Still an Adrenalin Rush

I saw a longbeard in strut on Friday afternoon and had a friend call me that evening saying he saw him in the same area right before roosting time. He called me yesterday evening and again told me he saw him in the same spot with two girlfriends. (I call that Eastern Shore Roosting). That was all I needed to find myself there early this morning with bow and decoys in hand. I used a little two sided, teepee blind and set out a Smith hen and a jake in semi strut 20 yards from me in good view of any approaching turkey.

A good gobble sounded about 125 yards back in the woods when I was making final prep. I moved about 20 yards to my right and called on the slate; he cut me off with another gobble. I moved back to the set up and picked up the bow and crossed my fingers...my expectations were high. No more gobbles, but in about 5 mins. he walked out of the woods (typical 2 year old, about 8" beard), by himself catching sight of the decoys. As soon as he saw them he gobbled and dropped into strut. He moved out about 35 yards, gobbled and strutted his stuff slowly across in front of me heading towards the DSD. No drumming but an occassional gobble. A hen unknowingly helped me out by yelping as she came out within 10 yards of the decoys.

Then a longbeard came out from the opposite direction making a beeline for the first gobbler (could mess things up); which promptly ran him off. The first tom went back into strut and started moving slowly towards the decoys again. I came to full draw as he went behind two huge pines and estimated an 18 - 20 yard shot. He finally strutted out broadside, I settled the pin at the top of the drumstick and squeezed...the arrow hitting the mark. He couldn't run and flapped to a stop about 7 yards. Hands on him, heart still pounding; the end of another great bow hunt. Time 6:05 AM.

The Slick Trick broke both legs and tore up part of his breast...what a mess. Things happened so fast that it wasn't until then that I realized I hadn't hooked the arrow up to the string tracker. The arrow went completely through and laid next to him. What a hunt; still as exciting as the first bird forty eight years ago.

April 27 Gobbler

   After 48 years of not missing an opening week of turkey season, this time it was different as my dad passed a way that week....it really didn't feel important as family comes first. I needed to make sure my mom was settled and okay.
So, Wednesday morning, I finally decided to venture out into MD's turkey woods. It felt good to be there to greet the sunrise and hear the chorus of spring birds again. I got set up on a gobbler first thing but watched him fly down and follow a squad of hens making a racket. This time, my calls were in vain.
I quickly moved to another area where I heard a bird gobbling. I couldn't raise him...probably a mess of hens with him as well.
Through mosquito whines and a strengthening wind I thought I heard a distant gobble. I thought I knew his approximate location. Closing the distance to half I laid on the Gibson trumpet call and he gobbled...but only once. I traveled about 150 yds. through a pine plantation and dared to get within 4 rows of an old woods road...he should be close.
I purred on one of the Cypress Swamp glass calls and caught movement as a hen appeared on the road. Patience. I purred and clucked again. As another hen appeared 25 yards away I thought I heard the familiar drumming sound made by the gobbler. Patience, drumming then a fan and a good beard. I mouth clucked, the head went up and a load of 7's put him on his back. I paused, raised my eyes and said "that ones for you dad".
Moving towards the bird I noticed the beard but my eyes naturally gravitated to the legs...my gaze was greeted with a huge set of spurs. They were both over 1 1/2 inches with the beard at 11 inches. I was blessed once again. Thanks for being there dad.

I'll be spending time in the afternoons hunting with my grandson and attempting another longbeard with the bow.

Gone for a While

Its been a while since I've posted....haven't felt like it. The last time I was getting ready to launch into my favorite type of excitment filled hunting - spring gobbler. But life sure changes quickly. I went to Hagerstown on Monday to take my dad to a regular doctor's check up. I go to make sure mom and dad hear and understand what the doctor tells them. Dad had some really bad health issues that resulted from a heart attack 1 1/2 years ago. 

His blood pressure and heart rate was taken and they were very concerned about low pressure...enough so that the doc admitted him to the hospital immediately.  It went downhill quickly from there. On Tuesday the family was called in surrounding dad with love and support. After exhausting methods to right the problems the doctors told us there wasn't anything else that could be done.

I'll never ever forget how on a Wednesday afternoon his room was filled with love, stories, jokes, laughter, tears, family times, vacations, shooting matches, serving in WWII in N. Africa, one on ones, prayer and some singing of his favorite hymns.

With that dad went home to be with the Lord on Thursday morning. He was surrounded by the whole family and passed peacefully with no pain and with a whole bunch of love. The family collected many photos of dad through his entire life and his granddaughters Dana and Erin put them into a wonderful slide show. My wife and I put together posters of pictures and items from his life: police badge, uniform, hole in one club and ball, a letter from the White House thanking him for serving our country well, shooting trophies and team pics and his graduation pics from the FBI Academy etc, etc. It was a real tribute to dad's accomplishments. I had the pleasure of greeting many neighbors, acquaintences, policemen, and pistol team members who came to the viewing.

The service and burial was held with full military honors on Tuesday at the Rest Haven Chapel and Cemetary in Hagerstown. It was a beautiful service with my daughters and my wife and I singing two of his favorite hymns and my wife singing the Lord's Prayer. I had the extreme pleasure of delivering the eulogy. We heard the 21 gun salute and a wonderful melody from a bagpiper. My mom and sister knew dad would be pleased at the whole affair.

Dad and I were close. Although he didn't hunt, he was a top competition handgun shooter all his life. He introduced me to target shooting and guns at an early age. I started shooting as soon as I was old enough to hold a handgun with two hands. We shot together in the William Penn Pistol League for years. He continued until he couldn't hold compete in an entire match. He beamed each time I called and told him I killed a deer with the Python that he won so many trophies with. He was my hero as a policeman.

I will truly miss you dad.