What a weekend
It was a good weekend.I sit here about to write about this weekend while I should be studying, but I'm to the "aww screw it point." I'm tired enough not worry about it. Plus she drops one low test score. It's no big deal.
It feels like I spent my weekend outside, and now that I look back on it, I think I did. Friday, dad and I spent the day fishing. But I can't remember what we did friday night except watch the Braves play on TBS. I know I went to bed because I was hunting the next morning.
Saturday came and I woke up 15 minutes later than I had anticipated but was still out the door only two minutes late. I met Gyles and Jar over at Jar's parents and we headed out to where we were going hunting. We got out there and got geared up in all our camo, facenetting and gloves. The three of us set out across the field when we heard a gobble off in the distance. We had to cross a little creek in the process and finally we were set up. Jar hunkered down about 15 yards behind us and he started calling. It was still dark, but he kept getting gobbles. At one point it sounded like every turkey in the county was perched up in the trees. The gobbling started down in the south and moved through the area like a tornado.
By now it was getting light enough to see the turkeys off roosting in the distance. I was using binoculars to assist me. About 7 ish, they decided it was time to come down. So what did they do? They flew off the wrong way. We spent the next two hours trying to track them down but to no avail. We walked back to the car and the G-man said he was going home. Jar and I decided to go on a drive to the spot that I spent Thursday morning at with no luck.
We made a stop for coffee, and then took the back way in towards this field. In the adjacent quarter-section, we saw a lone turkey off in the distance. I asked Jar if he could get him in. Jar wasn't sure but he was going to try. We got out of my exploder and started making our way down the hedge when we heard a gobble off in the distance to our right. At this point i thought things were looking up. Continuing south, we set up shop on the backside of a waterway on the downside of a little berm, up against a plum thicket facing south right in the opening of the waterway that split the hedge. I thought if Jar could get the turkey coming towards us he'd walk around the opening in the hedge right into my line of fire. It seemed like a good plan.
Jar made a call or two and we heard a gobble off in the distance to our right where we had seen the turkey, right away. Again he called, again a gobble and it sounded closer than it was before. A little while later we heard gobbles off to the south, then gobbles off to our right again. At one point it sounded like we had two turkeys off to our right.
Jar asked me if I knew when to shoot a turkey and I didn't. He whispered to me not to shoot it when it's strutting as it's head is down and harder to hit. The turkey seemed to be inching its way closer slowly. Jar started telling me a story about his wife's brother-in-law and a gun. I was quietly laughing when he made another call to which he got a shocking response.
The turkey was on the other side of the hedge only 30 yards away.
"Get your gun up, get your gun up," he hissed to me.
"Like this?" I shot back pulling my gun up. He nodded and made another call. We got another gobble. By now, I was nervous like I had never been, my heart fluttering and beating so loud I thought the turkey could hear it. I'm pretty sure I was shaking with a mix of anticipation, fear and even a little self doubt. Again another gobble from just the other side of the hedge and I was half laying down, sitting back with my gun up, pointed in the way that I thought the turkey would come through.
I heard a snap of a twig on my right. To our surprise, the turkey strolled through the hedge row. I couldn't swing my gun to shoot because he was staring right at me. Jar was ducked down in the plum thicket telling me not to move. The turkey was incredibly wary. He moved away a little bit and finally after another call from Jar he began to strut. I slowly eased my way down the backside of the little embankment. I turned over and the game was new.
I was able to finally move my gun around to the point where I could maybe get a shot off. The turkey was beginning to move away from us. By now I was worried that it would get out of range, or into a spot that I couldn't shoot because of the plum thicket.
"When should I shoot it?" I hissed to Jar.
"Whenever you can!!" He hissed back.
I decided to take my shot. I got to my knees. It seems like it was one motion that took forever. I popped up, drew a bead on it's head and fired. The head of the turkey disappeared behind the other embankment.
"I got him. Did i get him? I think I got him.I think I got him" I almost ran up to the bird. Halfway there, Jar was saying "Pace it off, pace it off."
At that point, we got up and went over to my first turkey laying on the ground with a perfect shot to the head. We packed up our stuff and paced off the shot at 38 yards. I took him home and did the measurements of spurs of 1 to 1/4 inch, a beard lenght of 8 inches and weight about 20 lbs.
I spent the next two hours cleaning the bird. Mom popped him in the oven about noon and then it was time to work. Jar and I did about 3 hours of yardwork including rototilling and tree removal. that lasted until 3ish. Then we spent the next 6 hours moving stuff to his house, including beds, chairs and a desk or two. We also moved a 10 panel dog pen. After a shower, we hooked back up for some starcraft.
I did my best impression of a coma sleeping from 12:30 til 11:30. After a lunch, Jar and I moved yet more stuff to the house using my explorer. I played some catch with my sister, until my pops joined us and started hitting us flies and grounders.
Anyways. I should go to bed since i've got a test tomorrow
posted by Rusty @ 9:46 PM
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