturday April 30th, Pennsylvania opener. I didn't hear any gobbling, so, I decided to goto another area, after not hearing anything, I returned back to my original location, by then it was about 8:00am. I started walking down a grassy road, within minutes from my vehicle, I hear a gobble down to my left, sounded to me like he was within 100 yards, I immediatly set up behind a a limb and started to use my push button call, instantly, one gobbled, then another, and another…After a few minutes of getting them all wound up, I could tell by their gobbles that they were honing in on my location…I didn't have much time, and no time to set the camera on the tri-pod, so I started to video with the camera in my right hand and the gun in my left…I could see them (3) working their way directly to me…Watching them in the LCD screen the 1st one was within 25 yards, so I sighted down the barrell, and when the green dot was placed on his head the gun went off, I figured the camera wasn't on the bird when the gun went off, but, I was able to video the other two birds after I shot. They clucked and putted and wandered around the bird I had shot for a few minutes, one of them came within 10 yards of me before he seen me and then both were getting outta Dodge…They flew down the mountain, and I felt it was time to check out my bird.
I knew they were all Jakes, but, it was still as always, exciting. I took some photos and added more video, then I was off to visit my father to see how he faired…
What an awesome morning!
Gene Bakner
May 2, 2011 Pennsylvania Spring Gobbler
