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 beautiful opening morning 
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Poult

Joined: Tue Mar 24, 2015 1:47 pm
Posts: 12
Post beautiful opening morning
I have been trying to get my Dad out in the turkey woods for years but it has never happened. He was a long time hunter but slowly lost time in the woods raising 4 boys and running a business. As the youngest I only caught the tail end of my Dad's hunting adventures. Most of them were me just observing and learning. 25 years have passed since I hunted with him and as I have come to learn he is not getting any younger. I told myself I was not going to let another Spring come and go without sharing a morning with him on the old oak ridge. He was the only person I was planning on being with opening morning and I picked him up about 5:20. I knew right where the birds "should" be based on years of hunting that ridge. That ridge is steep and the birds roost right on top. The setup always taunts me with the same question. Will they fly left or right? Over the years it has proven to be a total guessing game. I decided to set up right on top hoping to get my dad as close to some roost gobbling as possible, thinking that often is the highlight of the morning. We heard our first gobble as I unzipped my blind (5:40). GOBBLE! It scared both of us and we quickly got inside. The warm weather did not disappoint and the woods were filled with a chorus singing my favorite spring song. We could hear around 10 birds and as expected the birds pitched off the ridge but went both left and right. This is not typical but this was more birds than I had ever heard on the ridge. Silence took over once they were on the ground. We could hear a random gobble every so often just to let us know they were not getting closer. I had gotten a few responses but they were clearly with hens so I just shut up and waited. At about 745 I hit the call and was answered by a hen in the creek bottom. I eventually made her mad and she was on heading our way and was yelping extremely loud all the way. As she was heading our way we heard a gobble to our right about 150 yards. The hen and the and the gobbler were soon heading right towards us from opposite directions. I keep imitating her and he keep closing the distance gobbling all the way. I was worried the hen would pass us and cut him off before he got into range. However when she saw my decoy she just stopped and stared it down, this held her up long enough for him to make it to the top of the ridge. When his fan crested the top of the hill he was about 35 yards. I was planning to watch him strut and let my Dad watch him do his thing but I heard my old man say "take him" and the son in me just listened....boom....gobbler down.

I have not been posting in this forum for very long but I have enjoyed reading stories like this one on here for a long while. I am happy I have started to share mine and thank you all for doing the same. The picture is far from the best and I'm sure I will regret not getting a better one. He was just an average 2 year old bird. 9 inch beard and 3/4 inch spurs although it will always be one of my favorite birds. All in all we could not have had a better morning. Good luck to everyone.


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Mon Apr 16, 2018 1:44 pm
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King of Spring

Joined: Sun Dec 05, 2004 4:50 pm
Posts: 2647
Location: central Va
Post Re: beautiful opening morning
congrats!!


Mon Apr 16, 2018 3:15 pm
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Co-Owner/Dog Feeder

Joined: Mon Dec 06, 2004 10:20 am
Posts: 3774
Post Re: beautiful opening morning
Congratulations to you. I suspect that fine picture will look a better to you some twenty years from now than it does today!! Even better thirty years from now.

_________________
"even after almost a half-century of hunting of the noblest game bird I am going to confess that I am still in the kindergarten; and I doubt if any human being ever acquires a complete education in this high art."
- Archibald Rutledge


Mon Apr 16, 2018 3:27 pm
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Poult

Joined: Sat May 07, 2011 12:40 pm
Posts: 14
Post Re: beautiful opening morning
Looks like my dad e.g, hell with the camo, put on whatever pair britches/shirt and shoes that is nearby before heading out. :D


Mon Apr 16, 2018 5:07 pm
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King of Spring
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Joined: Tue Nov 10, 2009 5:12 am
Posts: 2451
Location: Midland, VA
Post Re: beautiful opening morning
That is a very special moment and story. Thank you for sharing.

Your dad has the right idea. Natural relaxing clothing and a mug of coffee, just missing the cigar.


Earl

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God, Family, Country, Corps and then the Wild Turkey.


Mon Apr 16, 2018 5:33 pm
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King of Spring
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Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2005 11:01 am
Posts: 600
Location: Bluemont, VA
Post Re: beautiful opening morning
Great hunt & great pic. I got a pic of me & my dad golfing that I thought was not so good at the time almost ten years ago, but because of its uniqueness it is one of my favorites. Pops passed away almost four years ago. That pic is framed and hanging in my office reminding me of him and that day we spent together

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"If turkeys could smell, you'd never kill one" - Bud Trenis my turkey hunting mentor & dear friend


Mon Apr 16, 2018 7:47 pm
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King of Spring

Joined: Thu Dec 09, 2004 2:25 pm
Posts: 2092
Post Re: beautiful opening morning
congrats!!

Doug


Mon Apr 16, 2018 8:19 pm
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Boss Gobbler
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Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2004 3:08 pm
Posts: 1561
Location: Central VA
Post Re: beautiful opening morning
That is awesome. So glad you were able to enjoy a hunt with your dad.

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"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take but by the moments that take our breath away."


Tue Apr 17, 2018 8:28 am
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King of Spring
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Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 7:28 am
Posts: 1181
Location: Hamilton, va
Post Re: beautiful opening morning
Sounds like your dad is a really good man and great provider. Congrats.

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"Turkey's have no curiosity"


Tue Apr 17, 2018 9:02 am
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King of Spring

Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2011 11:23 am
Posts: 652
Location: Hagerstown, MD
Post Re: beautiful opening morning
Nice write up and a memory you won't soon forget, thanks for telling it. Sounds like a lot more seed on that ridge.


Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:13 pm
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King of Spring

Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2005 7:40 am
Posts: 2696
Location: Baltimore, MD
Post Re: beautiful opening morning
He looks happy to me, congrats!

His turn to shoot one.
V

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Vic

Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you!
-Pericles (430 B.C.)


Tue Apr 17, 2018 1:51 pm
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King of Spring
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Joined: Fri Dec 03, 2004 1:33 pm
Posts: 3008
Location: Powhatan, VA
Post Re: beautiful opening morning
Nothing like hunting with family..

Congrats to you both..

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RB

Take me Home Country Roads.


Wed Apr 18, 2018 9:59 am
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