My buddy and I set up next to the clearing on the treeline. He shoots right-handed and I'm a lefty so we set up about 45 deg. apart. He was covering up the trail/field and I covered down the field. Just before sun-up we heard a couple of birds drop down from the roost but no gobbles. Later we heard a gobbler in the pines across from us. We were contemplating moving to work that bird and just about ready to get up when my buddy turned his head to see a silent gobbler in full strut not 15 yds. away!

The bird was almost behind him and right and slightly back of me. Because of the drape of my bug tamer hood I had no peripheral vision. The bird was strutting back and forth, spitting and drumming. Joe kept asking if I could see him and I couldn't. I could only sit and shake with nerves. I was so sure the bird would see me shaking.

Finally, he stepped out from my right, less than 10 yds away. He walked out a bit and made a turn giving me the chance to bring my gun to cheek and tuck in tight. He was moving to my left but before he could step in front of my gun he turned again. Now he was walking away from me, so when he stopped and raised his head a bit I pulled the trigger.

10 minutes, 10 steps and a 220 bpm heartrate later I had my second gobbler of the season! My thanks to Joe for his play-by-play, I was ready for a bird I couldn't see but could only hear.