longspurs
Active Member
Turkey hunting was once again on the back burner this year. For the first couple weeks of the season I was still busy shed hunting. After that, my wife and I took a vacation and then I was gone for work at training. Next thing I knew fourth season had arrived and it seemed like I hadn't been home in weeks.
My wife works every day at 5 a.m. and lately my hours have jumped around like a cat on a hot tin roof. There were many morning I dreamt of hitting the turkey woods but I was just as content to spend those mornings home with my 3 year-old son, Noah. My wife's brother is getting married this weekend so today was pretty much it for me.
For the past three evenings in a row I'd watched a trio of gobblers work a field on a farm I could hunt. I had the green light and I hoped they'd keep their schedule. I invited my dad to come along since my wife was sick today and couldn't go herself. We were set up around 3:00 and waited. It sprinkled off and on the entire time we were there and I hoped the weather wouldn't spoil my plans.
Shortly before 5:00 I saw heads bobbing our direction ... three of them! At 35 yards I leveled the bead on the biggest bird and down he went! My hunting season literally began and ended within a couple hours and I couldn't have been more pleased.
He went 23 pounds, had double beards of 10" and 6-1/4" and spurs of 3/4" and 7/8". I was pretty stoked when I rolled him over and saw the double beards ... definitely never saw that when he was strolling in.
In short, it was the most fun I've had turkey hunting in a while. Last year - for the first time in my turkey hunting career - I never even got a chance to hunt. It was hard to wrap my mind around considering back when I worked nights I could pretty much go any day I wanted. Funny how a different schedule and a child will change a routine. Was I disappointed last year? You bet. Did I really sweat it or truly care? Absolutely not, because I knew there would be other days. Awesome moment in the blind with dad today and it was even more entertaining to bring the bird home to show my son! He was probably even more excited than I was ...
Some day it will be his turn.
-Longspurs-
My wife works every day at 5 a.m. and lately my hours have jumped around like a cat on a hot tin roof. There were many morning I dreamt of hitting the turkey woods but I was just as content to spend those mornings home with my 3 year-old son, Noah. My wife's brother is getting married this weekend so today was pretty much it for me.
For the past three evenings in a row I'd watched a trio of gobblers work a field on a farm I could hunt. I had the green light and I hoped they'd keep their schedule. I invited my dad to come along since my wife was sick today and couldn't go herself. We were set up around 3:00 and waited. It sprinkled off and on the entire time we were there and I hoped the weather wouldn't spoil my plans.
Shortly before 5:00 I saw heads bobbing our direction ... three of them! At 35 yards I leveled the bead on the biggest bird and down he went! My hunting season literally began and ended within a couple hours and I couldn't have been more pleased.
He went 23 pounds, had double beards of 10" and 6-1/4" and spurs of 3/4" and 7/8". I was pretty stoked when I rolled him over and saw the double beards ... definitely never saw that when he was strolling in.
In short, it was the most fun I've had turkey hunting in a while. Last year - for the first time in my turkey hunting career - I never even got a chance to hunt. It was hard to wrap my mind around considering back when I worked nights I could pretty much go any day I wanted. Funny how a different schedule and a child will change a routine. Was I disappointed last year? You bet. Did I really sweat it or truly care? Absolutely not, because I knew there would be other days. Awesome moment in the blind with dad today and it was even more entertaining to bring the bird home to show my son! He was probably even more excited than I was ...
Some day it will be his turn.
-Longspurs-
