My dad and I set out May 4th in search of a Tom turkey 
Well little did we know it would take all 5 days to get it done 
Not that I really cared if I got a bird this year because I had one goal this year and
that was to get my son a bird and that goal was met 
I found out fast that taking my brother , cousin and a friend Turkey hunting in my spots after I
got Gunner a bird was a mistake 
I have never had to work for a bird this hard .
I’m thinking some boys will be looking for some spots to hunt next year
We had many good mornings with plenty of birds to work but they just would not commit, 
As the week went on I could tell my dad was getting tired ( he is 67 ) and I do push him kinda hard 
So the next morning I told him YOU are sleeping in and I will pick you up at 10 a.m. He was like
what are you talking about ?????? I just said can you trust me on this , I want these birds done chasing the hens
and out looking for new chicks when we show up 
The spot I was taking him to is a real tricky spot to hunt due
to BIG fields and BIG woods all around the field . ( very easy to get busted by birds in this spot because the can see
so far )
We start our hunt out at 11 a.m. I glass the field and we have a Tom in the middle
So I knew we would have to head deep in the woods so this bird would not see us and do some running and gunning on the
way to him ….. We never did get a bird to hit my calls as the wind picked up to 20 
We are now at the half way point to this bird ,
I just happen to look down and what do I see ??? MUSHROOMS so we spent about a 1/2 hr picking a big bag full 
Funny how you forget about turkey hunting when you find mushrooms 
But we didn’t forget long because that turkey out in the field let a gobble go and he was only 300 yards or so from us 
So we hooked around the woods a bit more and set up . I called to him with one return gobble then nothing , Keep calling and he
would come a bit, let me see his head and then back down the little hill so I couldn’t see him . Dang he is hung up , So I told dad you sit
here and I’m going to move down the woods a bit . ( I only went 30 yard and made sure dad could still see me ) Started calling again . I could
see the bird working my way , then back … I could tell this was not going to work …. But wait I can see my dad pull his gun up 
I must have called in more
birds from our left So I keep calling away and see some heads popping up and down in the hay field …. I could see they are in
range of dad so I hit them hard , heads come up and BANG bird down , as I ran up to my dad this other Tom was just standing around looking at
me at 30 yards but I was so happy for dad I never did shoot
Dad’s bird was 20 pounds , 10 1/2 beard and 1 1/4 spurs ….. Nice job pops … 
So now it’s my turn to roll one
We set out the next morning with high winds , rain and snow 
I have never hunting turkeys in this kind of weather and just what I was thinking
they would not talk at all till the weather clears up , Around 8 a.m. the sun would pop out some and it was getting a bit warmer out … We just
sat on the field edge waiting for birds to pop out or one to gobble. 9 am hits and I hear a bird gobble but he is a long long ways off , I look at
dad and say are you ready for this ??? Yep lets get him 
Well lets just say we walked for a good 2 hrs chasing this Tom from one side of the
woods to the other , I’m not sure if he had a hen with him or what but he was on a mission from hell I knew one thing I had to get in front
of this turkey somehow , we are 2 hrs into this and we are almost back at the truck As I popped my head out of the woods I could see
this big boy was out in the field and heading to the other side , ( NOT AGAIN ) he is going right back to the spot dad and I started in ….
As we walk with in 100 yards of the truck I could tell dad was thinking a nice cup of 
and a smoke would be nice ……. I looked at him and
said I want this bird bad now , he has me mad , can you make it with me or would you rather rest a bit and I continue alone ? Well that took about
a second for him to decide … I’m going to the truck you go get him 
A fast knuckle to each other and I was off and running ….. Back deep into the woods
I go in hopes of cutting this guy off . As I’m moving slow down the valley I can hear him gobble out in the field (good 500 yards from me ) but coming towards me . I’m thinking to self , I don’t think I can pull him down this big valley and up the other side , Thinking I better check him and make my move ( had not heard him for a bit ) . Made one call
and he cut me off , he’s hot and coming Down the valley I go and bang next thing I know this bird is on top of me with a gobble and another gobble … BALLS he met me head on at the bottom of this valley , I sit down fast with one leg out so I would not slide down the hill 
hit him with my mouth
call , gobble , gobble , drumming and some spitting , All I can see is his head coming through the brush , ” white then blue” man he is fired up ! He came
another 30 yards jumped on a stump went into full strut and let out his last gobble as I had my red-dot on his head . Let him come out of strut and let him
have it Bird down I didn’t even jump up and go to him right away , Still sitting and thinking you did it, you just killed the bird that has gave you the 3 hr
slip As I walked over to my bird I was thinking man I wish dad would have came with me , this was the best show I have seen by a turkey .
I walked over to my bird and he was stone dead on the other side of the stump , on his back with both wings out ! Wish I would have taken a picture of that ….
I picked him up and was like man he’s a fat boy , great beard and great spurs ….. But I didn’t look long as I wanted to go show my dad …. Well little did I know
he got his coffee and was sitting in a chair that he found in the back of my truck and said I could hear him gobble then you call then the shot . So I guess we still did kind of share this hunt ….. …… Oh and while all this was going on I found the shed in my picture I seen it grabbed it and continued after my bird …
My bird was 24 pounds , 11 1/2 beard and 1 3/8 spurs … What a slob and a hunt I will never forget
