Tale of the Hunt

 

I hunted Iowa's 2nd seson with no luck. I knew where the birds were but they were very stubborn. Now it's the 4th season and still no bird. I planned to get in the field by 5 am and be set up. Of course, what could go wrong did. I was late arriving and I forgot certain calls, etc. etc. At 5:40 am, it's getting pretty light out and I'm behind my blind all ready to hunt.

I started locating the gobbles that I'd heard the whole time that I'd walked to my hunt area. I had one behind me in the timber about 150 yards away, one was at about 10 o'clock across the cornfield and in a small draw, and the other was straight ahead of me about 80 yds in the same draw. Then, it wasn't 2 minutes after I sat down and 3 racoons came running down the edge of the timber. They scared the livin corn out of me as they chased each other right next to me. Watched them go into the timber and then I decided to give a couple quick calls.

No response right away. Couple minutes later I heard a loud gobble right in front of me, about 70 yards. as I'm looking straight ahead and trying not to blink...I see movement in the corner of my left eye. It's a good size Tom just coming out of the timber into the field. I try to slowly move my head and I think he spots me ( he's about 75-80 yds away). He goes over the ridge towards the timber. Then I see a hen come out of the timber and walk from my right to my left towards that tom along the field. Couple minutes later I see a nice Tom come from my left to my right where that hen just went the opposite way. He stopped looked at me then looked at the ground and turned back the way he came. He popped his head way up and "BAM" dropped him!!

By the way, this was my first turkey and I could not have done it without my Dad whom I look up to very much.