Well folks it was a rough season for the Jagd Meister, moving during the first part of the season and then unpacking, and then rough weather. And oh yea, sorry haven' t been on for awhile. Lost my password, and then finally found it in all the stuff I have here. ANyway, just 7 days and I will be on the way to Korea, but the story is that through it all I did manage to get a Tom on the day before the last day. Record book, not this year, Trophy, always. We watched over an hour and a half for the four of them to come in close enough, they were interested in the calls but not hot! We got the advantage of a live hen that passed in front of us and they came looking for her! This Tom just happened to be the first around the corner of the wooded island in the middle of the field we rushed as they ducked behind it. As we reached the island, they were rounding the corner, and as a good soldier I droped to one knee and took aim. Now I couldn' t see the other three and it was a clear open 30-35 yard shot, so when it is the bottom of the ninth, and the score is tied, you pull the trigger.

The spurs were 3/4 inch and the beard was 8 3/4 we estimate 18 ponds! He was a good two year old Tom! The good part was that there were 15 turkeys on that field and at least ten were Red Headed! Next year will be good, although I will have to wait until the 2005 season!

Anyway, it was a very educational and rewarding season. And it has nothing to do with the number of turkeys! It has to do with watching the sunrise, having deer less than 20 feet away from you, watching a flock of 12 fly from roost to having two hens pass within 30 feet of you and you stiffer than a board and barely breathing. And to hear that gobble, to work for an hour and a half and then have a real live hen pull the Tom away from you! That is the reward for a season. Memories that will remain for always and carry you through to the next season. The missed shots, and the close calls, and the Red Heads that were so close but you just couldn' t get a shot through the branches! These are the things that are a reward for a season in the woods. As I told someone the other day, last year I hunted Turkeys, this year I am a Turkey Hunter!