That was the text I got from my dad on the 22nd at 9:20. He'd been fooling with the bird since opening morning and had shot him 5th morning of season. I was on a lease about 20 miles away and hadn't heard a gobble in 3 hunts so I didn't hesitate to haul butt his direction. The plan was for me to get to a ladder stand and then Dad was going to make the turkey gobble so I could figure what to do next. I finally got to the designated spot and text Dad, I heard him fire up on the diaphragm and nothing! He hit it again and again I heard nothing! He quickly texted and said that was the first time all morning the turkey hadn't answered him. I told him I seemed to have that affect on gobblers. ::) The gobbler finally gobbled again and Dad confirmed he was in the same spot he'd been in all morning so I made a wide circle and came in just below him. I eased as close as I felt I could to where the ridge dropped off and made my first set up. He cut off the first yelp from my Eldorado Slate so I hunkered down and waited. He was on fire gobbling at any, and everything but wouldn't budge. I relocated a little bit closer to him and further down the ridge and started clucking, he'd answer but wouldn't move. I laid the call down and started the waiting game. About 30 minutes later I saw him top the ridge and head my way, he was on course to go behind a large rotten tree and I was going to make my shift then allow him to get in range. Just as I moved he stopped dead still, putted twice, and flanked me just out of range. 4 hens came down the ridge behind him and away they went.
Fast forward to the next morning, I told Dad we should go on down the ridge past where he'd been listening from and set up where he'd locked down the day before. We eased in there way before gobbling time and stood against a tree waiting for the morning to wake up. Just as the sky began to light up I heard it! Pffft Vooooomp! I turned around for Dad to confirm and he pointed straight ahead saying he heard it too. I knew we were close! We heard him drum several more times then at 6:30 he finally gobbled and about blew our hats off. We'd both mis coursed him and he was only about 60 yards away and at 9:00 from our position. We couldn't do anything but slide down the tree we were standing beside. He was roosted on a shallow creek and I knew he needed to hit the ground on our side so I gave him a couple light tree yelps and he quadruple gobbled. At 6:50 he pitched down and the drumming was deafening! He was only about 20-30 yards away but due to the drop of the ridge I couldn't see him. I scratched in the leaves and that was all it took. He topped the ridge at about 30 yards in full strut and immediately sensed he'd been had. He came out of strut and managed to get in one last putt before I let him have it at 6:58! :fud:
After the rough gobblerless Mississippi season I had last year it was nice to see one do the floppy dance again! Best part of the whole hunt was being shoulder to shoulder with the man who got me started. When I got the turkey home and cleaned him I saw his breast and thigh was full of pellets from Dad's shot from a couple days before. He didn't gobble the morning after he shot him but was wide open the next 2 days.
8.5" beard and 7/8" spurs
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v626/dublelung/Hunting/20170322_071826-1_1.jpg) (http://smg.photobucket.com/user/dublelung/media/Hunting/20170322_071826-1_1.jpg.html)
Great story and pics. The best hunt I have ever or will ever have was the last hunt I had with my dad before cancer took him.
Great hunt! Congrats!
Great story, congrats!
Redemption in so many ways. Congrats and good on you for getting in a hunt with your dad. I hope to get to make a hunt with my dad for the first time ever this year.
That's what its all about!
Great hunt and way to stick too him!
Congrats. Great way to spend time with dad
Congrats and thanks for posting such a great write up!
Congrats! Great pics
Heck of a hunt! Congrats!
Great story! Congratulations
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Congrats!!
AWESOME!!! :icon_thumright:
Nice congrats!
:icon_thumright: Great story. Enjoy these times. Cancer took my tournament partner/netman this February. You can't beat times with the Old Man!
That's great. Congrats!