The Knob Gobbler

by MD Johnson
Zink Calls Pro Staff
6 May 2009

Southeastern Kentucky
6:40AM Eastern Standard Time

Five May, and just after daylight, we had a big longbeard follow a hen to within 80 yards of our decoys, where he strutted for over an hour before breeding her. It was an incredible sight, indeed, to witness this at such close range. While this was happening, two more gobblers worked their way into the field; however, neither approached closer than 60 yards. Eventually, all four birds wandered back uphill to a small open knob, where they feed and strutted for four straight hours. Once they had gone, we backed away quietly, having decided it best if we come back in the morning.

The next morning, we were on the ridge long before daybreak. Walt and I set our gobbler decoy on the knob, hoping to get some fantastic "In Your Face" footage. As morning came, the birds began to gobble just over the rise. A few soft yelps, and the longbeards responded with a vengeance! Still unseen, the birds could all be heard spit'n and drum'n - THERE! Through the branches, I could see beards swinging as all four ran toward the full strut decoy. The quartet rushed past us and hit the 20-yard marker before realizing that something might not be right with this scene. As they all turned, Walt, who was on the camera that morning, gave me the "green light" to shoot. The Beretta barked, and another excellent two-year-old had been elevated to celebrity status!

The plan was simple, but we had to stick to it. We watched these birds closely without pressuring them, recognized their pattern, and took advantage of their daily routine. We they showed up on the knob - their regular haunt - in the morning, we were there waiting for them.