TN Larry
Well-Known Member
The Lord blessed us with another awesome hunt this morning. My son got off to a great start this year killing two during juvenile and one opening day. He was even saying that he didn't wanna tag out too early which came back to bite the little "grasshopper". :lol: He had three misses between #3 and #4. One last weekend was too far and my fault. Another last weekend came running right in our lap, and he shot while the bird was still moving as I was about to call to get him to stop which was a hard lesson learned. This past Friday morning was a perfect 40 yard shot, and I have no idea what happened. He either jerked the trigger or hit a limb but took his time and could see his head. It was pretty frustrating to work a bird for nearly two hours, do everything right, and then watch him fly off. He was super down but kept his head up. I told him that it happens sometimes and to keep doing what he knows to do as he's a great shot.
Anyways, we just couldn't get up early this morning when 4 rolled around and decided to get up a little after 6 to see if we could get on one before church. We didn't get up until after 7 and really didn't plan to go. I walked outside and couldn't stand it as there was a little coolness in the air. We headed out about 7:45 and had to be back home by 10 to make it to church so we had to hurry and hope to find an easy one. We struck a bird a little after 9 that was gobbling like crazy. As we made a loop around, two of them gobbled. We went up a drain and came up the hill on the other side of the point to get on their level. I wasn't sure which way they were headed. As we got to the point, they gobbled on up the hollow around the point going away from us. We went around the point got set up and called. They gobbled instantly about a hundred yards max around the hill from us. I knew that we had to hurry as the clock was ticking closer to 10. I waited and called again, they gobbled, but sounded like they hadn't moved. I waited a few more minutes, called again, and they had cut the distance in half. I hushed, and they free gobbled just over the hill from us. They would have to be within range to see us. It was thick above us and hoping they would come around the hill below us instead of straight to us. I waited a few minutes, they gobbled again, and were coming below us which was good. I finally saw a bird coming around the hill below us in full strut about 40 yards with the other bird behind him. He stopped about 35 yards and ran his head up to look for us, but my son couldn't see him. He kept coming around the hill in full strut headed for a big opening, and the second bird was standing in view of me. They then starting clucking looking for us which I initially thought was the lead bird putting as I couldn't see him at the time. I told my son to shoot if he could see him. The lead bird was standing between two trees about 30 yards, he took his time, and shot. I thought that he was shooting the 2nd bird, and it flew off. I thought that he had missed again but then realized that there was only one bird that had left. The bird he shot turned a flip over the hill out of sight, and he initially thought he had missed too. He stood up and said YES I got him! What a relief after a couple of tense moments with two birds inside 35 yards and a big gorilla lifted off of his shoulders. He told me this morning that he wasn't sure if was meant to be.
Thank the Lord for an awesome season for the both of us! I am so glad to get to sleep in a little later the next weekend but am sad that we have to wait another year to play the game again.
870 Youth 20 gauge
Hand loaded #9 TSS
18.4 lbs
3/4" spurs
9.5" beards
Anyways, we just couldn't get up early this morning when 4 rolled around and decided to get up a little after 6 to see if we could get on one before church. We didn't get up until after 7 and really didn't plan to go. I walked outside and couldn't stand it as there was a little coolness in the air. We headed out about 7:45 and had to be back home by 10 to make it to church so we had to hurry and hope to find an easy one. We struck a bird a little after 9 that was gobbling like crazy. As we made a loop around, two of them gobbled. We went up a drain and came up the hill on the other side of the point to get on their level. I wasn't sure which way they were headed. As we got to the point, they gobbled on up the hollow around the point going away from us. We went around the point got set up and called. They gobbled instantly about a hundred yards max around the hill from us. I knew that we had to hurry as the clock was ticking closer to 10. I waited and called again, they gobbled, but sounded like they hadn't moved. I waited a few more minutes, called again, and they had cut the distance in half. I hushed, and they free gobbled just over the hill from us. They would have to be within range to see us. It was thick above us and hoping they would come around the hill below us instead of straight to us. I waited a few minutes, they gobbled again, and were coming below us which was good. I finally saw a bird coming around the hill below us in full strut about 40 yards with the other bird behind him. He stopped about 35 yards and ran his head up to look for us, but my son couldn't see him. He kept coming around the hill in full strut headed for a big opening, and the second bird was standing in view of me. They then starting clucking looking for us which I initially thought was the lead bird putting as I couldn't see him at the time. I told my son to shoot if he could see him. The lead bird was standing between two trees about 30 yards, he took his time, and shot. I thought that he was shooting the 2nd bird, and it flew off. I thought that he had missed again but then realized that there was only one bird that had left. The bird he shot turned a flip over the hill out of sight, and he initially thought he had missed too. He stood up and said YES I got him! What a relief after a couple of tense moments with two birds inside 35 yards and a big gorilla lifted off of his shoulders. He told me this morning that he wasn't sure if was meant to be.
Thank the Lord for an awesome season for the both of us! I am so glad to get to sleep in a little later the next weekend but am sad that we have to wait another year to play the game again.
870 Youth 20 gauge
Hand loaded #9 TSS
18.4 lbs
3/4" spurs
9.5" beards
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