This weekend is the end of the general season for CA. Since I will be at Church tomorrow, today is my last turkey hunt of the 2013 spring season. I had asked Melissa Welch, the daughter of a friend of the families, if she wanted to go and she jumped at the chance. She said she was supposed to go to the slow. I didn't know what that meant so she cleared things up when she said SLO, San Luis Obispo, to see some friends. She decided to go turkey hunting instead and told her friends to wait for her until we were done hunting. I called last night and told her to be here at 4:00am. She hesitated a little and then said she would be here. She was right on time and we were on our hour journey to West Point, CA. We got there in perfect time and got set up before the turkeys started gobbling. They finally started and we were in the right spot. The turkeys flew down just right and were headed our way. I could see 2 full fans and 2 jakes. They were making their way towards us just like the script I had wrote last night. Then the 2 Jakes saw something they didn't like. They started putting but not real afraid. About that time another Jake flew and lit right beside us. Less than 10 yards. As soon as he landed he spotted us and started putting. I told Melissa to turn and shoot. That didn't work too good. The turkey started running Mach 5 and she couldn't get on him. So the first set up was busted. We moved 2 more times and finally headed back where we had been to begin with and walked right into a flock of turkeys. 2 hens flew across the creek and several gobblers ran down the road in the same direction the hens flew. They weren't there long before they started gobbling. We tried to get around in front of them and then I spotted them strutting on the road that enters the property. I told her we were going to have to go commando on them and she said OK. She called it a Covert Operation!!! I picked out the tree we needed to sneak up to and we should be able to see them from there. As we were walking up I told her she is probably only going to see the turkeys red head or if she saw the tail to get ready. She only took a few steps toward the tree I had marked before she turned and said I see a red head. I told her to shoot it. Then I see 2 turkeys walking together. I told her don't shoot, don't shoot because she would have killed both of them. They separated a little and I told her to shoot the turkey on the right. BOOM and turkeys flew every direction. I asked if she hit it and she asked if she missed. From my view it looked like the shot hit low on the little rise before the turkeys. The turkeys were standing on the edge of a steep bank and I couldn't see anything after the shot. I moved over to she where she shot and I heard floppage. Then I saw her turkey flopping down the hill. She was very excited and ran down the hill towards to turkey and even fell down the steep bank. She finally got her foot on the turkeys head. Then she picked it up by the neck and started trying to wring it's neck. I told her to put it down and just step on his head. She told me later thats how they do the doves. LOL She also told me that this turkey is the first thing she has ever shot. I didn't know that because she had told me she cleaned pheasants and doves before so I assumed she had killed them but she cleaned the pheasants and doves her boyfriend had killed. Then she asked how much it weighed and before I could answer she said 50 pounds. I said No and she said it feels like 800 pounds. LOL
Does it get any better than a pretty girl, killing her first turkey, on the last weekend of the turkey season, all on video. She is absolutely hooked and has already said bring on next spring. I can't count how many times she said "I got my turkey" or how many times she thanked me for taking her. Then she said it was all worth getting up at 3:30am. LOL As we were walking up to take a few pictures she said something and I asked her what she said. Her answer was "I'm getting blood all over the back of my pants." I told her she is now a turkey hunter.
Video at the bottom.
TRKYHTR
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff214/trkyhtr/2013%20Turkey%20season/006-2.jpg) (http://s242.photobucket.com/user/trkyhtr/media/2013%20Turkey%20season/006-2.jpg.html)
(http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff214/trkyhtr/2013%20Turkey%20season/001-1.jpg) (http://s242.photobucket.com/user/trkyhtr/media/2013%20Turkey%20season/001-1.jpg.html)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=shBg8m06PSM
Heck of a season Joe
Joe, that was a great read, and I can't think of a better way to end the season. Congrats on another awesome spring.
congrats to her great hunt love your videos
Congrats!
Congrats to the both of you on a job well done... :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Congrats!!
Nice way to cap off a very successful season, congrats!
That's some good stuff right there, let me tell you! Way to go Joe! You helped create a lifetime memory for Melissa.
Congrats to you both & to you on.a great season.....
Congrats!!
Great story!!!! loved it !
Great last hunt and great story.
Great way to end the season! Congratulations!
Congrats!!!
nice congrats!