bowman
Super Moderator
Well, it wasn’t done three hunts in a row, but the kids went three for three this spring! Allison wouldn’t have had it any other way though; she likes to hunt and doesn’t want it to end right away. I, on the other hand, was worn out by the time she got her bird. Allison started driver’s ed which was three full weeks, every day. My work schedule wasn’t much better. We decided since she was a 4.0 student, it was time to skip a morning of school and go after a long beard.
Friday May 2nd we were up at 3:30 and to our spot with plenty of time. On the way there Allison told me that her perfect turkey hunt would be gobbles, but not too close (so the hunt would last), then a gobbler responding, coming in strutting, and a close shot, on a beautiful calm morning. Since Trenton and Hayden had shot their birds within 80 yards of each other, we couldn’t think of a reason to go anywhere else. As daylight came we were excited for a morning of gobbling since we had the calm sunning morning that she had hoped for. We didn’t here a single one from the roost. After an hour of waiting Allison asked if she could lie down in the blind and take a nap. She had no more than settled in when I spotted a hen coming in. Hoping a gobbler was following I got Allison up and gun ready. As I called to the hen we heard 2 or more gobblers fire up in the creek bottom on the neighboring property a few hundred yards away. They responded to every sound I made for 15 minutes and then just shut up. Not a sound. After 45 minutes I thought we were done for sure. Allison decided to retry the nap and lay down in the blind. Less than 5 minutes later I saw a gobbler step out of the creek bottom and into the field we were in and he was coming fast. We got her in position and were ready for a show. Instead he just slowed down and began paralleling the blind, just feeding along, at about 80 yards. With the camera rolling he walked completely past our set up. It appeared obvious that he didn’t like the strutter decoy and was going to walk out of our lives. Then, for no apparent reason, the gobbler turned up the hill and went into ½ strut as he headed straight in. At 40 yards he went into full strut and I told Allison that he was in range and to shoot as soon as his head went up. When he hit 18 yards I called and Allison put him down with a perfect shot!
Allison instantly told me that she thought he was going to walk away so she had closed her eyes and prayed. When she opened her eyes from her prayer the gobbler turned and walked right in!! She also pointed out that the hunt went down just like she told me she wanted it to (thanks to her prayer). Usually Alli doesn't show much emotion for the camera but this time she was pumped.
The bird weighed 25lbs, had a 10 inch beard, and ¾” spurs.
The property that we hunted this year is the same property my kids have taken so many firsts. Allison shot her first deer, her first buck, and all but one turkey there. Trenton took his first turkey (all of them actually), and his first buck there. This year Hayden shot his first turkey there this year. It has really been a blessing to have a great friend who has allowed us to hunt his great property, close to home. Unfortunately he might have to sell this year. We don’t know if this was our last season hunting there or not, but if it was…………….this year was an amazingly great finale.
This was Allison’s last youth turkey season and she has only one more youth deer season left. She has grown so fast that it scares this Dad to tears. I do not want this to end. I will cherish every minute in the blind with my little girl for as many years as she will do it with me. She is dreaming of an elk hunt but due to the time of elk season (school) she will likely have to wait until after college, but that’s okay, we will have something to look forward to!
Friday May 2nd we were up at 3:30 and to our spot with plenty of time. On the way there Allison told me that her perfect turkey hunt would be gobbles, but not too close (so the hunt would last), then a gobbler responding, coming in strutting, and a close shot, on a beautiful calm morning. Since Trenton and Hayden had shot their birds within 80 yards of each other, we couldn’t think of a reason to go anywhere else. As daylight came we were excited for a morning of gobbling since we had the calm sunning morning that she had hoped for. We didn’t here a single one from the roost. After an hour of waiting Allison asked if she could lie down in the blind and take a nap. She had no more than settled in when I spotted a hen coming in. Hoping a gobbler was following I got Allison up and gun ready. As I called to the hen we heard 2 or more gobblers fire up in the creek bottom on the neighboring property a few hundred yards away. They responded to every sound I made for 15 minutes and then just shut up. Not a sound. After 45 minutes I thought we were done for sure. Allison decided to retry the nap and lay down in the blind. Less than 5 minutes later I saw a gobbler step out of the creek bottom and into the field we were in and he was coming fast. We got her in position and were ready for a show. Instead he just slowed down and began paralleling the blind, just feeding along, at about 80 yards. With the camera rolling he walked completely past our set up. It appeared obvious that he didn’t like the strutter decoy and was going to walk out of our lives. Then, for no apparent reason, the gobbler turned up the hill and went into ½ strut as he headed straight in. At 40 yards he went into full strut and I told Allison that he was in range and to shoot as soon as his head went up. When he hit 18 yards I called and Allison put him down with a perfect shot!
Allison instantly told me that she thought he was going to walk away so she had closed her eyes and prayed. When she opened her eyes from her prayer the gobbler turned and walked right in!! She also pointed out that the hunt went down just like she told me she wanted it to (thanks to her prayer). Usually Alli doesn't show much emotion for the camera but this time she was pumped.
The bird weighed 25lbs, had a 10 inch beard, and ¾” spurs.
The property that we hunted this year is the same property my kids have taken so many firsts. Allison shot her first deer, her first buck, and all but one turkey there. Trenton took his first turkey (all of them actually), and his first buck there. This year Hayden shot his first turkey there this year. It has really been a blessing to have a great friend who has allowed us to hunt his great property, close to home. Unfortunately he might have to sell this year. We don’t know if this was our last season hunting there or not, but if it was…………….this year was an amazingly great finale.
This was Allison’s last youth turkey season and she has only one more youth deer season left. She has grown so fast that it scares this Dad to tears. I do not want this to end. I will cherish every minute in the blind with my little girl for as many years as she will do it with me. She is dreaming of an elk hunt but due to the time of elk season (school) she will likely have to wait until after college, but that’s okay, we will have something to look forward to!
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