WI bird

[Hoyt4]

My spring has been a rough one trying to close out.It's been a blast though, made a lot of mistakes misses and just bad luck.Yotes attacking a tom being called in ,bad shells hitting the primer and not going off.Wednesday I got out in WI on some public land we just started to hunt.Man was it hot.I really did not want to go out in that heat so it took me sometime to make up my mind if I wanted to go.I sat around the house and finally about 5:30 decided to head out.So I drove to my pops place parked grabbed the non-toxic shells he left out for me and headed out still 94 degrees out.Head back to where only 2 weeks ago I had a dud for shell and a Tom got away from me.Checked out that spot not much going on.So snuck up to private field to glass to see if any birds where out cause on my drive over I saw bunch of birds out and two toms fighting so I thought it would be a good night.I get to the fence glass and there is a jake sitting out in the middle.I toss a few calls at him but nothing he starts making his way back to the tree line.A few minutes later here come 9 more birds out to the field he was just in.5 gobblers and 4 hens they start heading for the same tree line.I thought that was private prop. but I followed the fence line and it keep going and headed back to the corner I need to go to get in front of the birds.I start through on a nice game trail and then it gets thick could hardly see anything.I finally got back to where I thought the birds should be but could not see the field cause of how thick it was.So I took a chance to try and get a look.Good thing for wind I get to the fence and I'm 10 yards from a hen and big gobbler.They head into the woods I'm in but I can not see them.While standing there 3 more toms walk by me at 5 yards just across the fence.Never had a clue I was there I new they would go into the same spot so once they passed me I just slowly moved when the wind blew hard back out and cut through the woods.The birds where now cutting a pond edge on the public and I was in the woods cover.I still had too much brush in front of me so I made one more move to get a little more open shot and now one of the birds saw me it's now or never.He made one mistake and stretched his neck out for a better look.25 yards and he was taking a dirt nap.Wasn't huge just shy of 21 lbs ,5/8 spurs and 9.5 beard.After my rough spring it sure felt good to drop that bird where he stood.These birds are roosting on the public and feeding out in the morning to the private.Public land birds always feel a little better.

[paintbrush]

Congrats! Any public land bird this time of year is a fine take!

[DonBo]

Congrats! Any public land bird this time of year is a fine take!

Couldn't agree more. Way to go.

[Borch]

Congrats on a great hunt.