The season opened back up on Wednesday, once again we were back up at 3AM and in the woods an hour before 1st light set up with birds 75 yards away on the roost, gobbling like crazy, then the fly down, more gobbling then they would clam up and not a sound. They were all with hens it seemed like. We did some running and gunning, which was a blast, had a few birds but nothing would commit and got busted by one Tom that snuck in on us! The evening sit was good also, birds just to far out and wouldn't commit except one that came in from behind us and busted us leaning against the tree, he had to be 3 yards away from us, pretty cool!
Thursday morning, once again out of the house before 3AM and on our way in the woods by 4:30AM. we went back to where we had them roosting, watched the fly down but they again went across the river, bummer. Hunted this set up for a while then moved to another, nothing! We went back to the truck and quickly went to another area 3 miles away for some runnin and gunnin. Our luck finally went our way, while going down the trail a bunch of crows started going off and a Tom started gobbling about 100 yards in front of us! I give a few yelps and he answered instantly, I had a good feeling about this one! We got set up, put out the Jafe and Hen decoys 25 yards away in a pine tree flat, and started calling, every call I did he responded with a gobble or two. I kept calling and he kept gobbling and he was getting closer with every minute! Were set up with Dominic sitting in front of the tree and I'm kneeling behind it calling. Dom spots him first, "Dad there he is", "where", "RIGHT THERE".... hearing that was awesome! He comes right to the decoys strutting the whole time! We wait, wait and wait some more for a clear shot, he is staying behind some pines not offering s a shot! He knew something was up after a few minutes! He starts to walk directly away from us, I call softly, he stops in between some trees with just his neck and head showing, a little 3 inch gap. We didn't feel good about the shot, I was proud of him for showing restraint! The Tom walks away putting the whole time. He gets far enough away and I decide to go after him by getting in front of him the other way, kinda head him off! I stand up, Dom hands me his gun so he can stand up, starts to get up when he says "Dad a Turkey, give me my gun", I hand him his gun back and I get back down, look thru the binos and see he's a jake, I said you can shoot him if you want to, its a Jake, he says I'm going to shoot him. "OK, now wait for a clear shot", "I know", I look at the barrel of his gun and it shaking, I was like this is what its about, awesome!!!!! BOOM..... perfect shot, dropped him in his tracks at 28 yards! Let the excitement begin!!!!!!! Dom jumps up and gives me a huge hug and says "thank you Daddy", I said, "Thank you buddy"... an amazing amazing feeling this was. We go over to his Jake and admire it and say a little thanks for everything and enjoy a very special moment together! Now its time for pics, phone calls and text messages, we were STOKED!
I tell ya I have to give my son credit, he is a trooper, we hunted hard, harder than I have ever hunted in my life and he never complained once, he just kept going and going like a machine. While walking out of the woods he said "Dad, not taking that iffy shot at the Tom payed off when this Jake come running in aye".... that was Music to my ears! We then went to the registration station and checked in his bird and talked with a bunch of other hunters, Dominic was walking tall and I was a proud Father! What a hunt.... then it was off to the taxidermist!!!!!!