2016 Season - 8 Updated 5/14 Final Chapter

[RutnNStrutn]

Way to stick with it! Congrats on your birds!

[Drthorn]

awesome

[BBD]

Was blessed again this weekend during the AR youth hunt. My son and I had an incredible hunt Saturday morning but it sure didn't start that way! We stood at the truck until it was nearly fly down and could hear two birds but nothing close or on our lease. There was "one" north of us about 5-600 yds if not more that was hammerin' down telling the news! There was also one just west of our lease about 200 yds. We went into a bottom and set up kinda between them if you will about 150 yds off our land line so not within 300 yds of a gobbling turkey, not exactly ideal or confidence boosting! I knew both birds were on the ground by the time we got decoys out and ready. I called several times and could get a response out of the bird to the west but the ones to the north had went silent. Bird to the west was steadily moving south so I just knew this hunt was over before it had even really got started, boy was I wrong! Around 7:20 I sat up straight and called fairly loud with a mouth call when one gobbles less than 100 yds in front of us! I see Jacob get his gun up and within seconds he whispers "I see THEM" 30 seconds but what seemed like an hour past and I finally can see them coming at nearly a run. They get about 10 yds from the decoys and lock up. I'm nearly laying down by now and about to die wondering why he isn't shooting! That's when I hear foot steps and can see another one out of the corner of my eye strutting less than 10 yds to his left. He is froze and waiting for a clear shot. There is a classic strutter and looker situation in front of us and a strutter right in his lap to his left. Lots of drumming and then they start gobbling at each other. At this point my heart is about to blow out of my chest and I'm blacking out cause I'm trying not to breath!!! Finally he gets the shot he wanted and BOOM down goes the strutter!! His best AR bird with a 10.5 beard and 1-3/8 Spurs and weighed 22 lbs I'm sure y'all know for me to say I'm proud of him would be an understatement. Great way to kick off the 2016 AR season!! 870 20 ga HW 7's

[MISSISSIPPI Double beard]

Several nice hunts, I have spooked several gobs by breathing hard. I hope it never gets old. Congrats!

[BBD]

A pic of the set up, not exactly ideal but it worked...

[Gooserbat]

Very nicely done

[BBD]

Saturday morning after Jacob got his my dad and I swapped kids. My son went home to skin his turkey and my daughter and I took off trying to find one still gobbling. We hunted until noon and came up empty.  Saturday night she wanted to go to a local rodeo event so we did and didn't get home until 1am.  To my surprise they both got up Sunday morning at 5am and were ready to roll.  We went back to the same area my son and I had went Saturday.  Daylight comes along with 10 mph winds and considerably warmer air.  We finally hear a bird to the south west and take off.  We get fairly close and wait for him to gobble again to determine which side of the creek he is on. He finally gobbles again and I can tell he is on the ground and on the north side.  We move about 100 yards and I get the decoys on top of the little hill and we get set up all 3 by the same tree.  He wasn't answering my calls and started moving away. He started north and went about 300 yards away and the wind started to pick up. Once again I was sure our hunt was over.  I got out my box to do what I felt certain wouldn't work and started hammerin on it pretty loud.  He had got so far that I couldn't hear them but my son would tell me "he just gobbled."  After 10 minutes or so he gobbles and he is closer. Few more minutes pass and he gobbles less than 100 yds. I help my daughter get the gun on her shoulder and I steady the trigger stick with my left hand.  I can then hear walking in the leaves and 3 gobble just over the hill and about blow our head nets off!  I had showed Macie 2 big trees and told her that when they walk between them to shoot.  Well the first 2 came running in and blew right past that gap but I could see a strutter coming in slowly behind them. When he hit the opening I called really soft and he turned towards us just as I watched his head disappear over his back. She absolutely smoked him at 15 yards!!   I then went to trying to help Jacob get on one of the others but he couldn't ever get a shot.  It was a very special and emotional morning for me to be enjoying what I love with 2 people that I love so dearly. It was Macie's first long beard and her 3rd total.  I could tell that even big brother was proud of her.  She shot him with Jacob's Sarsa ESA 20 ga topped with a Nikon turkey scope, Hevi Shot 7's and JellyHead choke.   We didn't weigh him but I'm gonna guess around 18 pounds, had an 11-1/8 beard and 1-1/8 spurs.   They make me so proud. 

[BBD]

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

[cramerhunts]

Congratulations on some awesome birds, great pictures, and even better time hunting with the kids! Love it, way to go.

[bmhern]

Congrats!!     

[TauntoHawk]

Love those last two updates...nothing better than seeing kids get out and enjoy the outdoors and all hunting has to offer

[TRG3]

You've got yourself two good hunters. With the patience your children showed they can successfully hunt anything. The nice thing about it is that as the years go by, someday they will be taking you hunting.

[Spitten and drummen]

man. congrats!! awesome memories for a lifetime.

[Happy]

Congrats to the kids. That is icing on the  cake right there!

[chuckward]

Congrats! That's what its all about. I've love taking my kids way more than hunting myself anymore. Chuck