2016 Season - 8 Updated 5/14 Final Chapter

[BBD]

My season has finally came to an end. I missed 5 mornings between April 16th and May 10th so I have no complaints there. I did strike out in my home state which I have not done since they opened it in my county in 1994.  Made a trip north the day after our season closed and was able to get a bird the first evening there. Called in a bird in for my buddy the next morning and I tagged out that evening on a nice triple bearded bird.   Headed home and contacted an different farmer that I'd met years ago and decided to make a family trip to his place.  My son actually talked my wife into going with us since it was Mothers Day weekend.  She is as far from a hunter as most of you could imagine but she was willing to go and get away for a weekend with us.  We got to camp right at daylight Friday morning and my wife and daughter go straight to bed but my son and I got hunt.  We watched 3 lbs fly down to 8 hens.  We leave them hoping to find some other birds that maybe willing to play but were unsuccessful so around 9am we go back and strike the 3 lbs again near the same field.  I get a decoy out and they start coming...fast!  I lay down about 10 yards from the decoy and my son is actually between the decoy and the gobblers. They run up with in 15 steps of him and he missed. It hurt both of us.  The shot didn't seem to bother them to bad so we planned to go get some lunch and come back.   That evening we all watch them fly up but never anything close enough for a shot.  The next morning my son and I are sitting within 100 yds of them when they fly down. The first bird to the field is a long beard and he sees the decoys and comes running.  My son shot him in full strut at 14 steps standing beak to beak with my strutter decoy.  Nice 2 yr old bird with 9.5" beard and 3/4" spurs.   We got back to camp to show momma and lil sister and she gets fired up and wants to go find one.  First place we hit we strike 2 birds and they are coming in on a string...until and airplane buzzes the field and they vanish.  We sat for over and hour but never heard or saw them again.   That evening we all 4 go get in a blind close to when my son missed. Put out 3 hens, 1 jake and 1 strutter decoy (sounds dumb and looked dumb too but oh well)  to try and get their attention more our way. Had no more got settled in good when one gobbles in the woods behind us. I call and he cuts me off.  Within 10 minutes 2 gobblers come in the field about 200 yds from us but appear oblivious to the flock of decoys.  I call and finally get their attention our way.  They start strutting and get about 100 yds away and appear to going to hang up there when I decided to gobble at them.  It was all they could take and they start slowly inching our way.  My daughter was in my lap and my son was in my wifes lap so we were all getting to see the show. After what seemed like an eternity they finally get within range and she smokes the "white one."  It was a hunt that none of us will ever forget and to have my wife there with is made it that much more special. I'm truly blessed to have 2 kids that share my passion and a wife that is willing to support it even though I know there are times she thinks I need to be committed to a mental hospital. Kids have really started taking interest in calling and my son has started asking a lot of why questions concerning set ups and calling. 

[BBD]

  My 2 birds. Shot one of them with the kids 20 gauge!

[Happy]

Congrats! Looks like you have had an excellent year!

[SteelerFan]

VERY nice! Congrats on a great one! 

[WyoHunter]

Congrats on your season!

[cwb04]

Congrats on a great season!  You ARE truly blessed with a great family!  Great that you have them out with you enjoying it all together!  What part of AR you from BBD?  I went to college at Tech and spent 6 years in Russellville.  Would move back there tomorrow if I could!

Congrats again!

[GSLAM95]

And this is probably my favorite and I'm going to get it framed...

That definitely deserves to be in a frame, wallpaper for the desktop, screensaver etc etc as it a priceless piece that you are truly blessed to have.  Congratulations on a great season....