Yesterday I called in a bunch of hens with this bird gobbling on the ridge above us. Today, we set up on the ridge, thinking he would stroll right out the ridge and into the field we were setting on. He did, but had one old hen with him that apparently wanted to stay just inside of the woods, skirting the corner of the field we were in. I thought at any moment we would see his head pop out, it didn't. He went right around us through a wooded finger and came into the field on the other side. Mason and I snuck around the finger. Once I saw them I popped up a "chicken on a stick" and crawled toward them. When he saw the deke, he puffed up and gobbled. Mason, knowing he was short on time, decided to try gaining ground quick. He took the decoy and started walking toward them when they slipped into a depression in the field. The hen was off to the side and figured him out as he was walking. Game over. Still, it wasn't a bad way to spend a little time before school.
This was the only bird we heard gobbling this morning also. I suspect we are getting close to these old boys running completely out of girlfriends and becoming really susceptible to a few calls. It's about time for the long-spurred birds to start hitting the ground.