AL Got One Saturday
05-06-2003, 05:46 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Ridgeland Wisconsin
Posts: 276
AL Got One Saturday
Hello All,
As I mentioned in an ealier post Al (Gobbcallers Dad) and I were going out hunting together last Saturday. Truth be told we were not on our own. Al' s son in law Todd, and Nikki' s boy friend Ben, were going to tag along to see what this turkey hunting is all about. Neither one have ever been Turkey hunting before. So all together there was to be four of us. Al had mentioned that he knew that four was more than a enough people to be in the woods together. But this hunt was a little different. We were not out there so much to harvest a turkey, but more too share the wonders of the spring woods and the sounds of spring Gobblers with two fellows that never seen it before. Now if that aint what hunting is all about I don' t know what is. Al, Todd and I went Roosting at one of our honey holes Friday night. We never heard a Gobble, but regardless we knew there were birds in there. Saturday morning I drove over to Al' s and met everyone. Nikki' s Boy friend Ben for the first time. We piled into two trucks and headed for the spot. Our plan was to head for the nearest gobble.
Once there we waited in a field. Before long, in the pre dawn darkness, Todd and Ben heard the first gobbles of their lives. Birds were firing off from every direction. The nearest one was some ways away on a distant ridge connected to the one our field was on. So we made our way closer. there was a wooded logging road that connected the feild we were on, to the ridge we needed to get too. We made up over half the distance and set up on the logging road. I called softly and as little as I could muster to do untill well after fly down. I was only directly answered with a gobble a couple of times. The one thing I didn' t want to do was call to much or to loud. The Gobbler flew down and headed off, not ever coming any closer. We regrouped and headed down the road further, Trying to close the distance. We worked to within 400 yards of the gobbler calling every 50 to 100 yards. But then the bird went quiet. We took a short break and headed in a new direction to find another bird. Well we found one who did the same thing. Got tight lipped. So we took another break to enjoy the day, and it was a beauty. Todd and Ben were really into the whole experiance and were asking Al and I questions about every thing they could think of. The Good thing was that they were really injoying it all. Well The next thing you know a couple of gobbles echoed through the woods from a place were we had already been. They were already close enough to work so we scrambled to a fallen oak to set up. I slipped back about 40 yards and waited for everyone to get settled in. My first yelps were cut off by two or three Gobbles. I clucked and purred for a few minutes then yelped again. I was answered with two or three Gobbles and they were on their way. Within minutes They were close enough to Gobble the Camo off your hat, and I was waiting for the shot. What a sight Al, Todd and Ben all in the same blow down trying to maintain their composure. Al had to reposition for the shot wile Todd was trying his best to get the birds on film. Then finally came the shot and it was over. I never saw a thing untill I stood up and two birds scrambled for cover. But Al' s aim was true. And a fine Jake lay where four once stood. One of the four was an adult Gobbler, the Jake was the first clear shot Al had. Gobbler - Jake, it matters none. What a wonderful day. Todd and Ben got an experiance to last a life time. And are talking about giving it a wirl next spring.
Ben is the guy on the left and Todd is the one top center
.
Congratts to you Al. Getting the bird was just the icing on the cake as Mike once put it.
As I mentioned in an ealier post Al (Gobbcallers Dad) and I were going out hunting together last Saturday. Truth be told we were not on our own. Al' s son in law Todd, and Nikki' s boy friend Ben, were going to tag along to see what this turkey hunting is all about. Neither one have ever been Turkey hunting before. So all together there was to be four of us. Al had mentioned that he knew that four was more than a enough people to be in the woods together. But this hunt was a little different. We were not out there so much to harvest a turkey, but more too share the wonders of the spring woods and the sounds of spring Gobblers with two fellows that never seen it before. Now if that aint what hunting is all about I don' t know what is. Al, Todd and I went Roosting at one of our honey holes Friday night. We never heard a Gobble, but regardless we knew there were birds in there. Saturday morning I drove over to Al' s and met everyone. Nikki' s Boy friend Ben for the first time. We piled into two trucks and headed for the spot. Our plan was to head for the nearest gobble.
Once there we waited in a field. Before long, in the pre dawn darkness, Todd and Ben heard the first gobbles of their lives. Birds were firing off from every direction. The nearest one was some ways away on a distant ridge connected to the one our field was on. So we made our way closer. there was a wooded logging road that connected the feild we were on, to the ridge we needed to get too. We made up over half the distance and set up on the logging road. I called softly and as little as I could muster to do untill well after fly down. I was only directly answered with a gobble a couple of times. The one thing I didn' t want to do was call to much or to loud. The Gobbler flew down and headed off, not ever coming any closer. We regrouped and headed down the road further, Trying to close the distance. We worked to within 400 yards of the gobbler calling every 50 to 100 yards. But then the bird went quiet. We took a short break and headed in a new direction to find another bird. Well we found one who did the same thing. Got tight lipped. So we took another break to enjoy the day, and it was a beauty. Todd and Ben were really into the whole experiance and were asking Al and I questions about every thing they could think of. The Good thing was that they were really injoying it all. Well The next thing you know a couple of gobbles echoed through the woods from a place were we had already been. They were already close enough to work so we scrambled to a fallen oak to set up. I slipped back about 40 yards and waited for everyone to get settled in. My first yelps were cut off by two or three Gobbles. I clucked and purred for a few minutes then yelped again. I was answered with two or three Gobbles and they were on their way. Within minutes They were close enough to Gobble the Camo off your hat, and I was waiting for the shot. What a sight Al, Todd and Ben all in the same blow down trying to maintain their composure. Al had to reposition for the shot wile Todd was trying his best to get the birds on film. Then finally came the shot and it was over. I never saw a thing untill I stood up and two birds scrambled for cover. But Al' s aim was true. And a fine Jake lay where four once stood. One of the four was an adult Gobbler, the Jake was the first clear shot Al had. Gobbler - Jake, it matters none. What a wonderful day. Todd and Ben got an experiance to last a life time. And are talking about giving it a wirl next spring.
Ben is the guy on the left and Todd is the one top center
.
Congratts to you Al. Getting the bird was just the icing on the cake as Mike once put it.
05-06-2003, 07:40 PM
#4
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: park falls wi
Posts: 615
RE: AL Got One Saturday
Jerry, great story and pic!! Sure not the same without good ol' Mike around this time of year!! I still miss him!! I bet he' s smiling down on his dad as we speak!!
[8D]
] Congrats. Seeing that picture makes me miss hunting in the north. Beautiful country up there.[:-]
