I certainly hope to hear "Lucky" again this spring... having that gobbler in shotgun range so many times and not pulling the trigger is wearing thin. I could have killed him at least 3 times, if not 4, but it always seems when I have someone with me that I want to kill him he is, well, lucky.
I don't think I have ever told the story of the initial encounter with who I believe was Lucky as a 2 year old. I think the curse of "Lucky" started on that day. It was a rainy morning several years ago when I called in a turkey that was literally roosted out our back door. Because of the rain Amy decided to sleep in and I slept late. It seemed the rain slacked off about daylight and I was up and getting ready to head up on the mountain. It was just breaking day... about gobbling time, when I put my gear into the passenger seat of my truck and slammed the door. You guest it... Lucky gobbles no more than 150 yards from my back deck. (For those of you that have been to my house, it's not Lucky's normal woods put the patch of woods that runs directly behind my house). Anyway... I decided to give him a whirl but I had to work my way all the way around the backside of him as I didn't think he would come out in the yard.
I got setup and made a soft tree call that he immediatly answered from the roost. After what seemed like forever I actually saw him fly down angled my direction. A few more gobbles on the ground and I knew he was headed my way. Sure enough he crests the hill at 25 yards in all his soaking wet glory. I thought what a great thing it was going to be to take that wet, dead turkey, and throw him in the bed with Amy since she decided not to hunt in the rain. I watched his show for a minute or so and then decided to give him a pass for the day that he would be a great turkey for Amy to hunt in the mornings before work and I could surely call him in again one morning if he stayed close to the house. That was a big mistake and now Lucky haunts me for passing him up, hoping to let someone else shoot him. I could have killed him since several times and Amy had a so-so shot at him one time that she wouldn't take. Other than that, Lucky lives!
I look forward to continuing the contest...
Hopefully "Hoppy" will be around as well. We have a short, but VERY interesting history!
I've gotten a very up close look at him!