Bad leg, Chicago hunter, and one great morning

Linebacker97 · Tue May 07, 2013 8:44 am

This year has been a little rough for me. With my leg injury in recovery I have not had my normal mojo to get up and get out there hunting. I have managed some hunts with my daughter and a good friend a week ago. I had one more scheduled hunt this past week-end. My college roommate and fellow Penn State Football teammate flew in from Chicago to hunt a couple of days with me. I prayed for some good weather and cooperative turkeys. I knew where some were at but had no idea of their tendencies or typical roosting areas for this spring. So here goes the story as seen and remembered from Linebacker97’s eyes.
I awoke to the alarm at 5:15am. Quickly I silenced it so it would not arouse my wife. It is never good to awaken the woman with such shenanigans as turkey hunting. I limp into where my friend is sleeping and flip the switch. He is up and we are out on time. We arrive to where I park and we begin our slow but steady climb up the hill to our listening spot. I struggle a little but manage to arrive not too far behind. I am praying we hear one but preferably not up on the mountain. In the years past the higher the better, I love the climb and the victory that can be found in it, I accept it will not happen this year. The morning is coming like every morning does; the birds start their singing, the distant crow caws to awaken his brothers. I hear the morning dove cooing up on the mountain. The light chatter among friends has ended because we know a gobble should be near. We concentrate our ears to hear that first morning gobble. Strange how my friend has traveled hundreds of miles to hear it and I too have overcome much with hopes of being able to be here to hear that morning gobble. What hope lies in every spring hunter’s heart at this time every morning? I pray to God and thank him for the health and his many blessings. I see the distant horizon turn to fire as the sun starts to make its entrance. GOBBBBLLEEE!! It chatters my teeth, he is close. Closer than I would have expected or hoped, I smile, no climbing required!! My friend and I ease to the wood’s edge and wait to ensure we do not ruin this golden opportunity. He gobbles again, the plan is laid, the trees are chosen and we sit.
It is playing out perfectly in my mind. A gobble quickly answers my soft yelps beckoning him my way. Wow, early fly down. I see him pitch off of his nighttime perch and land just out of sight. The intensity steps up. I cluck, nothing. I cluck and yelp all so quietly, gobbbbllleee. I see my friend ease his gun to his chin and I know the main player of this game has entered the ring. I see him strutting as he approaches our position. I hear an intruder, one of which is usually despised when they enter the game, but not this time. They yelps are coming from below our location. He gobbles hard at the thought of more hens joining him. I realize nature will draw him right to us, I watch and grin. He gobbles and struts to 35 yards from the man from Chicago. I watch anxiously. BOOOOM! Turkey still standing, BOOOM!! Turkey running, BOOOOM! Turkey flying directly across my path at 25 yards and I draw my gun. For a brief moment I see a clay pigeon but it is white. BOOOM! Turkey rolling down the woods with my friend on its tail. We have won this morning’s epic conflict between man and bird. The Tom fought well, my friend shot poorly, I shot lucky, and we all go home in the same truck. This gobbler gets to live forever, in my memory, in my friend’s memory, and I am forever thankful to him for what he provided.

http://s1221.photobucket.com/user/ceste ... 8647126333

Bad leg, Chicago hunter, and one great morning

Who is online