Went out this past week on my first Turkey hunt. Crazy adventure to say the least. We arrived on Tuesday, checked into a motel, went to a local cafe and as we walked in, there was a weather alert- Tornado heading for us. My dad and I looked at each other ordered food and asked if they had a walk-in freezer. After dinner, the warning was dropped, we walked out of the diner/cafe to low 40's weather, oops. We realized it would be an interesting couple of days.
3am I was awakened by a loud thunder crash, followed by the sound of popcorn popping. I jumped out of bed, ran to the car, dodging marble sized hail falling everywhere. I drove the truck to the awning at the lobby, parked it, and went back to the room. Shoes are a must when walking on hail.
After waiting out another hail storm around 8am, we checked out and headed to the lodge/house we were staying in for the next couple of days.
We went out Wednesday evening,and it was colder than expected, in the lower 40's. Saw nothing except for two rabbits, doing what rabbits to, 2 groups of deer that could smell me, but not see me. Love hearing the snorting...
29° Thursday was not what I was anticipating, and after a morning calling and having no luck with my decoys, Avian X breeder and feeder, I pulled them and sat in a ground blind watching as the primary activity was, again, deer and a couple of rabbits.
In the silence I hear a blast-it was my dad. Sending texts back and forth with the sporadic cell signal for no less than 30 minutes when a nice Tom comes running in. No decoys, just clearing.
My gun wasn't in my hand, I was trying to move my phone around to grab a signal for 60 seconds... and there he was.
What a rush. My chest was pounding. Grabbed my gun...
Bead on the bird...
A 9 inch longbeard Rio for my first turkey was pretty awesome. It was an absolute rush, but hunting with my dad was pretty awesome, priceless in fact.
He's checked a couple of boxes off his bucket list. Turkey hunting with me, half-way to his slam and 10-1/2 Longbeard Rio.
Up next, Merriam and Osceola(and Speck trip). I might have to surprise him with a chance at an Ocellated Turkey...
Thanks to William at Sumtoy for the sweet .658 Turkey choke. Those Hevi-13's were true.
