Persistent Youth Hunter

[bigriverbum]

It's may and spring has not sprung.  Temps around freezing, winds over 30mph, cold rain and no gobbling.  We hunted hard all day Wednesday. Thursday his younger brother couldn't get a shot off on 3 redheads who got in on us so fast we weren't set up well. Told him I was proud he didn't take a bad desperation shot. 

So Friday it's the eldest's turn again. We roosted a bird the night before and were preparing to climb the hill at about 4am. This kid is turkey crazy and when he keeled over in stomach pain I believed him.  We aborted the hunt and drove home to try and settle his stomach and relax. About 10 am he said he felt better so we headed out again. I was kind of going through the motions and figured we'd hit the same 3  spots i've targeted the last few years.  On the way I think of a small parcel i've never stepped foot on. Hop out quick around 11:30 and use my Ernie Fetters bloodwood/walnut long box.

First call sequence elicits a hard gobble on the near hilltop knob at about 400 yards.  We grab the .410 and a hen decoy and head uphill.  After about 150 yards i don't feel comfortable going any further. Our woods are completely open right now.  We're looking uphill at a small knob with a broad open wooded saddle below a ridge to our right. On the left side of the knob are 2 downfalls. One very old and one very recent.  Within 2 calls and 5 minutes the bird is withing 100 yards and has a buddy. 

They come within 80 yards and are gobbling like crazy. I shut up and only shuffle leaves.  After 10 minutes they head back uphill. I call a bit and bring them back.  Over the next hour and 15 minutes they come to within 40 yards twice and he never once saw them. They were over the ridge or behind the deadfalls. For about 2 minutes i could see the lead birds red head through the downfall as he gobbled. He saw the hen decoy and was clearly not impressed. They drew back after that.  If only they'd gone left instead of right at 80 yards lol.  The entire time my nephew had his gun up and ready to go. 

During the second half of the hunt 2 birds started gobbling on the hill behind us and were coming closer and closer. I've never heard gobbling birds make each other gobble so much. We probably hear 200 gobbles in that hour.  My leg was so asleep I was ready to spook the birds just to stretch my leg out.  I called a few times trying to stir panic in the birds that the 2 behind us would swoop in on their girl. 

Finally at 1pm we see 2 redheads appear to the right of the fresh downfall(in the picture).  The gun was at 11 and they were at 2. I told him to move the gun when they moved, not when their heads were up.  He finally pulled the trigger after 75 minutes of having the gun ready for his first public land tom.

[grayfox]

Fine young man & a great job. Congrats!

[Gooserbat]

Congrats

[tomstopper]

Awesome. Congratulations to that young man and you as well

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[Turkeybutt]

Way to go buddy! great job - Congratulations!
Beautiful bird

[Muzzy61]

Congrats to the young hunter.  Great looking bird.

[ybuck]

thats a trooper rite there.
much respect guys!
congratulations!!!

[Dtrkyman]

Sounds like an amazing first bird!  Congrats to the young man.

[JeffC]

Congrats to the young man, great job. Great story and pictures, thanks for sharing a great hunt, both be proud.

[Mathews.1]

Well deserved. Congratulations to both of you

[Zobo]

Very nice gobbler, congratulations!!!

[Yoteduster]

Congrats on a nice gobbler

[Marc]

The sweet taste of satisfaction is far sweeter when it is earned...  Sounds like he earned it, and got his sugar rush!

[topnotch]

Congratulations, it's good to see a young hunter off to a good start !

[bigriverbum]

Sounds like an amazing first bird!  Congrats to the young man.

it's his 3rd. 28lber 2 years ago and a jake on public last year. this is his 1st public tom