I was able to finish out my Bama limit with very limited time and a little luck. I only got to hunt two mornings between returning home from work and my Texas/Oklahoma trip. I could hunt Tuesday morning 4/12 and Monday 4/23. The morning hunt of 4/12 was uneventful and only saw a hen before I had to hit the road to meet up with my good buddy in north Bama. After a hard and exhausting but successful trip out west, I finally returned home on 4/21. I took Sunday off to get some much-needed rest and spend some time with my wife.

I decided I would try a bird that I knew was using an area often. I was getting his picture consistently for 4 weeks so I knew he was living in the area. I awoke to a humid and foggy morning on the 23rd. I knew chances of him gobbling was slim to none but I was going anyway. I eased into a little small food plot on the edge of a known roost area. I stood there well past gobbling time and did not hear a peep. I decided I’d place two decoys in the plot and get hidden before fly down. No sooner than I got sat down and settled in a hen pitched down in the plot soon followed by a 2nd one. They must have saw me as they did not like something. One pitched right back up and flew off the way she came from. The other hen just slowly eased out of the food plot.

I’m sitting with my gun in my lap and haven’t moved an inch, but decided I better get ready in case the gobbler decides to do the same. I sit there for 10 minutes or so with no action and then I hear him gobble. He has flown down in a bigger food plot nearby. I can only assume when his hens where not there to greet him he got lonely and vocal. That was the beginning of his demise! I gave him some seductive yelps and he jumped all over them. We had little dirty talk back and forth for a little while but I had finally convinced him to head my way.

Instead of making a move to get myself in a better position for the direction he would approach I made to rookie mistake of staying put. I knew better and that’s where a little extra luck came into play. I could see through a few holes in the vegetation to might right. There was a road in front of me and that left the big plot he was in and came into the plot I was set up on. I had feeling he would walk the road right to me and he did just that. They only problem was he was going to be feet away when I could shoot him. Sure, enough I heard that unmistakable pffffffttttt……vooooom. I was intently staring through any of the little holes I could see through for movement. It was only a few seconds I saw that red, white and blue head easing my way. I slowly get my gun pointed in the direction of the only spot I could shoot him in before he would bust me. Well, it did not go as planned, as soon as he cleared the brush and my opportunity to shoot him was presented he spooked. Lucky for me he ran past me out into the food plot and just had leaped to get air born when I unleashed the TSS. They found the mark and knocked him down just as quickly has got airborne. I don’t like to take shots like that because they have never worked out in my favor. However, he was close and I had good aim so I took the shot and it paid off.

This was the icing on the cake of a solid two weeks of hunting during my off time. I am always thankful for filling my limit in Alabama. I know they don’t come often enough and everyone is very special to me! Now it’s time to make a little money, get some rest and prepare for Washington, Idaho and Montana in a few weeks.

Congrats on another great year

Congrats Mike. Good job brother.

Congrats on the limit Mike!

Congratulations!

Congrats! You are a straight up turkey slayer!

Congrats on another awesome season!

It was just a matter of time! Congrats on another great alabama season mike!

Atta boy Mike! Glad you got Bama wrapped up before it was too late!!!

Congrats

Congrats Mike! Now you got time to get that o/u dialed in!

Congrats mike!

Congratulations

Congrats on the limit!

Congrats!

Congrats on A awesome season!!!

CONGRATS ON THE LIMIT !!!!

Congrats

Congrats!