Tennessee Lead
Well-Known Member
Thomas was able to kill his first Turkey Saturday morning on the Youth hunt.
It was an unbelievable hunt at that!
To start off there was zero roost gobbling. No gobbling on the ground either. I got the blind popped up and stuck out a vintage Feather flex foam hen. I got on the trumpet after being quite listening and I got a response.
I could tell it was within 150 yards and told him that he would probably come to us. Didn't take 3 minutes and I spotted 3 hens walking into the field. I told Thomas that he would be following them.
I saw his fan coming and said there he is and another one and another one. Three strutting Gobblers have mercy!
They weren't none too interested in us at that point. The hens fed away and they followed them.
I started calling to them and made the lead hen mad. I was repeating back to her and her she came with 3 strutters in tow. They made it to 40 yards and the wind blew the foam decoy over.
They set their wings and walked off again.
I told Thomas that I needed to sneak out of the blind and fix her and that I would add more hens and a Jake. That should give them something to look at.
I started getting out and Thomas said "Dad, Bear,Bear, Bear!"
It wasn't a Bear but 2 strutters had came back to have a look.
They eventually went back to their hens.
I was able to get out and rework the decoy situation.
We sat through a couple hours of silence and I began calling to a fired up a gobbler across the road.
He got hot and I could tell he was getting closer every little bit.
He ended crossing the road and climbed up our side.
I pulled out a box call that I had recently tuned on and immediately the 3 from the morning smashed it.
That was at 9:00. They got hot and the hen started answering me.
Wasn't but a minute here she came "Tack Tack Tack".
I told Thomas it's going to happen this time. Here comes the 3 hens and to my Surprise 4 strutting Gobblers.
They saw the foam Jake decoy this time and here they come 4 abreast.
I get Thomas standing up in the blind and he's very nervous about missing and the report from the muzzle as we forgot his hearing protection at home.
Just as the four made 45-50 yards another turkey gobbled behind them and to the right.
I heard it and could tell it was close and near the field edge but I really didn't pay attention to it because I was focused on these 4 and giving Thomas instructions. I was getting wound up in the moment guiding him on what to do.
His anxiety hit and he asked me to shoot one.
I told him that I couldn't and it was all him.
I'm telling him to shoot shoot shoot and then they set their wings and started to run.
I assumed they saw us or heard me talking to him.
My heart sank and then I realized that they weren't spooked by us but they were avoiding a confrontation because here came 3 more gobblers on a dead run from behind them. The gobble I had just heard. It made sense then.
So now I am getting him on these and he starts to cry telling me he can't do it the shakes had him bad.
I am trying to tell him he's okay and can do this and he says " I can't pull the trigger "
I FORGOT TO chocolate chip cookie THE HAMMER!!!
I can't believe I did that.
So now we're back in business and I told him shoot the front bird and I realized that he might kill 2 so I say no wait the back bird.
He's panicking and asks about the volume of the blast and he shoots.
I'm not certain if he meant to or not at that moment but it worked perfectly because he absolutely crushed his head with his .410.
I'm pumped and take out after him to keep his feathers in good mounting shape. I am sprinting downhill and take a terrible spill. Face plant. Ugh!
When I get up and grab him I realize why those first 4 tucked tail out of there.
1&3/8" daggers!
His first successful turkey hunt was full of action and ended with a whopper of a turkey.
23 pounds
11&1/4" beard
1&3/8" spurs.
It was an unbelievable hunt at that!
To start off there was zero roost gobbling. No gobbling on the ground either. I got the blind popped up and stuck out a vintage Feather flex foam hen. I got on the trumpet after being quite listening and I got a response.
I could tell it was within 150 yards and told him that he would probably come to us. Didn't take 3 minutes and I spotted 3 hens walking into the field. I told Thomas that he would be following them.
I saw his fan coming and said there he is and another one and another one. Three strutting Gobblers have mercy!
They weren't none too interested in us at that point. The hens fed away and they followed them.
I started calling to them and made the lead hen mad. I was repeating back to her and her she came with 3 strutters in tow. They made it to 40 yards and the wind blew the foam decoy over.
They set their wings and walked off again.
I told Thomas that I needed to sneak out of the blind and fix her and that I would add more hens and a Jake. That should give them something to look at.
I started getting out and Thomas said "Dad, Bear,Bear, Bear!"
It wasn't a Bear but 2 strutters had came back to have a look.
They eventually went back to their hens.
I was able to get out and rework the decoy situation.
We sat through a couple hours of silence and I began calling to a fired up a gobbler across the road.
He got hot and I could tell he was getting closer every little bit.
He ended crossing the road and climbed up our side.
I pulled out a box call that I had recently tuned on and immediately the 3 from the morning smashed it.
That was at 9:00. They got hot and the hen started answering me.
Wasn't but a minute here she came "Tack Tack Tack".
I told Thomas it's going to happen this time. Here comes the 3 hens and to my Surprise 4 strutting Gobblers.
They saw the foam Jake decoy this time and here they come 4 abreast.
I get Thomas standing up in the blind and he's very nervous about missing and the report from the muzzle as we forgot his hearing protection at home.
Just as the four made 45-50 yards another turkey gobbled behind them and to the right.
I heard it and could tell it was close and near the field edge but I really didn't pay attention to it because I was focused on these 4 and giving Thomas instructions. I was getting wound up in the moment guiding him on what to do.
His anxiety hit and he asked me to shoot one.
I told him that I couldn't and it was all him.
I'm telling him to shoot shoot shoot and then they set their wings and started to run.
I assumed they saw us or heard me talking to him.
My heart sank and then I realized that they weren't spooked by us but they were avoiding a confrontation because here came 3 more gobblers on a dead run from behind them. The gobble I had just heard. It made sense then.
So now I am getting him on these and he starts to cry telling me he can't do it the shakes had him bad.
I am trying to tell him he's okay and can do this and he says " I can't pull the trigger "
I FORGOT TO chocolate chip cookie THE HAMMER!!!
I can't believe I did that.
So now we're back in business and I told him shoot the front bird and I realized that he might kill 2 so I say no wait the back bird.
He's panicking and asks about the volume of the blast and he shoots.
I'm not certain if he meant to or not at that moment but it worked perfectly because he absolutely crushed his head with his .410.
I'm pumped and take out after him to keep his feathers in good mounting shape. I am sprinting downhill and take a terrible spill. Face plant. Ugh!
When I get up and grab him I realize why those first 4 tucked tail out of there.
1&3/8" daggers!
His first successful turkey hunt was full of action and ended with a whopper of a turkey.
23 pounds
11&1/4" beard
1&3/8" spurs.
!
