Best Turkey Hunting Memory
Late 90s I was no older than nine years of age. I had been on many turkey hunts with my dad and got to experience Toms gobbling and hens walking up close to me. Remembering my dad saying they can see the whites in your eyes moving. With a certain amount of fear and heart pounding adrenaline I would sit as still as possible. I never spooked a turkey and that made me proud. It was finally my turn to kill a turkey... My dad woke me up super early, but I was so excited I jumped up to get ready. We drove out to some south Mississippi public land and pulled up to a short road that just stopped in the tall long leaf pines. I pulled the handle and the door to open it and my dad said to shut the door easy... they could be one roosting near us. I slowly opened the door and shut it softly. We stood there and just listened as the woods started to wake up. Birds started chirping as the sun started to rise through the tall pines. I looked at my dad as he put his hand up to his mouth and started to imitate an owl. AH WOO WOO WOO WHOOOAAAA!!!!!. If you have ever heard an owl in the wild it is an amazing experience. Especially when two of them get to talking back and forth. After he let out the hoot we both listened for a gobble. All of the sudden we heard him. Like a deep thunder that let the entire woods know he was awake and ready to claim that ridge for himself. My dad looked at me and said "lets go he isn't far at all". I grabbed my gun and away we went. I was following him into the tall gall-berry bushes that were as tall as I was. Getting soaked from the dew that hadn't burned off from the sun yet. We made it to the backside of the ridge and he let out another thunder gobble. My dad said "he is on the ground... Sit right here by this pine tree and when you see him come over the hill you take him out". My dad sat a few trees behind me to call him on in. I sat there with my gun up on my knee. My heart was pounding so fierce and my body started to shake as he let out another gobble even closer this time. My dad did a soft yelp and That's when I saw his head. Bright blue and Red popped over the hill. His beard hanging down and his eyes looking for the hen he thought was there. I put the bead on his head and I squeezed the trigger. The gun shot turned the woods quite as a Sunday morning alter call. I looked and all I could see was a turkey flopping around on the ground. I jumped up and ran to him. My dad was so excited with me. We high fived and hugged as we hooped and hollered. I couldn't believe the amount of pure joy I felt as we walked back to the truck carrying that bird. To this day I have his beard in a case. I have since been addicted to turkey hunting and it has taught me many different things about patience and perseverance. I now have two kids of my own to pass the love of turkey hunting onto. I pray I do as good of a job as my dad did.
Gatlin Finley.