Quick history – I have been hunting with my dad my whole life. He got me into ducks, pheasant, deer and grouse hunting. I have been turkey hunting on my own, or with people a few times and have been fortunate to shoot 3 nice birds over the last several years. (Years that I got drawn and had a place to hunt) Last year I found a place to hunt, that I hopefully will be hunting for years to come. I convinced my dad to come along, as I thought what a great reward for him to get his first turkey at 69 years old. Anyway, last year we saw a bunch, and I had him hooked on turkey hunting….he actually could have shot one, but said “I never did ask what I can shoot”….was a funny moment.
Anyway, we applied together again this year, as I was now VERY determined to get him a bird. To my surprise, we got drawn again. Our season was last Thurs the 1st thru this a.m. the 5th. I unfortunately had a class I was taking out in Hutchinson on Thurs and Fri, so we were unable to go those 2 mornings. We talked on Fri. night and the weather forcast was not very good for Sat. a.m. so we decided to wait. My internal hunting alarm was on and I woke up at 4 a.m. on Sat. I looked out side and saw horizontal rain/slush coming down…I was happy on our decision, although it turned out to be a nice day.
Sunday was the day…..I was up at 3:30 a.m. and he was to arrive at my house around 4 – 4:15 am….he is never late. At 4:20 I called his cell and he had overslept! We were 20 minutes behind schedule. We arrived at the spot just as the sun was coming up, I thought to myself, “This isn’t good”. We parked the truck and got out and immediately I heard a couple of gobbles. We started our trek down the trail to the field. Typically we’d cut through the woods and get along the creek, but this a.m. we stayed on the trail through the woods as it gets us to our spot quicker. Unfortunately the birds had decided to roost along the trail. To make an already long story short….we bumped, I’d guess at least 20 birds off the roost walking this trail. I thought this REALLY isn’t good. We got to our spot, I had him get in behind a log, I set up the 2 hen and a jake decoys (I read in someone’s post earlier that they use this combo and said it was deadly) I crawled into my pre determined “thicket” that I had not inspected very well when we scouted…it turned out to be buck thorn, and I have the hands to prove it..but that’s another story in itself.
We were settled into our blinds, decoys were out, and to my surprise, there was gobbling up the bluff still from a roosted bird. I could see through the trees that birds were dropping down onto the field up on top….I started calling (I suck at calling, but I figured something was better than nothing, thank GOD for box calls) Out of no where I hear a gobble down at the far end of the field…I keep calling back, he keeps answering…..Low and behold I see this bird about 300 yards away walking our direction. I wasn’t sure if it was a tom or not though. One of the coolest things I’ve seen/heard….He was a couple hundred yards out, I could see him plain as day….but I still can’t tell if it was a tom or a hen. I see his neck stretch WAY out….and then about 3 seconds later…I hear the GOBBLE!! I think this was when my dad realized there was one near by. I kept on calling, he kept on coming…..he hung up about 80 yards out and stood there looking for the longest time. I didn’t dare blink, as he was standing directly in front of me, looking straigth toward me….the worse spot he could have stopped and the only spot that I didn’t have cover…I think I may have willed him to move! 
Finally, he continued on and kept walking toward the decoys…he was about 20 yards out in front of me and I was saying to myself….I hope he gets a little bit closer so my dad has a shot…all of the sudden BANG!!! I was happy I hadn’t ate breakfast that a.m. as I may have filled my shorts…I was NOT suspecting the shot at that moment…
The bird did the ol’ turkey flail and was bouncing around on the ground, down for the count. I was SOOOOOOO excited…I think I was more excited than him.
So, at 70 years old, my dad shot his first turkey, and I was able to be there when he did….was a great moment!! and my MISSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED!!! (I could have hunted, and could have gone this a.m. to fill my tag, but I don’t think I can top this year, so I slept in)
Oh, and his words were, jokingly….”What’s so tough about this turkey hunting?”
I am FAR from knowing what I’m doing while turkey hunting, I don’t think I can call worth a hoot, and it was just a guess on where to set up….it proves that sometimes…it’s better to be lucky than good!!
I COMPLETELY forgot to measure or weigh the bird…It was a nice tom, nothing enormous…8 -10″ beard I suppose.
I kept the fan and the beard….and will have them mounted for him for Father’s day…..Anyone have any suggestions to have this done? Also, I didn’t know what to do with the fan and beard, so I slid them into a bread bag and froze them as is…I hope these can still be mounted??
It’s being in the right place at the right time! What a great way to spend the morning…nothing beats it! 
