BOWHUNT FOR THE FLORIDA OSCEOLA
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Day 3 Continued - The Real Deal 

At 5:05 a hen walked out of the woods. I picked up my camera and took a pic.

Then I looked to see if any more wild turkeys were behind her. There were. Wow!

Out walked the real deal with a big belly and a long beard, this was a big Tom.

The hen and longbeard were not alone. Three jakes and another hen were in the mix. I set my camera down and picked up my Woodhaven cherry slate and made some soft yelps. The longbeard stopped and puffed up. The other turkeys just wandered around.

I got a little more excited on the slate and the longbeard went into a full strut. The rangefinder read 52 yards.

Then I did a purr but with a lot of pressure on the surface to sound like a fight. This got the longbeards attention. His head snapped in my direction. I grabbed the camera again and got his pic.

He turned in my direction and gobbled at me twice. I picked the slate back up and did the fighting call again. He cranked out more gobbles.

The other birds walked around him and kept distracting him.

I alternated between the camera and the slate and yelped and cut. He continued to gobble. 

He looked my way. And then looked at the birds around him. Back and forth. Again and again. The two hens walked off and the jakes followed. He was next.

I watched as he went to a 20 yard puddle of standing water and drank. After they were long gone and daylight was fading fast I walked to the water. Turkey tracks were all around it. So I moved the blind half way between the water and where he was when I took the pictures.

Tomorrow morning, before daylight, I will be here.
 

In Florida we are hunting with David Mills of Zolfo Springs, Florida in Central Florida's Osceola wild turkey country. David is an immediately likable guy and makes you feel at home from the get go.  David has thousands of acres available to hunt Florida Osceolas. He understands this unique species of wild turkey and knows his extensive area like the preverbal back of his hand. David is now part of the Woodhaven Sting Team and is hosting them on this hunt. To contact David about Osceola hunts, bow or shotgun, phone 1-863-990-9087.

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