Well we made our annual trip to Idaho for Turkeys and the kid scores a nice tom!
After several days of the weather working against us (rain and snow) and the kid dying to go hunting, we decided to head up into a draw and try our luck where we have harvested birds in prior years.
We get set up under some trees trim out a few branches and get settled in when I hear a gobble just up the ridge from us. I give a couple purs on my slate call and all hell breaks loose, there were gobblers all around us.
As I continue to call, the gobbler heads straight down the ridge heading right for us. I look around and make sure everythings is in order. Hunter is all set up next to me with his shotgun resting on his knee waiting for the shot, the decoy looks perfect and all we need now is for that big tom to come into range.
I finally see the top of the toms head about 60 yards out and he is coming right at us then all of a sudden he shuts up and walks into the brush and dissapears.
Dissapointment sets in and I figure it is all over at this point. The birds have once again gone quiet. We sit back and enjoy the father son time and the change in weather (sun came out) for about 30 minutes when I hear a gobble just above us.
This time I wait before calling just to see what happens. After about ten minutes I cant handle it and start calling again, the tom lights up and starts heading our way. After what seems like an eternity he finally shows up and starts putting on a show for us about 60 yards out in the middle of a clearing. He is gobbling like nobodys business and strutting everything he has for that hen decoy. After about ten minutes of taunting us he finally starts walking towards us...he gets right to the point where the last bird dissapeared and I can no longer see him. I whisper to Hunter that I cant see him and I think he turned and went back into the timber. I tell him to be ready and I will start calling again and see if we can get him to come in. I make a couple of clucks and all of a sudden there is a big blue head coming right at us about 30 yards out. I tell Hunter to take off the safety and and get ready to shoot...the bird keeps coming right into about 20 yards and stops. He starts strutting and gobbling at the decoy. I tell Hunter as soon as he stops strutting go ahead and shoot...BOOM! Gobbler down.
After some high fives and some whoopin and hollerin he is on the phone to spread the news to papa and everyone he can think of telling them the story of his first turkey.
Hopefully this will be the start of a great hunting season for my little hunting partner
And for all the stat folks out there he wanted me to let you know it weighed 21 pounds and had a nine inch beard