I had just a classic spring turkey hunt again. I had the privelage of taking a first year hunter out to one of my spots with another buddy who was looking to tag out on number 2. I was without tags so the calling was on me.
The night before I had called in 2 jakes and nice longbeard for my friend with one kill so far but a coyote ruined our hunt. We watched the birds go in the bush and then took the looong way out so as not to bother them before the mornings hunt when we had the new guy coming with us.
I had promised my buddy (Ken)the chance to come in and hunt so when i told this new guy (Garry)when he came thatKen had first crack. I was kind of stuck since he was invited after the fact but I was pretty sure my buddy Ken would gladly pass a kill off to him if a one bird came in. Garry told he he didn't care if he shot. All he wanted was to see a turkey in the feild. He had yet to see anything all season other than a few hens driving around in the truck. A tough first year for sure but he was still raring to go!
With me sitting with Garry on a rise on the feild edge and Ken 35 yds away covering a dip in the feild to our left, the morning time brought silence as the fog lifted and the sun burned off the wet feilds. I finally did a flydown cackle with wing flaps and ken joined in with a flydown as well. With that a hen started and the gobbling followed.
We soon had 2 behind going and one down the feild in the direction of me and Garry. I competed a bit with the hen but not too mujch at first when one gobbled behind confirmed he was on the ground I went to work with a mouth call and pot call. As the gobbler to our right sounded off on the groundI whispered to Garry to be ready to shoot right. We were in between that gobbler and the hen and other 2 so he would for sure be coming down that feild right to us. Well no more than 10 mins later I whisper there is a turkey coming in. He has his gun up but pointing away so I told him not to move. He wispers back "Can I shoot that turkey???" Remember i had told him the other guy gets first crack. Well ken and i had discussed that a bird from the right is Garry's and he'd take anything from the left down the feild where he was. As the jake walkedin he beagn to feed and I wispered for him to move the barrel in small amounts every time he put his head down. "ya, you can shoot that turkey"
(as if i'm gonna tell the guy no
)At 25 yds he's ready to shoot. Safety off. Bird sees something he doesn't like and starts to nervously walk off. I say shoot and Boom! 30 yds he's down!
Garry is about to hop and jump for joy but I tell him "DON"T MOVE!" 2 more gobblers still in the bush behind us. A few calls and GOBBLE. I whisper to Garry "Game's still on!"
We couldn't see Ken but after working the birds for about 20 mins I knew they were coming. It was funny to see Garry squirming around so excited about his first kill. I had to tell him a couple times to stop moving cause Ken's bird is coming
. Eventually we heard another BOOM and Ken had a longbeard down at 35 yds as he stepped out into the feild down his way. Exact spot where we watched him go in after the coyote incident the night before.
Man, it was awesome to enjoy that with Garry. A guy I had never met before but he was a turkey hunter and that's good enough for me. A great morning for sure!
a jake at 15 lbs and 4 1/2 inch beard, 3/8 spurs
and a 2 yr old at 19.8lbs, 10 3/8 beard and 3/4 spurs.
First timer gets one in a double!
