Finally Since Spring....My Passion for Turkey Hunting has Come Back!

[VA_Birdhunter]

I finally woke up this past weekend with turkey hunting on my mind and the passion I've had for 25 yrs coming back!  The past two springs have been my toughest for 25+ years of turkey hunting with this past spring being the worst.  2015 was challenging because I decided to start filming hunts after being persuaded by my Christian Brother with GGG Outdoors to do so...it was a great time with many close encounters but was very challenging.  However the challenges of the 2015 spring couldn't prepare me for what I was about to face in the 2016 season.  2016 come as every spring before with me totally busting at the seams with my love of turkey hunting.....no doubt in my mind it would be hard pressed to find someone with more desire, passion and love for this great sport!  I started off my season in Virginia my home state as I always do.  I look forward to going down there because it's a week sometimes two weeks I get to chase long beards in my old stomping grounds and I get to see my parents.  The 2016 season started out with horrible weather with it snowing and around 29 deg the first morning.  My brothers with GGG Outdoors also come down to open the season up with me.....we were probably the only crazy bunch to be out on the opening morning.  Snow was flying and the wind was blowing so hard you couldn't hear one gobble 50 yards away.  Sunday evening come and my buddies headed back to WV and I started focusing on the next day the first Monday of the season.  I decided to change it up and stay close to my parents that morning so I could spend the day with my dad and bestfriend.  He showed me everything I know about hunting and took me on my first spring gobbler hunt those many years ago that got me addicted from then on.  I spent the whole evening on Sunday with my dad and when roost time come I quickly headed out and roosted an old gobbler at one of my honey holes.  I quickly come back and told my dad of the situation and got some of his always welcomed advice....my dad loved turkey hunting just as much as me and unfortunately his health would not allow him to hunt anymore but he always loved talking turkey with me.   I got up the next morning well before day light....I walked through the den where my dad was since he never sleep well and there he sit in his recliner with a huge smile on his face at 5am in the morning, he looked right at me and said "you heading out after them bubby".  I head out got set up early since I was lugging a big camera with me....things didn't go as planned and the gobbler headed down the ridge with his hens.   The weather started to change with some rain coming in so I quickly done a short interview and headed back to my parent's house.  When I got there my dad was taking a nap on the couch in the den so I sit down with my mom for a bit...not 30 minutes later I can hear him headed toward the living room.  First thing he asked me was how did it go?  I broke the news to him and he continued with he was afraid the cold weather might have hurt the eggs the hens already laid and told me how he has seen such things happen over the many years he was blessed to turkey hunt.  After a few more minutes of turkey talk he went back to sit in his recliner and I went to get my hair clippers from my truck since I'm nearly bald in my mid 30's and I needed to clip off the little I have left in a bad way.  I walked through the den to the bathroom to cut my hair and then spend the rest of the day with my dad....as I went through there he sit with the infectious smile that always seemed to light the room on his face.  I wasn't in the bathroom 2 min when my mom knocked on the door and asked me to open the door.  I opened the door to hear her speak woods that have haunted my mind since that day on April 11th.  She told me she couldn't wake my dad up and my heart sank...I didn't even know what situation that faced me but in my heart I knew it was bad.  I can remember saying in my mind God help me as I walked out of the bathroom made a sharp turn to my left where my dad was laying back in his recline.  My dad's recliner sit no more than 6 feet from where I was standing in the bathroom which was only separated by an interior wall.  I quickly rushed over to my dad and could see his eyes were barely open and his lips were blue...I told my mom out loud "Oh Lord Mom he's blue".  I quickly pulled my dad out of his recliner into the floor where I can still see it all as if it just happened.  I can see his lifeless body fall to the floor where I quickly checked to see if he was breathing and could not hear his heart beating.  I then had to do something I always hoped and prayed I'd never have to do as I've had to do it before in my line of work....I started CPR on my dad.  I sent my mom out of the room to call 911...and I'm thankful I did.  After several rounds of CPR my dad took two gasps and it was over.  My mom begged me to stop the CPR and I finally did and as I stared at my best friend, mentor, Christian Brother, fellow minister, hero and dad I was lost in what else to do.  I lost my dad that day on April 11th, but heaven made a great gain that day.  I struggled for months trying to deal with it....I went turkey hunting a couple of more mornings around the first of May but only stayed an hour each time.  I had lost my desire completely something I never thought possible.  I felt I had let a lot of people down, my brothers with GGG outdoors and the awesome call makers that had sent me there calls to use.   But God had blessed me with such great Christian friends...all of them rallied around me when I needed it the most.   What I did learn is live each day as it would be your last.  Take every chance to tell the people you love that you love them.  Cherish each moment God blesses you with cause were never promised the next second.   I'm so thankful my dad and I had that kind of a relationship.....we told each other we loved each other 50 times a day when we talked.  I miss him more than anything but my dad was ready to go and Calvary came full circle for him that day!  My dad had ministered and was a pastor for near 40 yrs and because of his example he led me down that path into a personal relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  I'm nothing without Christ and without him I wouldn't have been able to make it these past 7 months.   Thank you for allowing me to share this as I've not talked about it much since then...this is actually the first time I've been able to get on OG since that day as I'm always very active on here and enjoy it so much!  I just couldn't stand to see the reminders it would bring.  God Bless you all as we look forward to the upcoming spring of 2017!

God bless

[ncwoodsman]

Buddy this write up about your dad and life brought up emotions and tears in my eyes and certainly reminded me of what's important in life. Sounds like your dad raised up a good Christian son and I am sure he would be proud. Keep the faith brother and know you will see him again one day. You and your family will be in my prayers.

[KentuckyHeadhunter]

Buddy this write up about your dad and life brought up emotions and tears in my eyes and certainly reminded me of what's important in life. Sounds like your dad raised up a good Christian son and I am sure he would be proud. Keep the faith brother and know you will see him again one day. You and your family will be in my prayers.

I couldn't have said it any better. 

[Happy]

Keep the good memories. Prayers are with you

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[tomstopper]

Keep the good memories. Prayers are with you

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x2. Very nice write up and my prayers are with you and your family

[VA_Birdhunter]

Thank each of you for your thoughts and prayers!!   It means a lot and helps even more!!  God bless you!!

[mgm1955]

Nice post.

[BowBendr]

I've read this several times and still don't know what to say....
God bless you and your family. So many children can't look back and say what you said, and remember their Fathers like we can. Many of us are so fortunate to have been raised by real men. Prayers !

[Phattkopp]

Fantastic story about a great man, and even greater relationship with your father. On this Thanksgiving weekend we had a LOT to be thankful for. Prayers for your family and continued love of God....

Phattboy

[kyturkeyhunter4]

Awesome story!

[VA_Birdhunter]

Thank u all for the heart felt comments!   My dad always told me that his wish and prayer was his life's testimony would continue to reach others and I also pray it does also!

I've been focusing on trying to wrk some out of state hunts out as it was always my dads dream to be able to go to other states and chase long beards especially in FL.  TN, KY and some of the midwes mt was also on the top of his list.   But unfortunately his health faded to quickly and it just wasn't Gods will for it to happen.   So in memory to my dad I'm going to try and do what I can and what he wasn't able to.  It's going to be a slow process due to cost but Lord willing I can make it happen!   This has been helping keep my mind occupied during this time of the year which is proveing to be very hard!  Again thank u for the kind words and prayers!!   God bless

[datrip]

Thank you for sharing about your dad. As a fellow minister, I thank God for his impact on the kingdom, especially in his own home. I know you will do him proud come Spring time.

[VA_Birdhunter]

Thank you for the kind words datrip!  God bless

[turkaholic]

Thank you for sharing. When alone in the turkey woods, comes a time for healing and remembering. I am the closest to God when in the woods. It can be hard to control your thoughts when alone ,and it can bring on emotional  mood swings. Your dad will help you through it ,and you will recover. All your memories of past will come out in gods church. The turkey woods. Keep strong and think spring. Merry Christmas

[HoosierHills]

I'm glad to hear that your in a place where you can hit the woods again, early spring mornings are a healing place for anyone. Sounds like you and your pops need to go on a hunt. Spend some time with your dad out there, and find someone to pass that great tradition on to. Instill the great memories of your past hunts with someone else. Good luck and Happy hunting!!