Wow what a season so far!!
I knew where some gobblers had been hanging out, and went in the evening before and set up a blind for my daughter and I to hunt out of, as she asked to go along this year. She has only been one other time last year, and it rained the whole time, with no gobbles, yelps, or turkeys seen. This year would be different. Woke her up at 4:40am. and she popped out of bed and put on her clothes before I could blink. We got about 800 yards from the blind, and walked in the dark to our spot, and put up the decoys, we named "Goober" and "Henrietta" from Joe (TRKYHTR), and quietly entered the blind at 6:14am.
The first song birds started around 6:33, and by 6:45 we had heard our first gobbles a looong way off. Unfortunately, there were no gobbling close by. By 7:15 I did some calling, 7:30, and 7:45. Nothing, except a hen yelp at 7:15, which we never saw her at all. It was cold, and my daughter was cold as well. At 7:48 she was shivering and asked if we could go back. I said "sure" and asked if she wanted to go now, or wait another 15 minutes. She replied, in another 15 minutes.
In another 5 minutes, there was a red head coming around the edge of the green field, on the road. He was walking and as soon as he saw Henrietta, he went in full strutt. Then my daughter whispers "daddy, there's two more!" Sure enough two more red heads from the same direction as the first. The first gobbler then sees Goober, and walks over to him in a strutt, and gives him the up and down look of "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"
I ask my daughter if she wants me to shoot one, and she says "yes". I whisper "cover your ears", and she slowly eases her hands up to her ears as we had practiced earlier.
By now, the other two turkeys had run up, eyeballing Henrietta, then Goober, then the strutting gobbler. The strutting gobbler eases up to the back of Goober, and I knew Goober was gonna take a beating. BOOM!!! Goober was saved with a load of H13 #7s.
We watched the other two gobblers run off, and then went to look at our bird. We examined his colors, said a prayer of thanks, and continued to live in amazement of what just happened, 5 minutes after thinking about going home.
Highfive and the view from blind with the decoy setup
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/BOFF/2011%20Turkey%20Harvest/3d666e13.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/BOFF/2011%20Turkey%20Harvest/94c0627a.jpg)
Close up
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/BOFF/2011%20Turkey%20Harvest/6115894f.jpg)
Daughter doing the turkey dance.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/BOFF/2011%20Turkey%20Harvest/338a9a2e.jpg)
Measurements
19.53 lbs, 9 7/8" beard, 13/16" spurs, scored 55.53
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/BOFF/2011%20Turkey%20Harvest/935bf232.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v328/BOFF/2011%20Turkey%20Harvest/7f258432.jpg)
Thanks again Joe (TRKYHTR) for the decoys "Goober" and "Henrietta", Scott @ Hooks calls, and Mike Yingling for the Spalted Maple pot call, and thanks to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the beautiful daughter I'm blessed with, as a hunting partner, and princess.
God Bless,
David B.
She's a beaut! Congrats on the fine hunt and the memories shared!!
Looks like you both had a great time, congrats! :icon_thumright: I always try to wait another ten or fifteen minutes past the point where I decide to move or give up, it's amazing how often those extra few minutes make all the difference.
Awesome!! Can't wait to take my youngest.
Very awesome!! That's great that your daughter wants to hunt with you.
You are a blessed man, David. A darling daughter, that wants to hunt with her dad. It doesn't get any better than that. Congrats on the turkey, and having your daughter with is icing on the cake..It was a special day for the both of you..Mike
Thats just awsome man looks like she likes turkey hunting to.I hope my daughter likes it.
:agreed: :icon_thumright: :jesus-cross:
:you_rock:
Congrats. :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Looks like your other hunting buddy now has some stiff competition. That little cutie looks like she is really enjoying that. Congratulations on a most memorable hunt. I imagine she is really grateful for you taking the time to take her with you. Can you imagine the conversations on the playground when she goes to tell that story?
Awesome pics!! :icon_thumright:
Thats awesome that smile on both of you is not gonna fade anytime soon :anim_65:
Congrats. That's awesome! I love the turkey dance. :jackson:
Quote from: Tail Feathers on March 20, 2011, 09:25:58 AM
Congrats. That's awesome! I love the turkey dance. :jackson:
x-2
Awesome day for sure Congrats! :icon_thumright:
That is GREAT....Congrats :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
:wav:
Very nice,congrats!!!
Awesome.
David,
You have been blessed with a beautiful daughter, and I'm so happy she got to see those gobblers come on in!
Congrats on taking a fine, fine spring gobbler! :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
Way to go brotha, congrats! Love those pictures of you and your daughter!!!!!
God Bless
Awesome, and the turkey dance pic is the best. No doubt ya'll had a great time from the smiles in the pic's. congrats on the bird also!!
Awesome !! Great pics!!
Love the Turkey dance!! :wav:
Now that right there is the best pictures and story so far this year.
Outstanding!!!
Congrats to the both of you :icon_thumright:
bird
Nothing cooler than dad and daughter hunting together! Especially being successful. :happy0064:
Great Hunt and congrats on a nice bird!
I cant wait till my kid is old enough to tag along!
Congrats on another fine bird ,, Its great that your daughter was along ,, Thats what its all about , :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright:
:icon_thumright:
What its all about
Dad
You really need to be commended! You aren't forcing your daughter to take up your interest in hunting but you are showing all of your love for her by letting her participate as much as she wants to. It shows her interest by her getting up and dressing in such a hurry. But, you also showed your patience and love for her by offering to take her home when she got cold but you also gave her the option of 15 more minutes. She showed her interest by accepting the 15 more minutes and also showed her trust in you that it would only be 15 more minutes.
Dad, you will have a very good hunting partner for many more years because of your love and acceptance of her! Congratulations and keep up the good work! It will show for the rest of her life. She will never forget this hunting trip!
Also, dad, another thing I forgot to mention is showing your love for her by protecting her hearing from the very beginning! It will become second nature for her and she will never know how wise you were until she hears of others that lost a lot of their hearing because of shooting without hearing protection when she gets older.
Once again, 20 years from now she will still be able to tell you about every detail of this hunting trip. Mark my word on it! Congratulations and keep up the good work!
Congrats to the both of you.... :icon_thumright:
Thank you all for your kind words, and taking part of the hunt with us.
I truly am Blessed to have a daughter who wants to be with her daddy.
She doesn't always want to go hunting, as today it was watching a new Barbie movie. Actually, it wasn't too bad of a movie ;D :toothy12:
As for the hunt, it still seems like a dream. Sometimes things are just meant to happen
Thanks again for the thoughtful comments and replies.
God Bless,
David B.
Nice bird and a hunt I'm sure you will never forget.
It doesn't get any better than that - congratulations! :icon_thumright: Your daughter is a beautiful little girl. I sure hope my daughter will want to hunt with me when she gets a little older.
Awesome pics!!!!
WOW I agree with Bird. This is the best post so far. I have to say it brought back alot of memories with both of my daughters. They both went with me and even killed turkeys. I am so excited for you and her and hope that it will continue the rest of your lives. She is as cute as can be. Congrats my friend. You da Man.
TRKYHTR
That is simply awesome! She sounds like a jam up kid being brought up by a jam up dad.
Congrats to you both, neither of you will forget that hunt as long as you live, nor should you want to!
Thats a time that want be soon forgotten, Great job David!!!!
:icon_thumright:
Congrats on a great hunt :icon_thumright:
Congrats on taking your daughter with you. Sounded like a great hunt. I think you have a new hunting pardner.
Awesome!! Glad you had success with your daughter along on the hunt. Love the turkey dance :icon_thumright:
I'm just waiting on her to ask me to go again!! :icon_thumright: I wonder if I can hint around at going. ;D
God Bless,
David B.
Congrats on a hunt you will never foreget.
1st pic is PRICELESS congratts!
Congrats. That sounds like a great hunt and memories that will last a lifetime. She just taught herself the lesson of patience and perseverance. :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: Where are the pics of you doing the turkey dance?
I love reading and hearing stories like this, it just doesn't get any better that that. My 3 yr old daughter is sitting right here next to me looking at all the turkeys and she gets excited when seeing them old gobbler pics and hearing me call. Be taking her and her older brother soon, very soon. Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!
yeah thats a memory that won;t be forgotten
congrats :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: :icon_thumright: