# A Tail of a Tom



## Bigdrowdy1 (Apr 10, 2017)

Well guys I beat him this year but to make it interesting let me back up.
3 years ago I got after this bird. He would strut out in the middle of the street. he would hit the bar ditch whenever a car or truck would approach. After they had passed he would return and strut in the road. Please understand this is a country road with maybe 20 cars a day. I would sneaky in on him and set up about 75 yards off the road way where I had permission to hunt. He would respond to my calls about 5 or 6 times but never leave the road way. After that he would retreat back across the road and respond every time I called but would not come to my side of the road. One day I had Dad drive the golf down and we watched him run to myside of the road. I had Dad slow down but not stop and I hopped out and eased in the ditch and set up about 30 yards off the road. Dad turned around and went back by and to the house. I waited for the sound of the golf cart to stop as sound travels a ways up there on the creek bottom. I set up and made some soft clucks and purrs and got a response right a away. I thought my plan had worked. Every time I called he would respond from the road but would not leave it. I called for an hour and he finally retreated back up the creek. This was how our first year ended.

Year 2 decided I was gonna pursue this old tom again. First day I set up well inside his well house knowing his haunts and areas we had seen him in. Every set up was within a 200 yard radius of his preferred hill top. I would call and he would respond never seeing but brief glimpse of him strutting before easing over a hill behind a tree or into a small drawing only to disappear. I would bring in a few young toms but pass with hopes of him being the next bird in. NO luck. The pisser for this season was I would leave my set up and get about 80 to 100 yards away and look back and he would be strutting right in the area I was set up at!! Smart ASS. I knew the game was on between me and him. He had become my quest!! That was the way my season ended. 8 different sets * different times this bird would show up once I had decided to leave. I know what you're thinking !! Take a pardoner (my Dad) one of us leave and the other remain there silent and drop this sucker no calling no decoys. We tried and yet no Tom to show pictures of. Same thing once both would leave he would be there strutting within 20 yards of where our decoys had been set up!!! Smart A$$ Old Bird!! END of season!!

Season #3
Had heard him sounding off and had him responding to my calls. He was following me where I had been the day before. I would call a location get some responses but would never follow thru and come in. I would see him where I had been the day before strutting. Plan of action was to call that day and return the next morning and not calling till he showed up using no decoys. Fourth Day out everything was going as planned. I watched him enter the field where I had set up the day before and sure as cotton is white there he was!! I didn't call at all till his second response to other Toms off in the distance sounding off. I could here a hen about 50 yards to my right purring and clucking. The urge to call was overwhelming but I held off in doing so. I watched him strut out in the field for 30 minutes before ever hitting my call ever so gently as to not spook him. At last he was working my way ever so slowly turning strutting ,looking around strumming and blowing. A beautiful spectacle to witness and ALL his glory he was selling his self as THE ONE. He had moved too within 60 yards and I knew the day belonged to me as I was in the seat to succeed this special moment. Then it happened!!! A pickup driving down the road saw him in this open field strutting. They stopped on the gravel road. Anyone who lives in the country can tell you the sound of a vehicle traveling down a gravel road travels a long ways!! Any how these guys stop(sound of truck and gravel coming to rest) and they start calling to this bird. Bird is eighty yards of road looks , turns folds up his feathers and disappears before my eyes!!!!
This was how my season ended!!!!! Frickin Road Hunters!!!! if I had been closer might have peppered their truck!!! Son-Bitches!!

Now too today!
Dad is slowing down a lot but hell I hope I can still get around at his age as well as he does. Thursday April 6th opening day. Set up on hillside where he took 2 Toms on his first ever tom calling by yours truly to intro duce him to the world of calling toms 3 years before. Another story in it's self. But a memory that will remain with me for the rest of my life! After all isn't that what life is about! LOVE you DAD!! Anyhow opening day birds had moved down the creek where we can not hunt. A lot of birds talking and sounding off but nothing moving our way. Beautiful morning to be in the woods. Called and had a lot of responses but nothing moving our way. Day 2 setup 1 strutting jake 3 decoy hens and the sun is cresting in the East and birds are going off ever where. Toms to the right, Toms to the left, up the creek, across the creek, and down the creek noting in front of us but birds everywhere. Makes you feel special to be apart of this. Finally a gobble to our right about 100 yards away. I watch as I saw a flock of birds passing just over the hill to the right of Dad about 85 yards. He was not positioned to see them Needless to say they never broke the crest of the hill . We listened to them as they went by and down the hill across they road. End off day 2
Day 3 Dad is tired and wants to stay home. I set out to the same hill top in the well house of my Tom. 15 minutes in and I have hens in front of me just over the rise. They are clucking and purring between them selves and me. All of a sudden a blast from a Tom comes from my right. Deep and raspy with authority of an old Tom. No others sound off but him. A couple gentle clucks followed by some soft purrs and he responds again. I shift my position into his direction watching for any movement. Then there he is not in strut but looking for those single lady looking for love. Halfway to my position with a small group of trees to my right he turns and moves away from the woods into an opening on top of a small rise about 6 ft tall. He begins his dance of love for all to see. He struts for 10 minutes on top of this rise about 50 yards out teasing me and taunting my decoys. His actions were bold to impression but I could detect his bewilderment of not understanding why the decoys were not responding to his presence after all he was the Male chicken of the walk in all his majestic ways!! Tail feathers spread and shimmering in the early morning sunlight, his gobbles echoing thru the bottoms. Here he stood with 3 females in the early morning light all to himself on the highest ridge showing his majestic self . I was trapped from his location any movement meant he would detect my presence. I watched him sell his self with be wilderment as to why these babes weren't responding to his worldly being. Finally 15 minutes into watching him sell his self as the ultimate lover I decided it was now or never. At 56 yards with his tail in my direction I raised my gun. This movement did not go in=-noticed as he turned sideways and looked in my direction. I took a deep breath and squeezed the trigger as I exhaled. In that moment at he dropped I realized I had shared a moment in time that only something greater than my self could have foreseen. Thank you for that moment and my understanding of your creations here on earth. Thank you mister Tom for your truly testing my love and devotion which was granted to me by a power far more at one with life than I will ever be. God Bless this love granted to those who truly understand my words and feelings. It is not about winning as much as it is about living all that which has been laid before us.


Thank you Lord for allowing me to be apart of this wonderful life you have gifted us all to be hold. 

Now the pictures. Heck pictures to follow Once I find them again!! Modern day marvels! It is a miracle trying to find this stuff some times!!

Reactions: Great Post 9 | Way Cool 5 | +Karma 1


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## Bigdrowdy1 (Apr 10, 2017)

Try this again
11inch plus beard. Stabilized Redwood burl slate over glass high pitched hen with a Tulipwood striker (thanks @TMAC) topped with a Cherry burl top 8 inches overall length. Cherry wood Turkey trumpet to add a little something to the mix.




Yours trully



 



Dad and myself

Reactions: Like 3 | EyeCandy! 1 | Way Cool 10


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## Bigdrowdy1 (Apr 10, 2017)

More pictures

Finished product. I have a ton of pictures but me and this pc aint getting along tonight





The finished product on it ways to becoming a heavenly delight. A toast to the bird with all my respect and thanks to the one who granted me the privilege to experience such a special thing. Hope yall enjoyed the story. I enjoyed the Turkey for sure

Reactions: Like 1 | EyeCandy! 4 | Way Cool 7


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## DKMD (Apr 10, 2017)

What a cool story! I'm not even a hunter, but I read the story twice!


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## Wildthings (Apr 10, 2017)

Bigdrowdy1 said:


> Now too today!
> Dad is slowing down a lot but hell I hope I can still get around at his age as well as he does. Thursday April 6th opening day. Set up on hillside where he took 2 Toms on his first ever tom calling by yours truly to intro duce him to the world of calling toms 3 years before. Another story in it's self. But a memory that will remain with me for the rest of my life! After all isn't that what life is about! LOVE you DAD!!



Dude that was one of the greatest write-ups I've read in a while. I was right there living it with you the whole time!!

But a smile and chills when I read this part quoted above ----please do tell that story in it's self one day and congrats on a great old tom

Reactions: Agree 4


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## Ray D (Apr 11, 2017)

Great story. Gotta love turkey hunting. Cool pictures


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## Tony (Apr 11, 2017)

That's a great story Rodney, thanks for sharing! Tony


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## David Van Asperen (Apr 11, 2017)

What a fantastic adventure. I am super glad that your Dad shared in this experience.
Hearing how you felt about this hunt and the reverence you shared for the entire 3 year learning and endurance process, leads me to believe you have shared a true once in a lifetime event.
Thanks for sharing , thank you for the respect to the creator and the creation ,and thanks for the reminder that sharing and making memories with family are the true treasures.
Dave

Reactions: Agree 3


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## The100road (Apr 11, 2017)

That's awesome! Good for you. I can't wait to hit the woods next week.


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## barry richardson (Apr 11, 2017)

Thanks for sharing your excellent story and pictures Rodney! I would think a sporting publication might be interested in it...

Reactions: Agree 2


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## JR Custom Calls (Apr 11, 2017)

That's a nice bird. ANd those nuggets just made my mouth water. Absolutely the best way to cook em

Reactions: Agree 1


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## DaveHawk (Apr 11, 2017)

Awesome story Rodney. Enjoyed the run down. I have an old 4 year old to get after. The last 2 years I haven't been able to move on him due the knee replacement but now I'll get after him. 
Cool to see your pop's still chasing birds. 
Congratulations. 
Dave


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## woodtickgreg (Apr 15, 2017)

Awesome story Rodney I have had many a hunt for dear but one has stuck in my mind forever. It was a spiritual thing for me too, respect for the animal that I harvested, and thanks to the lord above. Not all of my hunts where like that but on this particular day it was something else. I'm so glad that you understand what that is all about. Not everyone that you tell those kinds of stories to get it. Non hunters especially won't get it most of the time, they might understand your respect for the animal and the creator, but they will never known the feeling and the connection.
Turkeys I never hunted, had a big flock on my property, I just fed them and enjoyed watchin them do their thing. They weren't even afraid of me after awhile. Just didn't have the heart to shoot one after earning their trust, again a spiritual connection. Kinda cool to have a couple dozen birds come in feed, strut, gobble, spit drum and purr, maybe even mate a little, then they all would settle down and take a nap right in front of me on my deck, pretty cool.

Reactions: Like 1 | Way Cool 2


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## justallan (Apr 23, 2017)

Great story Rodney, thanks for sharing.
The turkeys here on the ranch aren't hunted and don't even worry about us. Out fencing yesterday I could hear quite a few out telling their story and it just happens to be in season.
Crap, I was supposed to mow the yard today!


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## JR Parks (Apr 27, 2017)

@Bigdrowdy1 I didn't read this story until tonight. I felt that I was in the middle of a mystery novel - but nobody was getting the axe until now. I could smell the grass, frustration and gunpowder. Spring turks are the best. Where did you find that nice call-Walmart? Thanks Rodney


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