Story
of the Hunt
Our hunt began at 4:30
a.m. After getting to our listening
spot about day break we heard about
six gobblers in all directions. We decided
to split up and meet back at the listening
spot about noon. We both were on gobbling
birds all morning but no shot so we
met back at noon to eat lunch.
We always carry MRE's
for lunch. While eating lunch the gobbling
continued. We finished our meals and
decided to take a nap and see what the
birds were going to do. After about
45 minutes we decided to go after a
bird we had seen on previous hunts that
we named Foots because of his beard
length. Anyway, he whooped us all day.
He would gobble and just strut in the
field. We wasted about four hours on
him and the whole time there were two
more gobbling in another field behind
us.
By now it was about 5
p.m. Then we heard the two gobble again
and they had moved a long way towards
us. We figured they were on an old gas
line road that emptied into a small
opening on the edge of the big field
where Foots was at. We figured they
would come to the small opening and
hang up so we rushed to where the old
road entered the small opening.
We had not sat there
two minutes when I saw movement to our
right and it was the two grown birds.
I managed to get my gun up with out
being detected but Duane said "Let's
double". I told him I would take the
lead bird and he would take the second
one. After a couple of minutes we both
had a bead on our birds, so I told Duane
we would shoot on three. I counted one,
two...BOOM! Duane thought one and two
equaled three I guess.
His bird fell on the
spot and mine began a fast walk, luckily
I got a bead back on him and dropped
him at about 20 yards. We went to Duane's
bird first and it was on its back and
I could see it had three good beards,
I told him he shot the wrong bird and
that was actualy mine but he didn't
buy into that. We then went to mine
and he was on his belly. When I rolled
him over he looked like a porcupine.
Six beards totaling 56" and the new
# 2 non-typical in Alabama and at that
time, #19 all time. I told Duane see
I told you that you shot the wrong bird.
Thats what he get's for jumping the
gun.
I told him next time
we double we shoot on BOOM and I get
to count.
