RE: 2004 - Day with Dad

TrailCamMan — Fri, 16 May 2008 07:29:24 GMT

Great story! Glad you and your dad were able to connect.

2004 - Day with Dad

BHShaman — Thu, 15 May 2008 20:55:50 GMT

Awake at 3am. Clothes and gear already in the truck.

There I was eating a bowl of cereal, reflecting on the week before when that big ole' tom behind my house just would not step out of the woodline. That day it was Dad's turn to drive over and we spent the later morning (8am) calling in the wily bird after a 5 minute walk into our spot. Smarter than we were, he choose the safe route and spend the rest of the day basking in the fun.

Now a week later it is my turn, and I head out to get to my parents house by 4am.

Arriving early (excited hunters drive faster it seems), I grab another snack at 'the house' (as we call my parents). Dad just got up and he is slowly warming up to it being so early. I guess people in their 50's need more sleep .
He tells me about this great spot that he has called in a few over the last few years and that it will be about a 1/2 hour walk. This of course means ME hauling the trap basket with decoys, rest, etc. To be honest, this desk jockey was not looking fwd to humping all the equipment.

So we make it all the way in, predator calling as we go.
Nothing. We sit for a bit, Nothing. We head back out, switching to box call through a couple fields.

How can a guy almost deaf in one ear hear a turkey gobble so faint it sounds like rustling leaves? I dont know, but I think my father has Hunters ESP. About midway through a field he stops cold. 'TURKEY'. He calls again and this time I hear something that sounds like a chipmunk farting from a mile away (that is how quiet it was). I shrug. Yep, could be a turkey gobble. But knowing about Dad's Hunters ESP, I nod my head yes and we set-up.

The week before, we had been a little more aggressive in our calling and we thought it might have spooked the bird. this week, we took it slow and easy. After about a 1/2 hour of subtle calling the toms start to get more aggressive.

They had circled all the way around us and were now on the other side of the hill. Completely OPPOSITE of where we thought they would come out, but still would present a good (if not a little long) shot. We waited.
Dad whispered a reminder. "Remember, if there are two. I'll count down from 3 and we take them at same time. Left to Left, Right to Right." No need to remind me, but I let him be fatherly. They need that sometimes *wink*.

After a few more minutes two small jakes come running over the hill. "3". They are postureing and we can just see the tops of their heads and thier fans. "2". Rushing fwd now, they are in full strut and circling the hen decoy to face up on the rubberized jake. WAIT, what's that! The BIG TOM is coming in behind. I hesitate for millisecond to see if Dad will call off the count and re-align our shots. Head down, I am all lined up with no change to switch over. "1" Ok, there was the last count. Dad is committed. *breathe*, exhhhhhaaaa *BOOOOOOM* llleeeee.

Nothing like the sound of two Hevi-Shot #5's going off at the same time. My bird drops like a rock, no flap, no quiver.
Dad's just a little flapping while the big Tom dances on his head and leaves a little gift on his newly fallen travel companion. Turkey's certainly show no remorse or compassion for their pals. We stand up and walk forward to check out our bag, and the big tom reluctantly and defiantly walks off.

A great mornings hunt. Two down at the same time. All tagged out, and home for breakfast at 8am. A wonderful day to be a hunter.

My Set-up:
Remington 870 SPS 12G 3.5 in 26" MOBU
Primos JellyHead Choke
Hi-Viz 2 piece sight
Hevi-Shot 1-7/8 #5
Mossy Oak Camo (of course)

Dad's
Remington 870 Xpress 12G 3.5 in 24"
Remington Turkey Choke
Military Sights (like Fire Sights)
Hevi-Shot 1-7/8 #5

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RE: 2004 - Day with Dad

2004 - Day with Dad