Got parked on the club this morning and made the long walk across about a 100 acre 5 yr old cutover where on the other side drops off into some hardwood creek bottoms where birds like to roost. I’m listening at daybreak and only hear one bird gobbling and he’s way back across the cutover and close to the road. He sounded like a hot bird but damn it was gonna be a journey to get over to him. So I decided even though nothing gobbled down in the bottom I was gonna set up- call and be patient for a hour since I knew they liked the area, and if I struck out Id walk back to truck and go to another gate to chase the one I heard at daylight. Well nothing happened for the hour so I got up and headed out of the bottom, got to top of hill at edge of cutover and yelped a few times as a shot in the dark and one hammered prob 75 yards away. I started into the woods toward him and was standing there trying to decide to close the distance a little more or setup . It didn’t look like anywhere good to set up so I took another step or two in the direction I heard him and outta nowhere he hammered just out of sight all on top of me. I hit the ground crouched with gun ready and he just appeared through the old grew up firebreak and went into strut about 25 yards as I got the bead on his neck and smoked him. It happened so quick but a awesome hunt. If the woods hadn’t been so greened up now I’d never got that close without spooking him. I got called back to work starting Thursday and will be working 6-7 days a week so my season most likely is over. It’s been fun.