Daughter's first turkey!

[fishdaddy]

She got him last week during an evening hunt after school. We had been out a few times without seeing much. For the first couple hours I called every so often without a response. Then finally some gobbles followed my call. It was not very close and could not hear it all to well. I waited a minute and let out some yelps. We hear more than one gobble, sweet more than one turkey. We hope they will come our way and I call again, multiple gobbles and they're closer! Call, gobble, closer yet! They're coming! They are answering every call as they get closer and in no time I see 2 red heads bobbing through the woods in our direction. First a jake appears then a tom. I call again and there's at least two more we can't see. The jake walks within 10 feet of the blind and the tom holds up back in some trees, of corse. Toms gobbles then walked back toward the other turkeys. Darn it! My daughter decides she is taking the jake because last year we past on 7 of them in hopes for a tom, it was early first day and had seen lots of turkeys that morning. Well that would be her only chance at a bird as it turned out. She wanted one under her belt and so did I, even though I wanted to be a tom. So she gets in position for a shot but jake keeps moving around us. Switch windows in the blind as he circles us being careful not make noise or let him see us moving. This went on for close to 20 minutes, he keeps circling and we can't get a shot when he stops. He walked off twice and was easily called back but just couldn't get a shot. It was intense, she was shaky and so was I and I'm not the one hunting. Jake then walks off in the same direction the tom had went with the others. I call to him and he response but he's only getting father away. She is disappointed now as am I. I told her at least we know they're around here and we'll get one eventually.

About another 15 -20 minutes go by without a sound from a turkey. They quit answering my calls. I look over and see a tom in full strut walking our way. I say look there's a tom coming! She asked how do I know it's a tom? I tell her hens don't strut. Then behind him appears two more toms in strut, wow! Now the disappointment is gone and shaky adrenaline rush has returned! The first toms struts then closes in then strut then comes closer. I get her shooting stick ready and she takes aim. I ask if she sees him? Yes! He's running right down her barrel. He's really close, I ask, do you have a shot? BOOM!!! Ears ringing! (Oops forgot to put in ear plugs.) Tom does a back flip and and flops over backwards! Bird down!

Cheers, hugs, hi fives and more hugs and hi fives! You got em, you did it! Daughters first turkey. I took many pics and some video of her walking to her trophy. No giant but a trophy to us. It was an experience never to be forgotten. What a roller coaster ride of emotion and excitement. She got her first and soon it will be my turn to get my first turkey. Yup she beat me to it and I wouldn't have any other way.

If I had to guess those toms came back after they left and circled in from a different direction, silent not answering my calls. Tom had 3/4" spurs and a 9" beard. Deep fried him a couple days later and it tasted great, much better than I would have expected. I'm dong a fan, beard and feet mount for her on a mahogany plaque. Should look awesome on the wall. Can't wait for my turn.

What a blast!

[leech~~]

Well that's no jake! Nice job way to wait it out!

[Borch]

Nice!

Congrats to you both. What an exciting hunt!

[hugonian1]

The smile says it all.

Great job and congrats.

[monstermoose78]

Awesome!! Congrats!!

[eyeguy 54]

sweet !

[paceman]

Outstanding!

[fishdaddy]

Thanks! She's hooked. She told me she would come sit in the blind on my hunt. She's a trooper with more patience than most adults and she only 12. Last year she sat in a blind for 2 days in row only leaving to grab lunch. I feel lucky and I'm very proud of her. Take a kid out and enjoy the outdoors. Create some memories!

[rkhinrichs]

great story! congrats!

[123fish]

Congrats to your daughter and you fishdaddy. Those are good memories that will be with both of you for the rest of your lives. Great pics.

[DonBo]

Great job, congrats to both of you. Love that HUGE smile!

[woody1975]

Congratulations on your daughters first turkey!

Just a blast to see the kids enjoying themselves!

Woody1975

[nbadger23]

Those are great pictures.. congrats to your daughter!

[Sand Burr]

Nice job!!!! Love the pics and smile!

[fishdaddy]

...and dad followed up 9 days later. Saturday of the D season. Hunted Thursday and nothing. Friday I had 2 toms and a hen come in. The hen was nice enough to play around with the decoys and talk back and forth with me while the toms stay 45-50 yards away for close to an hour. They didn't like something because the hen had past me at one point and was talking to her boys but they wouldn't follow her. They all eventually left the way they came. That was it for Friday. Saturday morning was beautiful! Around 7:15 a hen came out of some brush looking like she was in hurry. She past quickly and I watch to see if a tom would be following her. Sure enough he was. I see him and only had a small clearing to shoot. He was walking fast trying to keep up with the hen. I tried to stop him by making some bad bird like noises. He slows, put his head up to look and I let one go! Down he goes! My first turkey! So my daughter and I both got our first turkeys and couldn't be happier. Her bird had a longer beard but mine had longer spurs. Mine was just over 8" and her an inch longer. Her spur 3/4", mine 15/16". Great time!

Good luck to everyone who's gets to hunt still and I enjoyed reading the stories and seeing the pics.

[92GSteve]

Awesome! Great first birds for both of you. Thanks for sharing.

[Borch]

Congrats with you both scoring nice toms for your first birds. Looks like you have a lot figured out already.

[fishdaddy]

Thanks Borch, I did a fair amount of scouting. Talked to people who have experience. Read up on do and don'ts. Purchased a few calls and practiced. Watch turkey call. And most of all got real LUCKY! :-)

I like your tag about fishing. I feel the same way. That's my other... Well one of my other obsessions.

[sticknstring]

Beautiful bird - congrats!