The night before the hunt found rain coupled with lightning and thunder (not a good scenario for an impending turkey hunt). Waking at 5:00AM, the I was confronted with a light rain, but no lightning. I decided to wait it out and at 8:00AM decided to make the drive to the hunt area. He arrived at 8:30AM to find the rain had completely bypassed the specific area where the hunt was to take place. Well...Why not go ahead with the hunt given the effort taken to get to the hunt area? Shortly, after putting on his snake boots, loading the shotgun and pinging the car with a Bushnell Backtrack GPS the I was free to roam the woods at will. I decided to hunt a long gently sloping ridge loaded with mature oaks and peppered with pines. Walking deliberately at a turtles' pace, he gradually made his way to a huge pine slightly tilting to provide the perfect backrest for a turkey hunt and maybe a short nap. Kicking out a depression in the soil and placing a cushion over the depression created a contour seat with the huge pine serving as the back support and rear safety. After settling down, the I floated a soft, pleating yelp to any Toms that might be in the hunt area. After 10 minutes with no response, he raised the volume of the next yelp followed by a few clucks. In turkey talk the message was clear...if you are out there Mr. Tom I would like to meet you for a possible short-term relationship. After another 10 minutes of silence, movement in the shadows approximately 100 yards down the open oak ridge showed two turkeys moving silently in the direction of the Big Man's position. However, the shadows and distance could not confirm the sex. At 80 yards they entered into a patch of sunlight filtering through the leaf canopy and the white head and black breast feathers confirm not one, but two Toms showing a interest in meeting the Hen making the calls. At 60 yards the forward march of the Toms slowed as they scanned the woods for the mysterious Hen who had called to them. The scenario was take a step and scan the woods. This process repeated itself for approximately another 20 yards. Waiting for the right moment the I watched the procession in absolute silence and stillness. And then it happened...the Toms stepped behind a large oak and 'magic time' as the gun was up in an instant. When the Toms emerged, the lead Tom was in the gun sight and BANG the hunt was over. The end was swift and definitive with the 12 gauge 3" shells in a #5 shot at 35 yards. As required by law the I tagged the Tom and made a prayer of thanks for a safe and successful hunt.
