The most sought after turkey in North Carolina

jasper · Wed Apr 20, 2005 2:14 am

I'm not usually one for speaking up on internet forums. However, when Earl from NC pointed me in the direction of vaturkey.com I immediately became hooked. Attached is a story about my first bird, after a long four year wait! Earl is a frequent contributor to this talk page and he and his father offered me some advice recently on how to fine tune my turkey hunting skills. As an Outdoors Writer, I was really desperate this year to get a turkey and at the same time bring a good story to my local reader base here in Durham NC (www.heraldsun.com click on sports and then outdoors).

First the Hunt: My good friend Jonathan H. and I had been hunting birds for the past two years. When our season started here two weeks ago, it resembled the last days of deer season with cold and wet conditions on top of "Gale" force winds much of the opening two weeks. We hunted last Friday and heard a bird in the wind really far away. We decided the condtions weren't right and did not pursue the bird as we knew the weather would change. Sure enough, Monday brought blue skies, no wind, and a beautiful day in the woods. We began the morning by listening to three beagles run the same deer through the woods for nearly 30 minutes. We knew some birds were nearby but by day break the dogs proved not to be the kind of chatter a turkey wants to hear. As we began easing our way along the southwest field, we heard a turkey clear across the property, almost a 1/2 mile away. We made our way steadily to the bird and with each light step through the woods the turkey proved to be happily shaking his cords for all the world to hear. With 300 yards between us we crow called and the bird answered. Slowly we closed the gap. Jonathan would call, cautiously and the bird would answer. Not knowing where the bird was the final 100 yards we found a good spot and quickly set up. With one more call, and a rustle in the leaves the bird gobbled again, this time 75 yards away and closing. Sitting along the field road looking down a historic old path that has supported my feet on many hunts as a boy and now into my 33rd year on earth I scanned the bordering woods for the turkey. A minute turned to two and about 75 yards down the road the bird stepped out in all his glory. He quickly began strutting and putting on nature's greatest show. Overcome with emotion, I simply started laughing quitely to myself as Jonathan whispered encouragement ten feet away. The bird strutted and then moved closer. He scanned the road for the source of those alluring calls and moved closer at 25 yards I felt like crying. At 23 yards I smiled again. At 21 yards I said a prayer. And at 20 yards I squeezed the trigger and unleashed a propulsion of emotion and shot towards this bird of destiny. When the bird fell to the ground I ran to his side. The bird was in the final stages of his life on this earth and I quickly and softly told him thanks. I looked into his eye and closed mine in a moment of prayer. The bird no longer moved and I knew at that point my hunt was over and it was now a time of thanks, respect, and honor for this great adversary. I quicly hugged Jonathan and called my wife at 7Am to tell her the great news.

Back at the farm about thirty minutes later with the bird displayed in front of a 100 year old apple tree ripe with blooms, I prepared the bird for a few photos. I placed my son on my lap and we looked at the wonderful colors, and features of the bird. It was emotional and I promised I would not cry in front of my family. The bird, which I did not weigh, did not score, and did not measure is a trophy. He has a long spur, he has one long beard and one medium sized beard. When I carried him out he felt heavy enough. No score sheet could do him justice.

When the cameras were put away and my family on their way to work and back home I broke down behind the barn. You see this bird was not about me hunting him, it was about my father hunting him. This past February I lost my father, the man who introduced me to the Outdoors and stood me on his knee in front of deer, rabbits, squirrels, doves, an Elk, and even a fox. However he never killed a wild turkey. In the hospital during his final days I promised him that I would harvest a turkey for him and that I would bring him a single feather for his first turkey. Two hours after I took my turkey from the farm, I drove 8 miles down the road to a small country graveside. On a beautiful spring morning I retold the story to my dad and his dad and told them how wonderful life was at that moment and yet empty without him near me. I knelt down on the ground and in true Orange County red clay, I inserted a turkey feather for dad. It was the most emotional hunt I've ever had. It was the hardest hunt I've ever had. And it was the easiest hunt I've ever had. Dad, your feather is where I told you it would be.

To those that helped me along the way, Thanks! To those still searching for that turkey, I hope the emotions one day will overcome you like they did me and you can really appreciate this fine quarry. I'll never forget my dad, and I'll never forget "his" first turkey taken at 7AM on April 17, 2005.

The most sought after turkey in North Carolina

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