The Tale of Cantilever Tom

[Squirrelhunter91]

Well.. Let me start off by saying it's been a tough year thus far for us here in NY. We worked birds on the youth hunt, on opening day and the weekend before this past one. Hens got in the way a few times and more than once the landscape played a big role. But finally, this past weekend, we managed to put it all together.
The birds have been roosting in the same area since mid-April. I had done my scouting, I knew where they were, but the tough thing to do is to get them to move across the ridges to you. That's what messed us up the weekend before last and on the youth hunt. They wouldn't come across the ridge.
Now for more recent events. This past weekend (5/12 & 5/13) was Mother's Day weekend. The same weekend I shot my tom from last year on, except last year it was on 5/14. So we decided to head to the field where I shot that bird last year. We owe finding this spot to our buddy, Bill who owns the farm. He has been telling us since I started hunting to go to this one spot every spring because he's always hearing the toms down in there.
We get to Bill's farm at about 5:00 AM. I realize I forgot the decoys as soon as we pull up. No biggy. We spin around go back to the house, which is only like a 2 minute ride, grabe the dekes and go back to Bill's. We get out of the truck, go down the trail to the designated listening spot and get ready. Load the guns, make sure the Therma-Cell is functioning and we wait. About 10 minutes goes by and we hear the first gobble. About 500 yards to our right. Another one gobbles, about 200 yards to our left. Then an owl starts up and makes a few birds gobble about 300 yards in front of us. We listen for a few more minutes and determine the best birds to work are the ones in front of us. The one to our right was too far off and the one to our left would have to come pretty far and cross a fence. So we move to the far end of the field ( about 200 yards) to the exact spot I shot the bird last year (same tree and everything). I set up a hen deke with a jake deke.
Next I do a few soft tree yelps on my box call and the two we set up on hammer back, but still on the roost. We get set and I start calling on the diaphragm and no answer. So I took out my slate/glass Purdy's Custom calls call and let out a few flirtacious yelps and they gobble back, this time on the ground. I keep calling on the friction call and they start double gobbling and triple gobbling. I knew these birds were hot and closing the distance. About five minutes later I call again and it sounded like these birds were about 65-70 yards away down the ridge. They just wouldn't budge for some reason.
About 15 minutes go by and by now it's roughly 5:57 AM. Still early and these birds are still below us on the next ridge. They would answer most every call I would throw at them but not come any closer.
When out of no where, behind us a bird lets loose inside the 50 yard line. Me and my dad look at eachother and I tell him to turn around and shoot when he sees the bird. I told him that if the bird came on the left, I would take it and if it came on the right, he would take it. Deal. I had no chance I think in shooting this bird because they were only responding to the slate/glass call, not the diaphragm so I had to work the call while he was coming.
He layed down on his belly and set up covering out right, but behind us. We were in a field lower than another field. The tom that came in behind us was in the higher field. I let out a couple of purrs followed by some soft yelps and the bird behind us gobbles again which was answered by the birds on the lower ridge. Now keep in mind that I'm still looking in front of us waiting for the birds in front to come in.
So now, I hear spitting and drumming and turn my head to my right and at 5 yards is this tom in full strut locked on to our dekes. I cluck on the slate call and he broke strut momentarily and my dad sent an angry swarm of #6's his way. The bird did a backflip and laid down. That was it. Bird down at 5:59 AM.
Now on the trail the bird came down, there was a broken branch hanging down on the trail. He had to go around it and break his strut for a second to come down the trail. My dad said that when the bird crossed through that downed branch, he walked with his feet out in front and his body in half strut held back, which made him looked cantilevered, hence the name Cantilever Tom. Also, when the tom went thru the branch, it gave my dad the oppurtunity to swing his 28" barrel around a sapling and get a better shot.
About 10 seconds after my dad shot someone else about a half a mile away shot as well and then the birds on the lower ridge gobbled, but about 150 yards away this time.
The bird he shot was probably the one we heard off to our left earlier that morning. I figured that the bird wouldn't come 200 yards and cross a fence. But he obviously did. He came in quiet until he was about 50 yards away and then he gave himself up. He would've totally caught us offguard had he come in quiet the whole way.
So I learned a lesson. Turkeys WILL cross fences for a little some something and that they WILL come in quiet and gobble when they are right on top of you.

So now what you've been waiting for after I bored you thru this long story, the pictures and specifics of the bird. Oh yeah.. I'm sorry about the long story but there were just so many details to this hunt and this bird was so rewarding, I just had to throw them in there.

The bird was 20lbs, had an 8 3/4" beard and 3/4" spurs. It was most likely a two year old.







I know the tag on the leg says 7.5" beard but we had to estimate the beard length when we put the tag on it. here in NY, we have to put the tag on the animal as soon as you get it to your means of transportation. So without a tape measure at the truck, we couldn't get an exact measurement.

[toddyboman]

Loved the story felt like I was right there with you guys!!
Nice work on a good bird!
Way to go!

[Adjam5]

This is THE most memorable hunt I have ever been on with Joe. As a young boy, maybe 7;
he sat on my lap while I shot a doe during gun season. He watched me shoot a turkey right after he shot his 1st 3 years ago. This past october bow season he sat in the tree next to me and watched me shoot another doe with the bow. Now last saturday, he called in a really nice Tom that suprised the both of us. My son is becoming quite the caller and hunter and man.
I could not have a better hunting partner and I cherish the times we are together.
I love ya Joe and you make me proud daily.
Ok...I gotta go get a tissue.

[Tom2008]

Awesome story Joe and it sounds like a very exciting hunt! Todd is right it did feel like we were there with you! I like to read the details of the story of a hunt because a hunting story without details gets boring. It helps us learn new things when you add in details. Congrats to your Dad on the bird and good luck with the rest of your season.

[beagleboy]

Congrats to you both on a well deserved bird. That's a great moment to cherish as father and son. Can't wait till my son is of age and he can start tagging along with me in the woods. Congrats to you both once again.

[Born2Hunt]

Congrats on a great day! Bill's calls talk turkey.

[RangerClay]

Great story Joe!! Congratulations Anthony!!!

[Adjam5]

Thanks Ranger.
This season has been the best so far for Joe and I. We are clicking at soo many levels.
Joe is maturing into quite the hunter. Most teenagers want little to do with their parents, especially on the weekends. Hunting keeps my sons and I very close. We owe a great deal of our close relationship to the outdoors, and of course my wife; who lets us have the freedom we want, to hunt various species throughout the years.
Our time spent in the field is time well spent...always.

[Rhino]

Great story. Don't you just love surprises like that bird coming in from the back side. Congrats to both of you for the great bird and enjoying that memorable hunt together.

[redbeard]

Congrats to you and your Dad. Great bird.