YOUTH SPRING GOBBLER, STORIES FROM PAST & ONE IN THE MAKING.
This will be my youngest son's Ewing 1st youth turkey hunt. Opening day will follow a couple of 70-80 degree days of Spring weather so it should be another interesting day. Here are the stories of his 2 brothers youth hunts from 07' and 09'. I always enjoy the read to fresh'n up the my memories of the day...
SNOW BIRD 07'by Buzz
It was with mixed emotions, I stood at the window looking out at a blanket of white covering everything at 4:30 this morning. April 7, Youth day. Nqt the best weather to get 9yo out for his second turkey hunt but I also imagined the possibilities for a special day.
It was still snowing as I made my way to meet up with my partners for the day, but thankfully the only thing not covered with 2 "+ of the white stuff was the roadway. Arriving at our spot and greeting Nolan (our hunter) and his Dad, our camo looked terribly out of place. "Better to wear a bedsheet" Dad said. "Arent we supposed to be deer hunting?. I said "This may actually work in our favor", "Maybe It will keep the hens in the trees though I wish it wasn't still snowing".
As we gathered up our gear I heard a gobble. We stopped. Then another drifted in on the snow. Who said "great obstacles bring great oppourtunities'? We hurried down the road through the gate. Except for a quick walk by Nolan's Dad we knew nothing about the place. The gobbler gobbled just enough to keep us moving closer. It was tough walking through the snow covered brush. Even tougher I knew for a boy alot shorter than I but he soldiered on. The snow made it very bright. We got through the thick stuff to the bottom of a small field that ran up the hill. The Tom was at the top of the parallel field that ran farther up the hill. A thick fence row separated the two fields with only a 20 ft wide mudhole gap between the two. I scouted on up the fencerow for any place to set up closer or get to a better position but we decided not to push it. He was still in the tree and we stuck out like sore thumb, I set out the decoys while Dad set up the blind. We knocked some snow off of the surrounding bushes to blend it in a little but we would depend on the decoys. It was full light by now and I quickly called to him and jumped in the blind
He thundered back. I called again but no answer was heard. We waited. After a few minutes I said "well, he's on the ground or coming or both". A few more minutes and I Yelped softly....gobbble, half way down the adjoining field! He gobbled on his own a couple more times...Closer. Nolan was sitting on the ground with his bantam 20ga propped on a camo stool in front of him pointed towards the gap on our right. Last year we had called in 2 gobblers but were unable to get on them quick enough. Now, over the winter, he worked on his shooting, goose hunting with his Dad and even killed one on the wing. "Remember, relax, get those sights lined up and aim at his neck under his head".
Then we saw the Gobbler through the fencerow heading for the gap! He stepped in front of the gap and seeing the decoys broke into full strut. What a sight, Strutting for the hens in a winter wonderland! After a couple circles he stepped down into the muddy water filled gap. Slowly he advanced. He stopped halfway and began to drink, and drink, and drink. A couple soft yelps got him back on track ,he climbed the bank and hesitated at 30yds. "Wait". Soft yelps again brought him into strut and marching toward the decoys. 25 yds, "ok, shoot him when your ready". Just like an old pro..............Boom!!!!!!! Snowbird Down!
As we stood there remembering and admiring We asked each other, "When did it stop snowing?
The stats: 20.7 lbs
9" beard
1"and 1 1/16"sharp spurs
CAMO CAST 09'by Dad
Wow! Early Sat. A.M. Wyatt is off with dad (myself) and our "professsional turkey caller" Buzz for a morning of spring gobbler hunting on VA's youth day. Enter the woods just as the sun was showing a hint of light, topping the ridge to where we want to start the hunt and where Wyatt experienced 3 long beards and 2 hens putting on a show for 1.5 hrs. last season. Wyatt now 9 has gained confidence with his marksmanship using his 20ga.to take numerous game over the past year. The forecast was wind with more wind and the weatherman didn't miss it. Between gust we heard a gobble in the distance, the wind was trying to settle as the now multiple toms were gobbling making a great noise through the woods. Gobble after gobble didn't give Buzz much of a chance to work in an occational hen call. The toms seemed to be happy where they were, but Buzz continued his magic with his gift of turkey talk. The birds were cutting each other as the wind died down making it easier to hear. 40 minutes later a pause and I knew a move was on so I told Wyatt to get ready. 4-5 minutes and a gobble proved that 1 tom was coming closer and 3-4 min another. This is where the real majic begins. Buzz knows more turkey language than most mature birds in the woods as he has been after them for many years including the famous 'Snow Bird' he called in for Wyatts older brother Nolan 2 years ago on a youth hunt. 3 inches of snow on a spring hunt and Nolan takes his first Gobbler at full strut in the snow 21.5 lbs with a 10 inch beard. Now Wyatt is getting excited as the tom continues closer with his gobbles. Closer and closer on the lower side of us when he cuts loose just below us and now to our left. Man we need to make a slight adjustment and time isn't on our side. Realizing that we can't here the bird walking up the fresh logging road after the past days rain, Buzz pulls off yet another trick from his bag and scratches the leaves to get another gobble. He was closing in as a this gobble sounded to be within 50 yds but no visual. Then he shows himself and Wyatt quitely ask "can Itake em', wait just a little and at 30 yards he lets go the little youth 20 and the tom falls in his tracks!!! This has been a great hunt with Wyatt as he has 3 broken bones in his left hand. Wyatt is left handed but shoots right handed and had the Dr. fix his camo cast so he could hold the fore grip.
What a morning but the day has just has just started. Seems the youth trout fishing day overlaps the youth spring turkey hunt and Wyatt isn't going to miss it. So we do a quick field dress and stuff ice in the bird to hang in the basement as we head to Madison county to join brothers Nolan and Ewing along with their friend Kevin.These boys are blessed to have a mother that helps support there love of the outdoors mainly fishing, she's not much on the hunting stuff, lol. Seems Madison had 4+ inches of rain on Fri. making it hard to fish but the boys manage to work together and bring home 23 of a 24 fish limit. Pics. to follow.
THANKS FOR SHARING TWO COOL HUNTS WITH US DUDE! CONGRATS TO THE JR.SHOOTERS !!! I LOVE THE SHORT YOUTH GUN!!....THE PICTURES ARE PRICELESS AND I SURE THE MEMORIES WILL STAY WITH YOU FOREVER!
A COUPLE DAYS AGO I WENT TO MY LEASE TO RE-ARRANGE SOME DEER STANDS ....I USED A GAS BRUSH SAW TO CUT BRUSH FOR AN HOUR JUST INSIDE THE TREES IN THIS PICTURE AND MINUTES LATER WHEN I WENT BACK TO MY TRUCK THESE BIRDS JUST WALKED OUT LIKE NOTHING HAD EVER HAPPENED
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