Warning: A Story of the Hunt
I know not everyone is into reading about hunting. Out of respect, you may want to skip this post. For me, this is part of who I am - I'm a speaker and writer and this is part of my life. So with that warning in place...
Yesterday was the kind of hunt that just makes it real and connected so many pieces for me. It began @ 6:50am with the sound of 2 gobblers coming off their roost. After and hour of tracking, they went silent and not to be heard from again. Thus began my walk to the backside of Sheffield.
With winds gusting 5-10mph, I went deeper to the left than I had been in a while, passing two food plots before arriving at the third. Along the way, I spooked one crazy hen that took off. I kept going on yet the woods remained silent. I began to go by the third food plot when I spotted a track going over one of the roadblocks. Climbing over I found a couple of scratchings. I yelped on my Lil Deuce slate and clucked/cutted on my diaphragm. I walked about 30 yards and stopped.
Out of the corner of my eye I spotted the stretched, red periscope neck of a tom about 150 yards to the right. A run into a bottom separated us as well as plenty of downed trees and limbs. I didn’t move an inch yet still I had the slate in my hand. The tom stepped away and up on a log and as he did I let out a soft cluck and purr on the slate and that was it. He dropped down and started coming my way.
I knew I had one chance to move and set-up and that was when he stepped behind a row of downed trees in front of me. As he walked out of view, I dropped and got back to a muddy stump and quickly set-up, with my slate by my side. No sound came from the tom as he came in but as the purr got him coming, I did one more on the slate and settled in for a moment.
At 40 yards, the head came up and begin to survey the scene. I knew that was the only shot I was going to get as he expected to see 1-2 hens feeding. I dropped the hammer on him at that point and when he went over, I had no idea if he was down but the #5 Winchester Supremes did the job. At roughly 10am, I had called in my first bird solo! I estimated the weight probably too light as I think after cleaning him that he was easily 20 lbs. I hiked out roughly 1.5 miles but at a mile, realized I had left my slate call in my excitement. I would have to return.
After icing down my first bird, I began my trek back out a mile and half. Calling as I went, I still heard nothing. As the birds have tended to go quiet I knew my only chance at this time of day was stay as quiet as I could. When I got to the site of my first kill, I found my slate waiting patiently and I began my journey back.
I spooked the same hen, must have been my omen for the day. I called a few times on the road. At the crest of one hill I called again. Moments later, I heard the clear sounds of turkey coming out of a bottom to my left. I moved to the right side to try and set-up on a pine tree and prepared to bring out a call. There was no time for either. To move to the pine tree, I’d have to make too much noise and the turkey was coming up quick. I made the decision to set-up in the road knowing I’d only have a second to determine if said turkey was tom or hen.
When the turkey came into view, the first moment I saw the red and the beard to confirm I could take the shot. The second moment, the turkey knew the gig was up. With the first putt, he tried to run but the load of #5’s was on the way. At 28-30 yards, he went down.
I paused and gave thanks for the Lord’s provision. To take one of these incredible animals home on a day is an achievement. To take a second, I think you can only do it humbly. Both were gifts that go hand in hand with the life that I experience each and every day. I've learned there is nothing cruel in the hunt or the kill so long as suffering is eliminated swiftly and fair chase is honored. I am in awe of all that I have learned and experienced in the woods this past year.
Part of me wishes I had experienced these before now. Yet, would the lessons have been as powerful? Would I have appreciated as much overcoming my own fears, impressions, and discriminatory ideas of who hunters are and what they do? Probably not. Instead, like so many other experiences with humanity and life, I know more than facts or have gained more than just a skill. I know a people; a tribe; I didn’t know before because I’ve walked in their shoes – literally.
Yesterday was the kind of hunt that just makes it real and connected so many pieces for me. It began @ 6:50am with the sound of 2 gobblers coming off their roost. After and hour of tracking, they went silent and not to be heard from again. Thus began my walk to the backside of Sheffield.
With winds gusting 5-10mph, I went deeper to the left than I had been in a while, passing two food plots before arriving at the third. Along the way, I spooked one crazy hen that took off. I kept going on yet the woods remained silent. I began to go by the third food plot when I spotted a track going over one of the roadblocks. Climbing over I found a couple of scratchings. I yelped on my Lil Deuce slate and clucked/cutted on my diaphragm. I walked about 30 yards and stopped.
Out of the corner of my eye I spotted the stretched, red periscope neck of a tom about 150 yards to the right. A run into a bottom separated us as well as plenty of downed trees and limbs. I didn’t move an inch yet still I had the slate in my hand. The tom stepped away and up on a log and as he did I let out a soft cluck and purr on the slate and that was it. He dropped down and started coming my way.
I knew I had one chance to move and set-up and that was when he stepped behind a row of downed trees in front of me. As he walked out of view, I dropped and got back to a muddy stump and quickly set-up, with my slate by my side. No sound came from the tom as he came in but as the purr got him coming, I did one more on the slate and settled in for a moment.
At 40 yards, the head came up and begin to survey the scene. I knew that was the only shot I was going to get as he expected to see 1-2 hens feeding. I dropped the hammer on him at that point and when he went over, I had no idea if he was down but the #5 Winchester Supremes did the job. At roughly 10am, I had called in my first bird solo! I estimated the weight probably too light as I think after cleaning him that he was easily 20 lbs. I hiked out roughly 1.5 miles but at a mile, realized I had left my slate call in my excitement. I would have to return.
After icing down my first bird, I began my trek back out a mile and half. Calling as I went, I still heard nothing. As the birds have tended to go quiet I knew my only chance at this time of day was stay as quiet as I could. When I got to the site of my first kill, I found my slate waiting patiently and I began my journey back.
I spooked the same hen, must have been my omen for the day. I called a few times on the road. At the crest of one hill I called again. Moments later, I heard the clear sounds of turkey coming out of a bottom to my left. I moved to the right side to try and set-up on a pine tree and prepared to bring out a call. There was no time for either. To move to the pine tree, I’d have to make too much noise and the turkey was coming up quick. I made the decision to set-up in the road knowing I’d only have a second to determine if said turkey was tom or hen.
When the turkey came into view, the first moment I saw the red and the beard to confirm I could take the shot. The second moment, the turkey knew the gig was up. With the first putt, he tried to run but the load of #5’s was on the way. At 28-30 yards, he went down.
I paused and gave thanks for the Lord’s provision. To take one of these incredible animals home on a day is an achievement. To take a second, I think you can only do it humbly. Both were gifts that go hand in hand with the life that I experience each and every day. I've learned there is nothing cruel in the hunt or the kill so long as suffering is eliminated swiftly and fair chase is honored. I am in awe of all that I have learned and experienced in the woods this past year.
Part of me wishes I had experienced these before now. Yet, would the lessons have been as powerful? Would I have appreciated as much overcoming my own fears, impressions, and discriminatory ideas of who hunters are and what they do? Probably not. Instead, like so many other experiences with humanity and life, I know more than facts or have gained more than just a skill. I know a people; a tribe; I didn’t know before because I’ve walked in their shoes – literally.
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3 comments:
It's safe to say that I'm not a "hunter" (lol) but I didn't heed the warning and read...just had a feeling that there was something poignant to come...and there was...
Well said Pastor Ken...more of us should try and go outside of our limiting boxes....the lessons that God is waiting to teach us reside there...
Good Stuff!
I have only one other question...how was dinner? :)
peace on the journey,
lori
Very good but sorry to say it wasn't turkey! ;)
Cool. The only bird hunting done around here is dove and duck/geese. I've not done any turkey hunting as in my area interest run more to deer and hog hunting. It is a lot of fun to get out and scout around for bedding sites, food plots, travel lanes, etc. What's even more fun is actually trying to find deer during hunting season (they seem to know all the good hiding places!) and to actually get close enough to a hog to get a decent shot!
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