Lesson complete..8 years in the making.

[Sevenyearsandcounting]

This season was a ton of fun. We had little birds, medium birds and massive birds around. We actually took the time to be picky. And it paid off with two very different birds. I started this season with one goal. Call in a fat tom turkey for my dad.

Second week my dad takes me out. I'm determined to call him in a bird. It didn't work out. He couldn't see the bird and he was about to leave so my dad told me to shoot. I was overjoyed but left with an empty feeling. I had called the bird in but dad still hadn't got his bird. And being a fat 22lb bird I didn't think we could top it.

A week and a half pass my dads having trouble finding a longbeard. I have one patterned. "Come on dad let's go get that white tipped gobbler.." "White tipped? It wasn't white! You're so full of it!" Dad has health issues and gets worn down.

Regardless I coaxed him into going. We hit the area we saw him early season. I'd only seen tracks leading up to Friday. I turn to my dad "let me handle this start to finish." He is reluctant but lets me take over. "Cluck cluck cluck!!" Nailing a diaphragm "GOBBLE GOBBLE GOBBLE!" Bird fired up! Within 80 yards somehow dad doesn't hear it. "Sit down!" "What? I didn't hear anything?"

And there in all his glory! Fanned out! The white tip fan! Massive! He looks us dead in the eyes and boom! Gone! "Let's come back tomorrow! He's spooked!" "Dad! Told you let me handle this! Setttle in! We're waiting this guy out!"

It's 10:45. Half hour passes. Now 11:15. "Lets go." "He's gone!" " only place we're going is to shoot that bird! He will be there!"

I rail on the diaphragm. Hard cuts and then hear " cluck Yelp Yelp Yelp!" Two hens comes charging us! Sat dad down below the ridge. "I can't see if he comes that ridge!" "Dad! Just wait!"

I get in a war with these hens. They walk in and see us and start to putt. A few guys on this website said to putt back and calm them down. Worked like a charm!! The hens keep calling "GOBBBLE!!" Here he comes!! Straight down the ridge! My dads hating me I have him sitting below the ridge. It's 11:45 that birds strutting and finally he peers over the hill side "BOOOM!" His head looked like one of the targets. Just the head and neck exposed. Just a perfect shot dead as a door nail.

We go to inspect this bird and my dads in awe. Pure white tip fan, massive 1.25 spurs, 11.5 inch beard! "How'd you know he'd come back?" "Well I read a forum online and people had mentioned to wait it out." "An internet article taught you that?" "Ha yea."

We took him home and he weighed in at 21.5. Not the heaviest but the tallest, biggest spurred and biggest bearded bird my dads ever taken. So different from the bird taken right down the road. It amazes me how different a bird of the same species can be within spitting distance of another flock l.

That morning I got to hear exactly what I'd been waiting to hear.."You know it took awhile..But your becoming a pretty goodturkey hunter." Priceless. "But don't worry dad, no one will be taking your spot anytime soon. I still have a lot to learn and you have a lot to teach."

I sure hope we have many seasons to come. Things are just getting good.

[outdoors]

GREAT FUN , HOPE U BOTH HAVE MANY MORE YEARS TO GO ......

[mgm1955]

 

[Cottonmouth]

Nice job. Patience is the hardest thing to learn turkey hunting.

[Vabirddog]

Great memory, congrats!

[tha bugman]

Aint nothing like it!  Congrats on good memories!

[daddyduke]

Congrats! Very touching story. Hope you have many more.

[greencop01]

Keep up the way you're going and yes you will learn from your dad, meantime enjoy and savor the days you have with him in the turkey woods and waters.

[tha bugman]

Make memories each day is a gift


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[appalachianstruttstopper]

Good read

[birddogdoc]

Loved it...great story.