Smokin em Old Skool!

[flintlock]

As daylight's first rays crested the eastern Kentucky hills and highlighted the fog in the valley below a smile crept across my face.  Oh how I love the first turkey hunt of the spring, especially when good friends and blackpowder are involved!!!

I thought back on previous hunts here w/Catdaddy, and smiled as he was out and about as well.  This year by buddy Jason was hunting w/me and it had been 7-8 years since we had gotten together.

A THUNDERING gobble hammered in the valley below, maybe 200 yards off.   I nodded to my buddy Jason and he let out a few yelps to let THUNDERDOME know we were there.  Another gobbler fired off across the valley and yet another in parts unknown, just a distant rattle far onto the neighbor's property.



Jason gave him a few more series of yeps, ending with 5-6 hard cuts. GOBBBBBBBLE!!!!!  This time he was closer and I swung ol' Betsy around.   I told Jason he was on-deck for the first bird of the day and in a few minutes another thundering gobble jarred our eyes open, just over the break of the ridge.  I swung ol Betsy to the left more, then noticed Jason's shotgun was pointing to the right a fair bit.  "He is coming to the left, move your gun to the left", I whispered.  Then, a big ol softball head popped up and man was he ever looking for us.  A few steps and Jason whispered, "SOB I am way off - shoot him".   Unfortunately, he was at the end of my 30 yard range, then he putted a few times.  SHOOT SHOOT, so I obliged and watched THUNDERDOME sail to the other hill and trot out of sight.    I knew he was 5 yards too much and felt bad for even trying.

Jason headed one way and I the other and after a 1/2 mile and a few ridges I struck another gobble.  There sounded like multiple birds, just across the deep valley.  I barreled over and eased up to the break of the hill and hit them w/the call.  A triple gobble nearly knocked my hat off and I got them as jacked up as they got me!   Soon I had moved into position and they sounded only 40-50 yards out.  I laid the hammers back and in a few here they came.  I waited until the lead was only about 15-18 yards out and put the hammer down.  As the smoke drifted down the hill and the morning sunlight made his feather's dance, I thanked God for the chance to be there this April morning.



I ran back into Jason and found he hadn't had any luck so we headed off for greener pastures and struck a gobbler a 1/2 mile in the other direction.  Soon we had moved in on him keeping him gobbling every 5 min as we navigated through the thick brush and planned the final setup.  I asked Jason to hit his diaphram one last time as we eased onto the hill he was on and we were SHOCKED when the gobble sent us scrambling, as he was under 50 yards.  He had been tracking us and making his way to us at the same time.  Only a few seconds later I see his big head pop up within range and Jason laid him out.



What a great time in God's great outdoors.  I thank God for these special times, which special folks indeed.

Good luck if you are out and about.
Wess

[Gooserbat]

That's cool!   

[alclark2]

Great Story and bird!

[turkey buster]

great job! Thats an awesome story!

[boomer]

Congrats

[Hognutz]

Congrats Wess and Jason. I do love the smell of gunpowder in the morning. Ooh-Rah..

Mike

[TRKYHTR]

Absolutely awesome Wess. Congrats,

TRKYHTR

[albrubacker]

Very nice! great pictures

[stinkpickle]

NICE!!! Those are the kinds of experiences that make it worth the time and effort.

[captin_hook]

 

[tomstopper]

Awesome. Congrats on some good looking birds......

[alloutdoors]

That's awesome! 

[Old Gobbler]

Yes Sir !!!!

[Wrangler95]

Very nice gobblers,congrats!

[renegade19]

Good stuff there!  Congrats on a fine morning!