Two firsts
Got out with my cousin John Friday morning at his Grandmothers (My Aunts) farm. It is on the market and although he has taken deer and small game there his whole life he had not taken a turkey. We had done some work there before the season and found good sign so he was excited about the prospect. We finally found a morning we could both go and found ourselves walking up the lane on about the most beautiful spring morning I’ve seen. Cold but with a brilliant moon and soon a Gobbler announced his pleasure as well. We hurriedly set up under some large oaks on a wide forgotten fencerow that ran away from the corner of beautiful hardwoods. We let him know we were there and didn’t have to wait long till I thought he was on the ground. I hesitated to call as I wasn’t sure and then with no more gobbles I winged a flydown. I called soon after and waited. John had a better view than I and he saw the gobbler strutting up the hardwood edge and cutting toward us under the hill. I however could only imagine as he broke a stick just down the slope so I stayed still and quiet. After hearing nothing else I called and was answered to the right beyond John near the open part of the field. I called quickly back and I thought He may be caught out of position but saw him transition the gun. From there only scratched leaves were needed as a gobble and then drumming advised his location. I thought I would be able to see him but John’s shot surprised me and a big smile told me the rest. First gobbler on the farm. 20lbs 5oz 9” ¾ spur.
Saturday I had the pleasure to hunt with the Grandson of good friends who’s family farm I have hunted for 30+ years. Zach had become interested in turkey hunting and we were eager to get him up here to hunt. They were waiting for me at the barn at 5:30 and after some quick introductions and hearing an early gobble ( the first he had ever heard), were hurrying across the field to beat the building daylight. We circled in to a small field at the end of a pine woods as several gobblers sounded off. Some of those Gobblers and hens had gone this way on the only morning I had hunted here this year. We set a decoy and tree called to get multiple replies but they were roosted from the middle to the far end of the pines. After gobbling only once on the ground our calls were unanswered and we waited to see what would appear. Nothing did so I told Zach lets go find them. We eased around the wooded slope to get up the hill, and cut across a small opening to access the woods only to spot turkeys in the fields across the creek. We sat tight and watched several strutting jakes and some hens and another lone strutting longbeard meander the hillside. We tried to make our extraction but they were alerted and scurried toward the creek and out of sight. We quickly made it up the hollow and on the ridge and sat silent to let things calm for about 45 min before calling softly and scratching occasionally. About 9:00 we heard a gobble in the distance and responded. The gobbler gobbled again and we repositioned over and up a hill before calling again. He answered good and came to about 75 yds but would not advance further. Zach and I talked about what was in range and when to move and also about how to hold on the gobblers neck. I was about to drop back to call going away when he got silent. Zach said “I need to move” but I cautioned him that we needed to be still right now. He said “my butt really hurts” but I could hear walking and told him now is the time to tough it out. He did and soon a hen appeared crossing the slope about 60 yds below us. Some soft yelps and more footsteps and gobbler heads appear at 35 yds. Jakes. They stopped and studied the decoy before advancing and we had repositioned Zach’s gun down the slope after the hen passed. The lead gobbler was stepping down right into his line and I said shoot when you’re ready. Zach made a good shot and another turkey hunter was born. We got to the gobbler and I held up my hand and asked "was that worth a sore butt for a few minutes"? With a high five he said "Oh yeah"! We headed back to the house to meet his parents, show and tell, and have a big breakfast of home grown sausage and eggs. Oh yeah!
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I still just smile ear to ear when I think of the young man I got hooked to turkey hunting now!! Awesome!!
Awesome turning on hunters to their first'sss...