Well the time of year that I fell in love with 5 or 6 years ago has passed on causing me to still back and reflect on the season. As a graduate at Winthrop University, I was taught that reflection is a part of education and well boys as I still down to reflect I realized that the turkeys truly schooled me again this year. I was very busy during deer season in 2010 because of working full time and going to school full time, so I never was able to get into deer season. Do not get me wrong I enjoyed the little time I had in the woods and even had the best hunt to date in which I was able to take my niece and us harvest a deer together, that was special. It was just not the same, last spring I killed my second bird and my first tom, and the addiction of the month of April was slowly creeping upon me and sitting in the deer stand watching the turkeys come out to feed was just fueling the addiction. Come November the withdrawals started coming. I would lay in bed dreaming of turkeys, when I was in the stand I was staring at turkeys and not paying attention to the deer coming to the fields. I started going to posts from last April to relive others turkey hunts and then my own. I was just getting eaten up by it. For Christmas my wife and some of her family fed my addiction by getting me know gear, decoys, camo, couple chokes, etc, and the best gift that helped me was finally getting Tenth Legion by Tom Kelly. Reading the book was enough to feed the addiction, at least for a while. January and February were not bad until the weather warmed up there for a while and those gorgeous mornings started the storm inside of me again. January and February was not as bad because I befriended another forum member and he was in the same boat as me. We texted back and forth to the point I had to up mine on my plan to keep my bride from killing me. We would discuss things together and with him being a better hunter he gave me advice from his experiences. He truly helped me in many way. I have not met him faced to face but feel as I have a good friend. Deacon thanks buddy for all the help and the talks. I look forward to meeting you face to face one day and to hunt with you as a fellow addict. I look forward to our future conversations and I hope that you know that I will do anything to help you in any way that I can. It is a privilege to call you a friend. I was not going to Sumter, where I hunt, every weekend but the weekends I could get home I was walking around scanning for any turkey I could see. I was sneaking through the woods, belly crawling along ponds, and even climbing the deer stands a sitting for hours at a time just to get a glimpse. Those glimpses were few and far between. March came and I was outside before light listen for that beautiful love melody that old Tom sings out, yes even though it was never meant for me it has hypnotized me just as bad as any hen. Not a peep all of March! My father in law called me every opportunity he had to tell me about his sighting, he said he was helping me but I think he knew that he was taunting me. I had planned on taking my nephew with me on youth day, but bad grades and unacceptable behavior at school made that not come about. Finally, March 31 was here and I was on my way to the land to try and roost a bird. It was not a great evening weather wise. It was misty and heavier rain would come and go. Did not matter I was out there and happened to stumble upon a Tom that I have named Goliath ( He is at least 4 years old this year, as a jake he was the runt of the group and was pushed around. As a Two year old two of his 3 buddies were knocked off and he started to develop. To make a long history short he has come to be the dominant bird in the area and the biggest now.) He was with 3 or 4 hens just strutting around and eating a bit. Finally I saw him fly up to the tree and that was where I was going, did not get a wink of sleep that night cause I was too busy dreaming of old Goliath. Well as I told the story earlier in the season things did not work out with him or any other bird that weekend but it was a great and fun weekend. Looking forward to the next weekend cause I was finally getting to meet and hunt with a gentleman that I really learned to look up to and respect as a man and then as a hunter. He will humbly deny this claim, but he is from my experience one of the greatest turkey hunters in SC, and the man that I was hunting with was Spurhunter. We talked back and forth during the week planning our events. Finally, Friday came and I was driving to SNF. We met up and got to hunt. He successfully harvested a great public land bird and I was just as excited about it as if it was my own. That day did I not only learn a lot about turkey hunting, but I gain a new friend that I know is willing to help me in any way I need. I learned him as a hunter, but more importantly I learned him as a man and that doubled my respect for him. The next day I was very confident from all the learning I had from the previous day. I got there and was on a bird right away. To keep myself from getting angry again I will just say that I was overconfident and hunted like a fool. I did not use the great information that I had learned and decided to quit early to feel sorry for myself and not mess up the rest of the season. The next weekend I gain the opportunity to hunt with my friend from Winthrop, Gobblinthunder1. Let me tell you he is definitely a great hunter himself. The fellowship we had together was great. That Saturday was not a turkey hunting day because of the weather, but he called up a hen that walked within 10 yards of me twice and that got the old pump going hard. Finally the rain came and we called it a day and had lunch. He helped me gain even more confidence in the woods and for that I am grateful. It was a privilege to hunt with you Patrick, your fun nature and God fearing manner is great to be around. Finally Thursday April 21 came and I was making the 100 mile trip back to hunt. Old Goliath was in a field taunting me and slipped away with a hen. I thought I knew where he went and decided to setup between there and the field he had been hanging around. First thing Friday I get set up and realize that I forgot my thermocell, being eaten alive I could not take it. No birds where gobbling so I finally got up and went looking to see if there were any in the fields, nope. The rain came at 7:45am and kept me cooped up until 2:00 pm. Finally got back out and saw birds. Set up on them and could not make it work. Great frustration was settling in and I was giving up when I noticed two birds out in a field where Goliath hung out. Could not tell what they were but it was late enough to roost and CJ was coming in the morning so I circled the field in the woods and got in front of them. After a few minutes I got a good view of the birds and two hens, one with a 3-4" beard. Started crying is self pity again and not moving cause I did not want to spook them I sat there wondering why I was such a bad hunter and then out the corner of my eye there is movement. Throw up the glass and there is another bird in the field. Cannot tell what it is for the corn, but eventually it throws its head up and it is a long beard. Emotion flows through my body but he is too far. I have already told the story in a past post so I will not do it again, but at 7:20pm I was standing over him and fell to my knees praying because of the gift I was given and the lesson from it. Perseverance and patience is something we need in every aspect of life and the Lord reminded me of this through this beautiful animal. I slowly worked my way out of the woods slowly pulling everything in and rejoicing. The next day CJ came and as you know we doubled on a pair of jakes. CJ it was a pleasure to get to know you. You are also a great hunter and I enjoyed our morning together. I am glad I was able to share the moment of your first bird with you. I hope you realized my excitement. It was just and we had some good laughs together. That was really my last hunt of the season. I was planning to go this past weekend but at last minute I decided that I spend time with my bride that has been understanding throughout the season, she did not complained once and even let me drive her crazy with my calling and jabbering of the events of the season. I am a very lucky man to have her and I wanted her to know that. Now comes the wait for next year. I have some things to hold me over for a while but the burning will be back. I fulfilled two goals this season, using more than one tag and doubling with someone. I have many other goals to accomplish but that makes me look forward to next year. I hope that everyone else enjoyed their season as much as I did and not only come out of it a better hunter, but also come out of it a better man. God Bless!
