Well to say we had a great time this morning would be an understatement! In the process, I learned a very important lesson from my 10 yr old niece.
Yesterday morning I drove to some family land to do a little scouting in case my niece wanted to go this morning. I didn't hear any gobblers but I did end up seeing a few. It's a place I've hunted for several years and the turkeys tend to do the same thing each year. So I watched as one gobbler strutted around bullying his two running mates and showing out for the ladies. I decided if we went I would definitely bring my pretty boy jake and two feather flex hen decoys.
So yesterday evening my brother calls and tells me my niece (who has never shot an animal in her life) wanted go hunting and they were on their way over to my house to have her shoot a 20 gauge youth model 870. So she shoots a turkey target @ 20 & 30 along with a 1/2 gallon milk jug at 30. She SMOKED all 3 and gave me all the confidence in the world to take her today.
We headed out way before daylight this morning and got the decoys set up. It seemed like it took forever for it to break daylight but when it did we were greeted by a hen yelping in the tree about 100 yds behind us. I looked at my brother (who was sitting right beside my niece) and gave him the thumbs up cause I knew we were where we needed to be. A few minutes later GOOOOOBBBBBLLLLE!!! At that point I knew it would only be a matter of time before the show kicked off. After a few more gobbles (maybe 5-6 total) a few hens pitched down right to our decoys (appox 20 yds out). I noticed the hens started acting a little leery and began to get a little nervous. Well they didn't get 15-20 yds away from the decoys when I saw the gobbler mean running toward the jake decoy. As he got within a yard or two of the decoy....BOOOOOOOOOMMM! Sadly, she missed...
My heart sank for her and for my brother. I'm a dad myself (4 yr old boy) and could only imagine how he felt. I looked at her and she had her face in her hands but to my surprise when she looked up she was smiling. I was SO PROUD of her for that! What a great reaction to a disappointing moment. I immediately told her about how many I had missed and there was nothing for her, a first time hunter, to be ashamed of. The entire walk back to the truck she was excited as could be and was giving her dad and me a replay as if we weren't there.
My brother called me this evening and told me that all day long my niece was telling everybody about her hunt this morning and how much fun she had. I can't tell yall how proud I am of her! She sure reminded me that it's not just about the kill. Now don't get me wrong, it would've been an awesome ending to an amazing hunt but it's not hard to be excited when the chips fall in your favor. It is hard, however, to remain upbeat/excited when the wind gets taken from your sails. I couldn't have been more impressed with how she handled herself this morning!Thank GOD for a morning I'll not soon forget and for allowing me to be the uncle of an amazing young lady!
