I had been scouting, but not as much as I usually do because of work and all. The day before the season opened I woke up at 5:00 am and went out to listen for birds and try to figure out the best spot for opening day. Everywhere I went I could hear gobbles! Some far and some near, all at various locations. I chose one bird to hunt opening day that had been roosting in the same spot for awhile. Some of the other birds I had located were nomadic and didn't roost in the same spot all the time.

Four o'clock came early on opening day. I woke up to heavy winds and drizzle - not what I was hoping for. Chris got to my house at 4:30 am and we were off. We arrived at the spot and hit the woods with a blind, two deeks, a video camera and two bows. After some indecision in the dark about where to set up, I finally picked a spot and popped the blind and set the deeks.

When it started to get light, I let out a barred owl hoot. Nothing. Did it again. Nothing. I was starting to wonder if I picked the right bird to chase. Was he still here? I let out an erratic hoot sequence with a nice owl laugh at the end. Goobbbbbllle!! He was right out in front of us. Yes! 

I let him know where to find us with a few soft yelps and he responded hard with triple gobbles. I was pumped because this bird was hot! Every time I yelped, he went nuts. After about a hundred gobbles he flew down, but he flew away from us. Now he sounded like he was a mile away. Dang! 

A few calls later, and we could tell he was coming! He topped the ridge and came into sight. Now it was time for the deeks to do there thing. I passed a 30 yard shot hoping the bird would come closer. I thought I may have blown it, but the Tom circled in to beat up my plastic Jake. I took the shot at about 12 yards. He was done for and the rest is history. This is my fifth season in a row with a NY bow tom. My first ever was in 1999.