NY Opening Day Double

by Mike Bard
Zink Calls
1 May 2009

Vital Statistics - Bird #1 (Matt's)
Weight - 22 pounds
Beard - 9.5 inches
Spurs - 7/8 and 1 inch

Vital Statistics - Bird #1 (Mine's)
Weight - 20 pounds 3 oz.
Beard - 10.5 inches
Spurs - 1 1/4 inch

My buddy, John Lafluer, who is also good friends with my younger brother, Matt, wanted to get Matt out this spring and help him get his first ever spring turkey. We all did some pre-season scouting and John came up with and secured permission on a farm close to home that was holding at least 11 turkeys in one group...3 confirmed Toms, a couple jakes and then 6 hens. We agreed that this was our best bet for opening morning and made plans.

We awoke to howling winds and spitting rain, but we headed out anyway (after someone finally showed up 40 minutes late - Matt). Luckily the farm was close and we only had a couple hundred yard walk along a field to get to our spot. After arriving to a point in the wood line where it met open field, we quickly set a hen and Tom decoy. Matt was the primary gunner on this hunt and I sat against the same tree as he did, so I could hopefully coach him along. John sat just behind us and the plan was for him to be the primary caller. We got all settled in just prior to shooting time, then sat and listened, nothing but howling winds could be heard. Every time it would let up, John would call...this continued for about 45 minutes, never seeing or hearing anything resembling a turkey.

About 6:15 am 250 yards down the field, I saw a hen come walking out from some tall grass... then popped out a hammer of a Tom and just after him all packed tight in a single file line were 5 hens, a Jake and either a smaller Tom or another Jake. Seconds later two more Tom's popped out from the same area and followed the path of the first group. They all continued to follow that lead hen quartering away from us until the last two Tom's decided to stop and strut in a bare spot in the field.

Both John and I called and grabbed their attention using our Zink Josh Grossenbacher Signature Series mouth calls, and then they noticed the hen and full strut Tom decoy we had out. Both came out of strut and started making their way at us, until they got about 100 yards out where they stopped and started strutting. At this point, John couldn't see them, so made a couple yelps, which got them to break strut and made a B-line for our decoys at a little faster pace than before. Once they got to about 30 yards, I whispered to my brother to shoot the one on his side whenever he felt ready and then I'd try getting a shot at the other... well they hung up at about 30 yards for a minute or so, as I continued to whisper to my brother to SHOOT, but Matt appeared to be frozen (however he later said there was some brush in his way). I decided to make a couple more soft yelps and all of a sudden the one Tom's head turned pure white and he ran at our Tom decoy, just as he was about to hit it, the second Tom came from behind him and drop kicked the decoy. With all the excitement, I just couldn't wait any longer and took the shot the bird closer to me. Well he dropped dead instantly, then a second shot rang out from Matt and both birds were down.

I quickly jumped to my feet excited, when the second Tom tried to jump up; both Matt and I quickly dispatched the wounded turkey. John quickly came up to congratulate us and join in the high-fives. At 6:39 on opening morning, we had two great birds on the ground. Congrats to Matt on his first turkey and thanks to John for all the efforts to make it happen!