I was asked to Repost this story. Someone said it made them think about not always taking things for Granted.
It all started when My wife gave birth to my son on March 13th. Unfortunately he didn't survive. We had to make a decision whether to cremate or bury him. We decided to have him cremated. Well anyway I told him as he passed in my arms that I would take him hunting.(sorry if this offends anyone).
So here we go: It's 3am in the morning as the alarm clock goes off, it's been a long week of hunting and it's the second saturday of the Spring season. I had been guiding all week and had called in many birds for my clients but today was my day to hunt. I got dressed and put the canister with my son in it in my breast pocket close to my heart. I woke up my brother law and told him it was time to go. He got up and got dressed all the while we discussed what bird we were going go to after. We decided on a bird that was out close to an intersection of an old logging road. We put on our turkey vests and started the long dark walk out to the spot.
Upon arriving at the spot I wanted to set up at I put out my hen decoy, picked a nice blow down to tuck into and a tree for him to lean against. It was a beautifully quiet and calm morning. As the sun started to rise it just made the walk all the worth while. About 15 minutes after the light broke I heard him gobble on his own about 100 yards in front of us to the south. I waited for him to gobble again and started my soft tree calls. As soon as I started he gobbled back at me and a hen started calling back about 60 yards to the west of me. ( you know that feeling you get when you know your'e where you're supposed to be :-) ) Well he gobbled for awhile and I just hushed up. The hen got more and morre excited as he gobbled. At about 6am I saw the hen fly down and heard the gobbler fly down. The hen started calling to him pretty exciedly so I started mimicking her abut getting a little more excited than her. I could hear him coming towards her and saw her walk out onto the logging road and just stand there as if to say here I am. I stopped calling for about 15 minutes and just listened to him gobble at her. I then could tell that he too had stepped out onto the logging road but was just opn the other side of a hill in the road. I watched as she perked up. I started calling to him excitedly again and he responded with double and triple gobbles. He then shut up but I could here the famous pfffffftttttt drummmmmmmmmmm. I could hear him coming closer. I touched my breast pocket and said to my boy it just doesn't get any better than this. The First thing I saw was the Awesome fan coming up over the hill. Then he stepped up over to show me his impressive beard and body size. He was brilliantly colored with all the bronzes, reds, whites, and of course blues. I watched him walk up to the hen and just strutt like he was the king. I started shaking with (I dont care who you are you shake at a sight like that) excitement. I kept calling to him and he kept strutting for me. He got with in 25 yards of me and hopped up on the bank of the road. I wathced him for awhile til I could get a clean shot at him. I took that special bird with one clean shot. I walked over to that majestic bird and gave him thanks for being there and giving his life for me and my son. I looked skyward and thanked God for giving me such a gift. I spread some of my Son's ashes there where the turkey laid since it was my son's bird and not mine.
I just wanted to share this with all of the turkey hunters, and I hope that nobody is offended by my story, if you are I apologise to you. Thanks, Pat

Like I said last year bro it gets to the heart. It's still a tear jerker; but well worth reading. Fellows this is what it's all about very seldom do you see this kind of dedication and love this day and time. Pat hats off to you bro. I can honestly say you are one of the few I am proud to know and call a friend.

Like I told ya last year my friend.It doesn't get any more special than that.Thank you for sharin it with us again.

Once again Pat the both of you are truly special!![:-]

Thanks for the post Pat. Not a lot of things get to me, but this truely did. He'll always be with you and be able to watch from above.

thank you for sharing. very nice.

Wow Pat, what a story. It really does get to me. Thanks for putting it up here.

I dont have kids... but still thats as good as it gets thanks for sharing i respect that a lot

thanks for sharing it again

PAT, SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT YOUR SON. I TOO HAVE KIDS AND I DONT KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO IF THAT HAPPENED TO ME. I JUST ABOUT LOST IT WHEN READING THIS. MY HAT IS OFF TO YOU. MAY ALL YOUR HUNTS BE AS SPECIAL AS THAT ONE. TAKE CARE AND SAFE HUNTING.