I was headed to a spot where the birds liked to go after everyone cleared the woods. I knew where it was because come 10am they would start gobbling and everyone else was back at camp. I figured where they roosted and where they were headed. I figured they would head to the clover patch after everyone left. The others had been riding up on top of the mountain and then would start calling. I parked at the base like I had been and started walking the long way to get there, 1.5 miles even though it was only 1/2 mile straight up. I planned on getting there about 9:30 and just wait for them to start since I knew where they wanted to be anyway. I made it to within 80 yards of the clover patch and there they were, already there. I was in the road which was lined with high weeds that I could back in far enough to hide and still see through. 3 Strutters came out and 2 hens. When they turned I eased down and backed out. I took off my gear and laid it down and crawled up the road to a curve. When I eased my head over a little rise a hen was about 20 yards away and looking right at me, I didn't even take a breath. She went back to feeding and headed my direction. I crawled backwards and propped up in the weed edge. I saw two strutters headed my way or her way rather and flipped the safety off. She stepped out at 15 steps on my side of the road and yelped, here the boys came. When the lead ones head popped over the rise at 20 steps I yelped...I clucked...I putted and finally shot the sucker in full strut at 18 steps. The hen was inside of 15 steps when I shot, she likely cannot hear still. I didn't call him in, I knew where they were but I bushwacked him plain and simple. I smiled all the way back to the truck.
