Madison Essex

I woke up and it was pouring rain, I have about an 800 yard walk from the house to the woods so I decided to suck it up. I went to my permanent deer stand because I didn’t feel like getting soaked but I wanted to hunt. About 6:30, I was laying on the bench playing on my phone because I couldn’t see much yet through the woods when I heard a gobble. I sat up and cracked my window and heard him again. I got my grandpas old box call out and yelped and he responded. I let him call for me a bit and just watched. The hens started coming down from the roost and heading to the edge of the woods so I knew I had to get him to come to me. He came in to about 67 yards and then turned towards the edge when I finally could see him. I purred a little bit and he turned around and didn’t see anything so he turned back to where he could see the hens. Thankfully I had a hen roosting about 10 yards from me and she flew down, so I called to him again and he started strutting my way. I watched him for a while until he came in to about 39 yards and I was able to get a good shot. I had a group of smaller toms and hens to my west, but I wanted this one I called in. Once I got to him, I realized I had to carry him back 800 yards through a muddy woods and fields and was questioning my decision… but the look on my boys face when mom got home and he said “mom you got that turkey” was worth it!

10.5 in beard, 1 1/8 in spurs