father like son.... err in this case, flip it around

[ScottyLee]

I had the privilege these past 3 weekends to do something most men will never get to understand in this respect. My dad created the outdoor hunting, fishing, trapping, if it's in season lets go chase'm monster that i am today. Except, he never turkey hunted. Growing up there weren't turkeys around, so he never had the opportunity to hunt them if he wanted. I started turkey hunting on my own when i was in high school, with very little guidance from fellow hunters, lots of screw ups, and just being plain ignorant to eventually become the turkey hunter i am today. Over the years he never went with with me, never asked, and never went when i invited. But this year that all changed. I killed my third bird on march 28th i believe it was, for some odd reason that day i said hell I'll ask him again. i said just come sit with me, I'm gonna take it easy and you can shoot. he wasn't taking any part in the later. he said "yeah lets go, but it's up to you to kill him" and that i did. double beard at that, and that was number 3. Not sure if something struck my dad about the sport i have come to love so much on that particular day or what exactly went through his mind but I'm glad it did. last weekend i once again asked, if he wanted to go to which he emphatically replied "heck yeah! let's do it". Boy was i pumped. unfortunately for the next 2 days, the beauty of the woods, spring time and all, it just wasn't meant to be those days. very little gobbling and hard hunting. fast forward 6 days and yesterday was a tale of two completely different times. Dad wanted to go again and i just had that feeling as we crawled in the truck that morning. We immediately got on a bird on the limb and for whatever reason unknown to me, it just wasn't his day to play the game. I could hear off in the distance several birds yelling and screaming kicking and cussing at some crows so i knew a move had to happen. we slipped out of our current set up and pushed on up. When i crowed, the gobbler almost blew our hats off. He was 80 yards max. We immediately sat down dad in front and myself about 10 yards behind. i let out a yelp and he answered. this went on 2 or 3 times and i thought he might have hens as he walked off to our right pushing his distance to about 100 yards from us. to our left one gobbles off about 200 yards (i am surely thinking this bird won't do the deal). I proceed to get the bird off to our right fired up. he triple gobbles and is cutting distance. as i peek over at the old man i can see my gun barrel start to get a little quiver from adrenaline. At this point all i could do is smile. As this love fest between me portraying a hen and the bird continues, the bird to our left gobbles once more as he is cutting the distance in half. out of the corner of my eye again, dad does a 90 degree swing and i hear "puttt". All i could think at this point is, oh damn, this is really how this has got to end. i couldn't see the bird, but i told dad, you better shoot. turkey putted once more, and i said "we are had, kill him" and that he did. this bird slipped in on us only gobbling twice, while his counter part was burning the woods down. I jumped up and sprinted to the bird to do the old head stomp. As i look back at my dad, who has taught me so much about the woods, life, right and wrong, and everything in between; underneath my face mask, a few tears begin to roll down my cheek. Tears of joy, tears of how a father must have when he sees his son, accomplish something that is so special and dear to his heart. This time its different. we proceed to high five, hug and fist pump as we immediately start reliving the story and sharing our perspective of what just unfolded. I then roll the bird over to see good spurs at an inch a piece. and a good beard. then i squatted as something caught my eye. I look back at my dad and say, you shot a double beard, no wait a freaking triple beard! 8.75, 2.5, and 1.75. I have taken a many of turkeys, and turkey limits over the years, some more special and stand out more than others, But there is not a single shadow of a doubt, that what just unfolded on this magical morning trumps every memory I've created throughout my life. number 1 in my mind.



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i'm usually better at doing pics. sorry for the resize issue and you having to tilt your head to see them.

[greenheadgrimreaper]

Simply awesome.

[uncleC]

FANTASTIC, man...just FANTASTIC....just a guess but I'd speculate that you've just created a turkey hunting partner for life...congrats to you both...

[mshunter77]

Awesome!

[billyho]

That same old man taught me pretty much the very same lessons in life. Funny thing is when I recieved that pic via text message yesterday i had to wipe a tear off my cheek too. I know this all sounds silly but it is what it is. Great stuff scottylee. And I know the feeling, kinda had the same one that day I called up that old white head for you. Everything goes in circles and turkey hunting sometimes brings things into perspective in a funny kinda way.