I was out there this morning, hunting public
Land and hadn't heard a thing, getting to be
About 8 o'clock and I tried different friction
Calls mouth calls, just about everything I had, when
I thought what the heck, I got this tube call. So I
Let it ring through the woods, and man will
It do that, when the creek bottom lit up, the hillside
In 2 different directions lit up. So I sat down
And called again on the tube call. Gobble's are getting
Closer, so I shut up. I wait awhile and nothing. So
I call on the tube again and bam there's one
Real close. He's gobbling, then all of a sudden
A real deep thundering gobble, sounded like
The king of the mountain let loose close to where
I heard the other bird, well a few minutes
Later that mature gobble, but not the king of
The mountain, gobbled but he was going away. I thought
I might need to call again, so I do and the king
Answered right there about 75 yards away. He had
Ran the other one off. So I'm so excited at this
Point I had totally forgot I was sitting on
The other side of a small creek from him. So
He starts gobbling his brains out, I've been
Hunting Easterns for years and have never
Had one loose his mind like that, he just wouldn't
Shut up, this gobblers so fired up he's going
To kick over dead from lack of air, cause he's not
Stopping to catch his breath. I then all of a sudden
Realized he wasn't moving, he was doing all of this
From the same spot. Then it hit me that stupid creek
And stupid me didn't go cross it, and he didn't ever
Cross it. So after I don't know how long of him gobbling
Right there , he shut up. So I waited for a while,
Then crossed the creek. Hoping it wasn't to late, I crossed
Got set back up and called. He gobbled 2 more
Times then nothing. My head hung in bitter disappointment
I was frustrated with myself. Then it hit me, man you
Just had an awesome experience, did everything but kill
The big ole mountain bird, and gained confidence in a new
Type of call. You should feel grateful about even
Being able to hunt these majestic birds, especially the way
The world is going. So I guess I had that changing moment
Where I went from being all about killing the animal, to being about
Enjoying everything about the whole hunt and what God has
Provided for us, nature, just soak it all in, because one
Day I may not be able to do this anymore. Think this new outlook
Will be way more enjoyable!!!!
