Story of the Hunt

Jay and Robert sat close together at the 5:15 flydown. It happened to take place in their lap. They were done hunting at 5:25. Two nice gobblers on the ground and still covered with morning dew. I was about 600 yards farther up the hollow and when the call came that Jay and Robert had scored, I knew that the two gobblers I was still hearing were left behind just for me.

I began to go to the gobbling since it wasn't coming to me. It took me two hours of stop, call and listen to know the birds were always about 75 yards ahead of me gobblers in front and hens lagging behind. I suppose there were 20 birds together when I finally eased up to where I could actually see a turkey. I had been listening and talking to them all morning, but I finally got to see a hen out in the clearing at the top of the hill. The birds were spread out over about 1 acre to the left. I moved parallel to the clearing using a well traveled deer trail being careful to move low and not step on any twigs. Each step was deliberate. There were two buldozed dirt and limb piles at the break-over from the clearing. These hid my approach but there were only two hills of this debris and I was able to get no closer than the one to my left.

As I peeked out from behind a tree I saw two gobblers at 50 yards at full strut. They were surrounded by pecking hens. I eased my shotgun through a small 5- inch opening in the triangle of leaves and branches. The gobbler filled my sight and I pulled the trigger. He dropped like a hammer without a flutter. As I walked to him the remaining birds scattered to the four winds and I did see the bigger gob fly over my head and away with his long beard swinging beneath him. What a sight he was. I thought to myself that I might just meet him again on another fine day!

One additional thing, as I was stalking the birds and moving from hillside to hillside, I noticed a large patch of Morel mushrooms around me in one place. I picked some of them and filled my vest pocket. What a treat! One fat gob and a platter of morels to boot! Each of us tagged one on that opening morning. Turkey hunting just keeps getting better!