1 00:00:05,200 --> 00:00:08,600 Speaker 1: Welcome to This Country Life. I'm your host, Brent Reeves. 2 00:00:09,119 --> 00:00:12,680 Speaker 1: From coon hunting to trot lining and just general country living. 3 00:00:12,920 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: I want you to stay a while as I share 4 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: my experiences in life lessons. This Country Life is presented 5 00:00:19,239 --> 00:00:23,200 Speaker 1: by Case Knives on Meat Eaters Podcast Network, bringing you 6 00:00:23,280 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 1: the best outdoor podcast the airwaves have to offer. All right, friends, 7 00:00:28,600 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 1: grab a chair or drop that tailgate. I've got some 8 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:43,000 Speaker 1: stories to share. Double your pleasure, Double your fun O. 9 00:00:43,240 --> 00:00:47,960 Speaker 1: On my Turkey episode before we switch gears, the main 10 00:00:48,080 --> 00:00:50,519 Speaker 1: offering is from a hunt this year that was a 11 00:00:50,680 --> 00:00:54,840 Speaker 1: first for me and my friend Toby Neemeyer. It seemed 12 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:57,440 Speaker 1: like we could do nothing right in the Turkey woods, 13 00:00:57,440 --> 00:01:00,880 Speaker 1: and then we caught a break. I'm gonna tell you 14 00:01:01,040 --> 00:01:08,399 Speaker 1: all about it, but first I'm gonna tell you this story. 15 00:01:11,280 --> 00:01:15,399 Speaker 1: This is from This Country Life listener Brady Johansson. Brady's 16 00:01:15,400 --> 00:01:17,960 Speaker 1: from the great state of Texas and said in this 17 00:01:18,000 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 1: one about chasing turkeys in the lone Star state. So, 18 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:28,480 Speaker 1: in Brady's words, in my voice, here we go. Last year, 19 00:01:28,520 --> 00:01:31,000 Speaker 1: my eight year old son Porter and I had a 20 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:33,840 Speaker 1: great day in the field for spring turkey season, a 21 00:01:33,959 --> 00:01:37,559 Speaker 1: red letter day. As my dad and his grandfather would say. 22 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,080 Speaker 1: But before I get into everything that happened, I have 23 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:45,279 Speaker 1: to explain a long standing family tradition that my brother 24 00:01:45,360 --> 00:01:48,800 Speaker 1: and I are committed to upholding, and one that we 25 00:01:48,960 --> 00:01:52,720 Speaker 1: cherish and our family. You must wait until you're ten 26 00:01:52,800 --> 00:01:56,240 Speaker 1: years old to kill your first deer and your first dove. 27 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: The two standard game animals and hunting seasons US Texans 28 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:04,120 Speaker 1: look forward to every year now leading up to your 29 00:02:04,160 --> 00:02:07,200 Speaker 1: tenth birthday. Starting at about six years old, you're giving 30 00:02:07,240 --> 00:02:10,160 Speaker 1: a b B gun and you get to start tagging 31 00:02:10,200 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 1: along with Dad, and if you're the younger brother, you 32 00:02:13,040 --> 00:02:16,399 Speaker 1: get to go with your older brother too. Now, then 33 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:19,160 Speaker 1: after you have mastered the BB gun and can show 34 00:02:19,200 --> 00:02:22,800 Speaker 1: the basics of gun safety, you're allowed to start shooting 35 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 1: at twenty two and also a twenty gauge. Then, after 36 00:02:27,400 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: you show proficiency with these calibers on targets, you advanced 37 00:02:30,600 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: to start hunting small game rabbits and varmints, squirrels, et cetera. 38 00:02:36,080 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 1: This typically happens around eight years old, and then finally 39 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:44,080 Speaker 1: you graduate to a rifle large enough to kill a deer. 40 00:02:45,600 --> 00:02:48,160 Speaker 1: And our family, we have an old Remington Mom seven 41 00:02:48,240 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: hundred and six millimeter with the original Weaver scope on 42 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:55,600 Speaker 1: it that was purchased when Porter's grandfather was ten years 43 00:02:55,600 --> 00:03:00,520 Speaker 1: old in nineteen sixty five. In fact, my fo killed 44 00:03:00,520 --> 00:03:03,560 Speaker 1: his first deer with this gun, as have my brother 45 00:03:03,600 --> 00:03:07,680 Speaker 1: and I and countless other guests and family members. So 46 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:10,520 Speaker 1: by the time you're ten years old, you've been practicing 47 00:03:10,680 --> 00:03:13,600 Speaker 1: for quite some time with this rifle in anticipation of 48 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:16,480 Speaker 1: your first hunt. But no matter how good you get, 49 00:03:17,240 --> 00:03:20,200 Speaker 1: you still have to wait all the way until you 50 00:03:20,480 --> 00:03:25,239 Speaker 1: pass your tenth birthday to finally make that first shot 51 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: on a deer. Now back to why all this matters 52 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:34,040 Speaker 1: for my then eight year old son and I. Last 53 00:03:34,120 --> 00:03:37,080 Speaker 1: year he was showing some advanced proficiency with this rifle 54 00:03:37,400 --> 00:03:40,440 Speaker 1: and shotgun skills were pretty good too. And I should 55 00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: also add that he's big, if not bigger than many 56 00:03:44,560 --> 00:03:48,080 Speaker 1: ten year olds I know, and he started asking about 57 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 1: when he gets to shoot a deer. Now, me having 58 00:03:51,000 --> 00:03:54,520 Speaker 1: already explained the family tradition to him multiple times, he 59 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,240 Speaker 1: already knew the answer, but he is getting quite impatient, 60 00:03:58,280 --> 00:04:01,280 Speaker 1: and to be to be perfectly honest, so am I. 61 00:04:02,600 --> 00:04:05,600 Speaker 1: He is my oldest of three sons, so I'm not 62 00:04:05,680 --> 00:04:09,240 Speaker 1: sure who is excited more for that first deer, him 63 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:13,320 Speaker 1: or me, but neither of us can hardly stand the weight. 64 00:04:14,720 --> 00:04:17,320 Speaker 1: In response to the extremely hard answer of no to 65 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:21,360 Speaker 1: the deer hunting, he asked, well, what about pigs? Now, 66 00:04:21,360 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 1: we have a little wild hog problem here in Texas 67 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:27,240 Speaker 1: where we currently hunt, but we did not where my 68 00:04:27,400 --> 00:04:30,160 Speaker 1: brother and I grew up hunting with our dad. So 69 00:04:30,279 --> 00:04:32,599 Speaker 1: this poses a bit of a gray area when it 70 00:04:32,640 --> 00:04:35,919 Speaker 1: comes to the family tradition. Now I think for a moment, 71 00:04:35,960 --> 00:04:37,880 Speaker 1: and I decided that a hog is not considered a 72 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:41,640 Speaker 1: game animal in Texas, more like a varmit, as there 73 00:04:41,720 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: is no season or bag limit, or hardly any regulations 74 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:48,600 Speaker 1: on killing them. So why not? Yeah, yes, son, hogs 75 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 1: are in play, I answering. His eyes light up. Then 76 00:04:52,040 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 1: he asked, what about turkeys? Now I have a real 77 00:04:57,480 --> 00:05:00,280 Speaker 1: problem because my reason for the hog approval, well, I 78 00:05:00,360 --> 00:05:03,080 Speaker 1: did not consider that he would ask about a turkey. 79 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,359 Speaker 1: Once again, growing up, we didn't have turkeys in the 80 00:05:06,400 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 1: area my family hunting, so this it never came up. 81 00:05:10,720 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 1: There is also one other problem, and that is that 82 00:05:13,560 --> 00:05:17,479 Speaker 1: my father passed away seventeen years ago, so he's not 83 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,719 Speaker 1: here to consult about the rules and the regulations of 84 00:05:20,760 --> 00:05:25,760 Speaker 1: this long standing family tradition. There's no board of directors either, 85 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: but there is my brother and Porter's uncle to consult. 86 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:33,360 Speaker 1: So I started trying to justify my explanation to him, because, 87 00:05:33,400 --> 00:05:36,280 Speaker 1: to be honest, I wanted to take my son turkey hunting. 88 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:39,880 Speaker 1: A quick phone called in a discussion that probably sounded 89 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:42,600 Speaker 1: like a teenager trying to convince his parents let him 90 00:05:42,600 --> 00:05:45,919 Speaker 1: stay out late past curfew, and my brother gives his 91 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,320 Speaker 1: blessings and says, yeah, turkeys can be taken prior to 92 00:05:49,400 --> 00:05:53,960 Speaker 1: the deer at ten. And with that endorsement, it's on now, buddy. 93 00:05:55,279 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: Opening the morning of Texas's youth turkey season, and we 94 00:05:58,560 --> 00:06:01,599 Speaker 1: head to our first spot and within five minutes of 95 00:06:01,600 --> 00:06:04,640 Speaker 1: getting set up and hitting that call a couple of times, 96 00:06:05,080 --> 00:06:08,680 Speaker 1: we hear a gobble. I hit the call and he 97 00:06:08,760 --> 00:06:12,040 Speaker 1: God was again. I told Porter to get ready and 98 00:06:12,200 --> 00:06:16,200 Speaker 1: be still. He's going to come in five minutes past, 99 00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,520 Speaker 1: another yep and another gobble. I don't blieve my eyes 100 00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 1: when I see him about one hundred yards away. Bobbed 101 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:25,159 Speaker 1: it weaven through the grass, coming in hot. He popped 102 00:06:25,240 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 1: up over a little hill and Porter lets him have it. 103 00:06:28,440 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 1: Maw the turkey goes down and sodas Porter. I swapped 104 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:35,800 Speaker 1: his twenty gates from my twelve and a three inch 105 00:06:35,839 --> 00:06:38,600 Speaker 1: turkey load because I wanted to be sure he got 106 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:41,000 Speaker 1: his first turkey and he didn't leave the situation with 107 00:06:41,200 --> 00:06:44,839 Speaker 1: the wounded or miss bird. Now I did mention that Porter, 108 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 1: he's a big eight year old, but he's so sure 109 00:06:48,160 --> 00:06:51,520 Speaker 1: he was ready for that. In hindsight, I realized that 110 00:06:51,640 --> 00:06:53,720 Speaker 1: was a little much, but he popped back up quickly, 111 00:06:53,720 --> 00:06:56,640 Speaker 1: and we celebrated and high fived and laughed and cried 112 00:06:56,680 --> 00:07:01,160 Speaker 1: over his first turkey. I explained to him, Now, you 113 00:07:01,279 --> 00:07:03,680 Speaker 1: kind of got spoiled on that first one, because it 114 00:07:03,839 --> 00:07:07,279 Speaker 1: never happens like that, especially the first time out, and 115 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 1: especially with a tom that was sporting eleven inch beard 116 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:14,000 Speaker 1: and curved spurs that were well over an inch long. 117 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:17,600 Speaker 1: If that was the end of the story, it would 118 00:07:17,640 --> 00:07:20,680 Speaker 1: have been a great one. Here's where the story gets 119 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 1: even crazier. That evening, we decided to give that little 120 00:07:24,480 --> 00:07:26,560 Speaker 1: honey hole to our hunting buddy and his son, and 121 00:07:26,600 --> 00:07:28,240 Speaker 1: we headed to a part of the ranch, and we 122 00:07:28,280 --> 00:07:31,760 Speaker 1: had never seen turkeys before, but we figured, what the heck, 123 00:07:31,800 --> 00:07:34,400 Speaker 1: we might as well try, so I pulled up in 124 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:38,120 Speaker 1: the truck and told Porter to stay inside, not anticipate much, 125 00:07:38,160 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 1: and as I hit the box call, I didn't believe 126 00:07:40,800 --> 00:07:44,120 Speaker 1: my ears. A gobbler responded before I even got out 127 00:07:44,160 --> 00:07:46,440 Speaker 1: my fourth yep, and he was only about two hundred 128 00:07:46,520 --> 00:07:49,680 Speaker 1: yards away. Get out of truck, Porter, get the gun, 129 00:07:49,760 --> 00:07:53,559 Speaker 1: let's go. So we set up again, and once again 130 00:07:53,600 --> 00:07:56,920 Speaker 1: a gobbler is responding right away, and then we see 131 00:07:56,960 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: him one hundred yards out way across an open field 132 00:08:01,320 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 1: in full strut. Then, much to my surprise, two jakes 133 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:08,840 Speaker 1: come charging right at him, and they proceeded to get 134 00:08:08,840 --> 00:08:14,000 Speaker 1: into a vicious two o one all out broad. They 135 00:08:14,040 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: are jumping and spurring and pecking and scratching, and eventually 136 00:08:17,360 --> 00:08:21,040 Speaker 1: disappeared back into the tree line. On top of that, 137 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,640 Speaker 1: there was a hen up and further down the tree line, 138 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:27,160 Speaker 1: right where they were headed. I started letting Porter down 139 00:08:27,240 --> 00:08:29,680 Speaker 1: gently and told him how cool that was to see, 140 00:08:29,760 --> 00:08:32,880 Speaker 1: but our hunt was probably over. But it's all right 141 00:08:32,920 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 1: because we'd already got one that morning. Once again I 142 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:41,360 Speaker 1: was wrong. After a few minutes, he reappeared in full 143 00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:44,080 Speaker 1: strut and had a straight for our jac and hen decoys. 144 00:08:44,120 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: I guess he figured he just whooped two of them. 145 00:08:46,200 --> 00:08:50,600 Speaker 1: What's one more? And we got an absolute strut show 146 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 1: for all the time it took him to get within range, 147 00:08:53,280 --> 00:08:55,960 Speaker 1: and finally I tell Porter to let him have it, 148 00:08:56,000 --> 00:09:01,160 Speaker 1: and wham, Turkey number two goes down. More celebrations and 149 00:09:01,280 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 1: high fives and hugs that I explained once again, this 150 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:07,760 Speaker 1: never happens like this, and how fortunate he is. But 151 00:09:07,960 --> 00:09:12,720 Speaker 1: I don't think he understood. And as the sun was 152 00:09:12,760 --> 00:09:16,160 Speaker 1: setting on that beautiful March evening, while we were taking 153 00:09:16,200 --> 00:09:19,079 Speaker 1: our pictures and selfies holding up Turkey number two our 154 00:09:19,080 --> 00:09:22,760 Speaker 1: fingers signifying the second bird of the day, I can't 155 00:09:22,800 --> 00:09:25,480 Speaker 1: help but to think that his grandfather was looking down 156 00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:27,679 Speaker 1: upon us. He might have had something to do with 157 00:09:28,160 --> 00:09:32,080 Speaker 1: sending us both of those birds, letting us know he 158 00:09:32,160 --> 00:09:35,320 Speaker 1: approved by the loophole that we'd come up with in 159 00:09:35,360 --> 00:09:40,640 Speaker 1: the new family tradition. And according to Brady Caller of Turkeys, 160 00:09:40,720 --> 00:09:44,240 Speaker 1: litigator for Youth Turkey hunters and father of Porter, the 161 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:50,320 Speaker 1: Gobblers smashing baseball playing eldest Joe hadson tax deduction. That's 162 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:54,720 Speaker 1: just how that happened. I had the pleasure of visiting 163 00:09:54,840 --> 00:09:58,000 Speaker 1: with young Porter during a FaceTime call, hearing him tell 164 00:09:58,120 --> 00:10:02,280 Speaker 1: me that story and another turkey tale that has his 165 00:10:02,440 --> 00:10:06,000 Speaker 1: tally up now to three. I'd be lying if I 166 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 1: told you any particulars about it that the last turkey 167 00:10:08,960 --> 00:10:12,320 Speaker 1: he killed, I was so distracted by how polite and 168 00:10:12,400 --> 00:10:16,600 Speaker 1: respectful he was and how good his manners are. I 169 00:10:16,640 --> 00:10:20,400 Speaker 1: feel confident his two younger brothers are a similar demeanor. 170 00:10:21,200 --> 00:10:24,680 Speaker 1: That's a good boy you got there, Brady. Thank y'all 171 00:10:24,720 --> 00:10:34,800 Speaker 1: for sharing your story, Toby said, I'll just go hunting 172 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:37,600 Speaker 1: with you tomorrow. Job site is too wet to do anything, 173 00:10:37,679 --> 00:10:41,079 Speaker 1: and I ain't killed the turkey in thirty years. Well. 174 00:10:41,120 --> 00:10:43,640 Speaker 1: I was surprised, to say the least, but not shocked. 175 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:47,760 Speaker 1: My Missouri born and bred brother by choice had been 176 00:10:47,800 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: hosting me for over twenty years now, and anyone who's 177 00:10:51,559 --> 00:10:54,160 Speaker 1: paid half attention has heard me talk about him numerous 178 00:10:54,200 --> 00:10:56,880 Speaker 1: times on here. His home was my home away from 179 00:10:56,880 --> 00:11:01,680 Speaker 1: home every spring. His family is my family every day 180 00:11:01,720 --> 00:11:04,520 Speaker 1: of the year. They're the kind of folks I don't 181 00:11:04,559 --> 00:11:07,880 Speaker 1: have to talk to every day, week, or even month, 182 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:12,400 Speaker 1: even though I'm all for it. Our bonds transcend time, 183 00:11:12,559 --> 00:11:16,040 Speaker 1: space and frequency. I have a handful of folks like 184 00:11:16,080 --> 00:11:19,480 Speaker 1: that in my life, but none surpassed them. I love 185 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:22,400 Speaker 1: these people. I didn't think twice when he said he 186 00:11:22,440 --> 00:11:25,200 Speaker 1: wanted to go with me. I did, However, when he 187 00:11:25,240 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: said I ain't got no camo to wear, I checked 188 00:11:29,240 --> 00:11:31,240 Speaker 1: my bag and found a leafy top I hadn't been 189 00:11:31,240 --> 00:11:33,360 Speaker 1: wearing yet this year, and I knew I had an 190 00:11:33,400 --> 00:11:36,920 Speaker 1: extra face mask in my turkey vest. Always told an 191 00:11:36,920 --> 00:11:39,920 Speaker 1: extra because before the season is over, it winds up 192 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 1: being the only one I have, because I've lost the 193 00:11:42,559 --> 00:11:46,760 Speaker 1: originals somewhere between the South and the Midwest. Fortune favored 194 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:50,080 Speaker 1: Toby this time because I had yet to lose one. 195 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:52,440 Speaker 1: He looked at me and said, I can't find any 196 00:11:52,480 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 1: camouflage pants. Well. My response was, you know how many 197 00:11:55,760 --> 00:11:59,080 Speaker 1: turkeys have been killed by folks wearing overalls? A lot 198 00:12:00,200 --> 00:12:03,360 Speaker 1: is tall. You've got on some brown jersey gloves, that 199 00:12:03,520 --> 00:12:06,240 Speaker 1: leafy jacket and a face mask. You'll you'll be good. 200 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:10,839 Speaker 1: Just be still When four point thirty am rudely punched 201 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:12,760 Speaker 1: me in the ear. The next morning, I stumbled out 202 00:12:12,760 --> 00:12:14,920 Speaker 1: of my room to see my new turkey hunting partner 203 00:12:15,040 --> 00:12:18,320 Speaker 1: dressed and pouring coffee. I told her we were going 204 00:12:18,360 --> 00:12:21,679 Speaker 1: to my regular spot and listen. It was my favorite 205 00:12:21,760 --> 00:12:24,840 Speaker 1: jumping off spot for hunting their family's land. I knew 206 00:12:24,880 --> 00:12:26,880 Speaker 1: it as well as my own, and had been standing 207 00:12:26,960 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 1: in that spot at daylight for the majority of the 208 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:34,200 Speaker 1: last three decades. At Goblin time, we were there standing 209 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:39,240 Speaker 1: the side beside, sipping coffee and listening to Missouri wake up. 210 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:42,439 Speaker 1: And I add what I thought was a reasonable, if 211 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:46,120 Speaker 1: not perfect, fac simile for barred owl leaning forward as 212 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:49,640 Speaker 1: to catch the recoil of the coming gobbler, and dang 213 00:12:49,679 --> 00:12:52,119 Speaker 1: there fell on my face. When I got no response, 214 00:12:53,080 --> 00:12:56,440 Speaker 1: I dare that turkey not answer me? We waited a 215 00:12:56,440 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: few more minutes and have to hear nothing. We moved 216 00:12:59,160 --> 00:13:02,280 Speaker 1: out on foot. Toby, We're gonna go down to the 217 00:13:02,400 --> 00:13:05,400 Speaker 1: bottom field across the creek at your deer stand, and 218 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:09,280 Speaker 1: listened in that other bottom field where they normally roosed. 219 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:12,840 Speaker 1: We walked the five hundred yards along the edge of 220 00:13:12,840 --> 00:13:16,040 Speaker 1: the woods and slipped down past Toby's stand. We were 221 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:18,600 Speaker 1: standing at the fence directly under the roof tree where 222 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:21,800 Speaker 1: the day before I'd called four hens to me off 223 00:13:21,920 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 1: that roost. I sat up at the edge of the 224 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:27,160 Speaker 1: field one hundred yards behind where we had just walked through. 225 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:30,520 Speaker 1: But now it was well after flying downtime, No way, 226 00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:32,800 Speaker 1: they're still on the roost. I know this land, and 227 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:36,640 Speaker 1: I know these turkeys. I told Toby, now, those hens 228 00:13:36,640 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 1: were roosted right here, right here, close yesterday. They flew 229 00:13:40,440 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 1: out in the middle of that field and they came 230 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:45,280 Speaker 1: straight to me. They didn't roost here last night, obviously, 231 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 1: or we to heard him fly down. This morning, Toby 232 00:13:48,559 --> 00:13:50,800 Speaker 1: looked up to our left at a big sycamore tree 233 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:53,640 Speaker 1: thirty yards away and said, there's a turkey on the 234 00:13:53,679 --> 00:13:57,200 Speaker 1: limb right there. I looked up and saw two turkeys. 235 00:13:57,559 --> 00:14:00,200 Speaker 1: I pulled out my bioes and confirmed one did have 236 00:14:00,200 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 1: a beard. But it was the beard and hen that 237 00:14:01,840 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 1: I'd called up the day before. They put it a 238 00:14:04,840 --> 00:14:08,199 Speaker 1: couple times and flew off. I out right behind there, leaving, 239 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:10,600 Speaker 1: and a gobbler sounded off a long way in the 240 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:14,480 Speaker 1: direction they flew for them leaving. Ain't gonna bother us nothing. 241 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:16,840 Speaker 1: Let's slip across the creek and set up right over there. 242 00:14:17,800 --> 00:14:19,840 Speaker 1: They like to meet up in this spot and strut. 243 00:14:19,960 --> 00:14:22,080 Speaker 1: I've seen them do it a million times. I wasn't 244 00:14:22,160 --> 00:14:24,520 Speaker 1: kidding when I told him that I'd killed several turkeys 245 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:28,119 Speaker 1: out of that bottom field over the years, my confidence 246 00:14:28,200 --> 00:14:31,920 Speaker 1: level had yet to wane. My plan was solid, and 247 00:14:31,960 --> 00:14:34,160 Speaker 1: all we'd scared off was a couple of Hens, which 248 00:14:34,320 --> 00:14:36,880 Speaker 1: more than likely was going to help us by eliminating 249 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:39,960 Speaker 1: some competition. Because if there's one thing I know, it's this. 250 00:14:41,000 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 1: The turkey, you hear, goblin ain't the only one out there. 251 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:49,840 Speaker 1: This is when patience and knowing the land comes into play. 252 00:14:50,080 --> 00:14:52,200 Speaker 1: I ain't a rookie at this. As a matter of fact, 253 00:14:52,360 --> 00:14:55,200 Speaker 1: I pretty dang good at it. That's what I was 254 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:58,880 Speaker 1: telling myself when two gobblers blasted off the roofs across 255 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: the little bottom field, flying to what I can only 256 00:15:01,320 --> 00:15:06,040 Speaker 1: assume was Nebraska, followed by three more Hens. I looked 257 00:15:06,040 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 1: back at Toby. He was giggling in me like a 258 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:14,160 Speaker 1: little girl. We changed directions. We sat up on the 259 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:16,280 Speaker 1: edge of another field, and to make a sad story 260 00:15:16,360 --> 00:15:19,480 Speaker 1: shorter and even sadder, we couldn't convince six jakes an 261 00:15:19,520 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 1: hour later to walk up to our decoy. They ignored 262 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:26,360 Speaker 1: me and her. I wanted to cry. Then it started 263 00:15:26,480 --> 00:15:29,640 Speaker 1: raining and we walked three quarters of a mile back 264 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:32,560 Speaker 1: to the side beside, chasing something we felt we had 265 00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:38,000 Speaker 1: more control over. Breakfast. The waitress at the Pioneer restaurant 266 00:15:38,040 --> 00:15:40,680 Speaker 1: tried to kill me with eggs, pancakes, biscuits, and all 267 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:43,400 Speaker 1: the coffee I could hold the tote in my pockets. 268 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:46,320 Speaker 1: And for the next few hours we drove around looking 269 00:15:46,360 --> 00:15:49,000 Speaker 1: at turkeys middling around in the big open farm fields 270 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 1: as safe from us as they could get. Nothing short 271 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:54,800 Speaker 1: of an artillery or lightnings Strake had harmed them, with 272 00:15:54,880 --> 00:15:58,880 Speaker 1: the latter being a greater possibility than the former. It 273 00:15:59,000 --> 00:16:02,680 Speaker 1: was storming then around three that afternoon, we drove by 274 00:16:02,720 --> 00:16:06,560 Speaker 1: a family friend's farm. A visit with the landowners saying 275 00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:09,120 Speaker 1: we were just killing time, riding and looking until the 276 00:16:09,240 --> 00:16:13,680 Speaker 1: rain stopped. Turned into a genuine invitation to hunt his property, 277 00:16:13,760 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 1: and his property is loaded with turkeys. He said, there 278 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:21,800 Speaker 1: was five strutting down there by that gap this morning, 279 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:24,640 Speaker 1: Y'allso to try that out in the morning. And I 280 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:27,560 Speaker 1: asked Toby, why don't we just go this afternoon. You see, 281 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 1: we can get ahead start on tomorrow morning. What a 282 00:16:31,080 --> 00:16:35,720 Speaker 1: grand idea. So after driving around Muddy Mile after Muddy 283 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:38,600 Speaker 1: Mile for a few hours, looking at turkeys all over creation, 284 00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:42,680 Speaker 1: we parked and made our way into our new hunting spot. 285 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 1: We started the layout on auax before taking off, and 286 00:16:46,440 --> 00:16:48,960 Speaker 1: I said, you see that field right there, Toby, that'd 287 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: be a great place for turkeys to be this time 288 00:16:51,160 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 1: of day after this rain. Well about six hundred steps 289 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:59,280 Speaker 1: later we confirmed that being a great place for turkeys 290 00:16:59,280 --> 00:17:01,120 Speaker 1: to be. As we watched them spook out of the 291 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:04,600 Speaker 1: field that we were trying to slip up on, Tobe 292 00:17:04,680 --> 00:17:08,800 Speaker 1: suggested we'd go home before we cause further calamity. That 293 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:12,080 Speaker 1: made close to a dozen turkeys we'd spooked. If that 294 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:14,560 Speaker 1: trend carried on, it would be like hunting turkeys on 295 00:17:14,600 --> 00:17:18,359 Speaker 1: Neptune by daylight. We walked down to the gap that 296 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:21,000 Speaker 1: farmer told us about and scooped it out, kind of 297 00:17:21,240 --> 00:17:23,479 Speaker 1: picking out a place to set up the next morning, 298 00:17:23,920 --> 00:17:27,639 Speaker 1: and we left. Two hours later. The farmer sent us 299 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 1: a text, there's a whole pack of turkey strutting down 300 00:17:29,840 --> 00:17:34,680 Speaker 1: there by that gap. Are y'all down there? I hate 301 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:39,080 Speaker 1: turkeys and everything they stand for, but tomorrow it will 302 00:17:39,119 --> 00:17:43,560 Speaker 1: be another day. Alexander Pope was a poet born May 303 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:48,080 Speaker 1: twenty first, sixteen eighty eight, in London, England. And there's 304 00:17:48,119 --> 00:17:50,199 Speaker 1: no doubt in my mind that that dude was a 305 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:54,320 Speaker 1: turkey hunter. Here's how I know. He wrote a poem 306 00:17:54,400 --> 00:17:57,760 Speaker 1: called an Essay on Man, and in that work he 307 00:17:57,800 --> 00:18:04,000 Speaker 1: wrote the line that every turkey lives by hope springs eternal. 308 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:09,040 Speaker 1: The full quote is, hope springs eternal in the human breast. 309 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:14,040 Speaker 1: Man never is, but always to be blessed. The soul, 310 00:18:14,200 --> 00:18:17,600 Speaker 1: uneasy and confined from home, rests and expatiates in a 311 00:18:17,720 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 1: life to come. The phrase suggests that hope is an 312 00:18:22,080 --> 00:18:26,679 Speaker 1: inherent part of human nature, a persistent and resilient force 313 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:31,040 Speaker 1: that allows folks to persevere even when things seem bleak. 314 00:18:31,840 --> 00:18:34,560 Speaker 1: Now that's every turkey hunter I know, right up until 315 00:18:34,600 --> 00:18:39,200 Speaker 1: the season closes. Tomorrow is going to be better. Tomorrow 316 00:18:39,480 --> 00:18:43,639 Speaker 1: is another day. Now you need further proof. Alexander hunting turkeys. 317 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:48,040 Speaker 1: Check this out. He died May the thirtieth, seventeen forty four, 318 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:51,760 Speaker 1: at fifty six years of age. He stood four foot 319 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:54,359 Speaker 1: six inches tall, and I soon measured the same in 320 00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 1: his casket. But regardless, he died at the end of 321 00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 1: the spring. Probably had a rough go in to turn woods, 322 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:05,639 Speaker 1: and turkey hunting had obviously stunted his growth. The next morning, 323 00:19:05,680 --> 00:19:08,000 Speaker 1: I rolled out of bed for day three and beat 324 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:10,560 Speaker 1: Toby to the coffee pot and in short order we 325 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:13,720 Speaker 1: were on the way to our new spot. Our plan 326 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:16,720 Speaker 1: was simple. We just sit inside the fence just down 327 00:19:16,720 --> 00:19:19,600 Speaker 1: from that gap, and that meant that before daylight I'd 328 00:19:19,600 --> 00:19:21,800 Speaker 1: have to slip out and job that he and decoy 329 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:23,520 Speaker 1: up in the edge of the filled to give the 330 00:19:23,560 --> 00:19:27,080 Speaker 1: gobbler something to concentrate on. Due to the limited back 331 00:19:27,160 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 1: and cover we had, the trees were small where we 332 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:33,280 Speaker 1: had to sit, and there was a five strand bobble 333 00:19:33,359 --> 00:19:36,360 Speaker 1: our fence that could become an obstacle, but we had 334 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:38,720 Speaker 1: no choice. We had to sit right there because of 335 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:43,160 Speaker 1: the cover or like thereof so picture in your mind 336 00:19:43,200 --> 00:19:46,560 Speaker 1: were sitting there, just down from this gap. We're on 337 00:19:46,560 --> 00:19:50,560 Speaker 1: one side of the fence, decoys on the other. God 338 00:19:50,640 --> 00:19:52,879 Speaker 1: in time came and went, and we heard one faint 339 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 1: gobble we estimated to be a half a mile away. 340 00:19:57,080 --> 00:19:59,359 Speaker 1: Time ticked away, and by eight thirty, after two and 341 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:03,120 Speaker 1: a half hours, we hadn't heard anything else. Then directly 342 00:20:03,119 --> 00:20:06,960 Speaker 1: across the field a gobble. The lay of the land 343 00:20:07,040 --> 00:20:10,000 Speaker 1: and the rise of topography kept us from seeing directly 344 00:20:10,040 --> 00:20:13,280 Speaker 1: across in front of us, which was south or back 345 00:20:13,320 --> 00:20:16,000 Speaker 1: to the right on the west end of that eighty 346 00:20:16,080 --> 00:20:22,000 Speaker 1: acre opening. I called, and he responded. Then another unseen 347 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:24,879 Speaker 1: gobbler gobbled further to the west, and that would be 348 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:27,280 Speaker 1: the way it went. As they traveled away from us, 349 00:20:27,760 --> 00:20:30,359 Speaker 1: down to the right from the west end of that field, 350 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:33,920 Speaker 1: out of sight and for the moment, out of our lives, 351 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:38,679 Speaker 1: we were stuck, unable to move because we didn't know 352 00:20:38,720 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 1: where they were, or really where they were going. For 353 00:20:42,080 --> 00:20:45,160 Speaker 1: all we knew they could be making their way toward us. Yeah, right, 354 00:20:45,480 --> 00:20:47,800 Speaker 1: but that's the last place I expected them to be, 355 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 1: And unfortunately this time I was right. A more faint 356 00:20:53,000 --> 00:20:56,840 Speaker 1: goble confirmed that they relocated to the southwest end of 357 00:20:56,880 --> 00:21:01,240 Speaker 1: that field, a quarter and a half away. I slipped 358 00:21:01,320 --> 00:21:03,159 Speaker 1: up behind a tree right on the fence roll. When 359 00:21:03,200 --> 00:21:05,600 Speaker 1: I washed through the knockers, they strutted and gobbled and 360 00:21:05,640 --> 00:21:07,520 Speaker 1: walk could have passed for a turkey. Do you believe 361 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:11,280 Speaker 1: that was taking place down there? They like they were 362 00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:14,640 Speaker 1: having a lot of fun. I wanted to go, they 363 00:21:14,640 --> 00:21:18,720 Speaker 1: didn't invite us. Then another turkey, God will do west 364 00:21:18,760 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 1: straight down the fence line from us in the northwest corner, Kobe, 365 00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: we find to crash this party. We're gonna slip down 366 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:28,320 Speaker 1: this fence one hundred and fifty yards and try to 367 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:31,879 Speaker 1: work this other turkey. Now the only bad thing, and 368 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:34,280 Speaker 1: I told him when we were moving so we couldn't 369 00:21:34,320 --> 00:21:37,120 Speaker 1: get that decoy without spooking every bird on that age 370 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 1: acre field. My reasoning was we'd call to this turkey 371 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:43,040 Speaker 1: that was at the west end but on the same 372 00:21:43,119 --> 00:21:45,720 Speaker 1: side of the field as us, and the easiest way 373 00:21:45,760 --> 00:21:47,840 Speaker 1: for him to come to us was right down the 374 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 1: edge of the field where we'd be sitting. Then he'd 375 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:53,960 Speaker 1: walk up the little rise between us and him see 376 00:21:54,000 --> 00:21:56,879 Speaker 1: that decoy that was way down back behind us to 377 00:21:56,920 --> 00:21:59,439 Speaker 1: the left, and he'd walk within a few feet of 378 00:21:59,520 --> 00:22:02,840 Speaker 1: me and the killing end of my double barrel. We 379 00:22:02,880 --> 00:22:05,119 Speaker 1: stopped one hundred and fifty yards or so west of 380 00:22:05,200 --> 00:22:08,520 Speaker 1: the decoy. I sat down against a small tree, but 381 00:22:08,600 --> 00:22:10,440 Speaker 1: in front of me on the fence row was a 382 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:13,960 Speaker 1: cedar tree that I could see through but absolutely made 383 00:22:13,960 --> 00:22:17,840 Speaker 1: me disappear. Toby laid down to my left at the 384 00:22:17,920 --> 00:22:20,520 Speaker 1: ten o'clock position, his feet towards me and his head 385 00:22:20,600 --> 00:22:22,760 Speaker 1: right at the edge of the bottom strand of barbed wire. 386 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 1: Now I wouldn't have done that, and he was in 387 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:27,879 Speaker 1: a terrible position to shoot a turkey, but at the 388 00:22:27,920 --> 00:22:31,520 Speaker 1: time I didn't think much about it, but I should have. 389 00:22:32,920 --> 00:22:34,960 Speaker 1: I could hear the gobler to our immediate right at 390 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:38,399 Speaker 1: the northeast corner, and see the other one strutting out 391 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:44,199 Speaker 1: at the southwest corner. I watched him until they faded 392 00:22:44,240 --> 00:22:47,160 Speaker 1: out of sight, drifting away further and further, I assumed, 393 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:52,040 Speaker 1: to the southwest, away from us and that field. Fifteen 394 00:22:52,080 --> 00:22:54,720 Speaker 1: minutes later, the gobler on our side of the field 395 00:22:55,000 --> 00:22:58,240 Speaker 1: down at that corner quit answering me, and he never 396 00:22:58,320 --> 00:23:01,840 Speaker 1: got any closer. I pulled out my phone to look 397 00:23:01,840 --> 00:23:04,280 Speaker 1: it all next again and see about finding a way 398 00:23:04,320 --> 00:23:06,640 Speaker 1: to loop around toward where he was if I could 399 00:23:06,680 --> 00:23:09,920 Speaker 1: get him to answer me one more time. That's when 400 00:23:09,960 --> 00:23:13,479 Speaker 1: I caught movement from Toby. I saw him frantically pointing 401 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:16,360 Speaker 1: with his hand down behind his leg and below the grass, 402 00:23:16,440 --> 00:23:19,960 Speaker 1: out toward the field. He looked back at me to 403 00:23:20,000 --> 00:23:22,480 Speaker 1: see if I was looking, and saw my eyes bug 404 00:23:22,520 --> 00:23:24,640 Speaker 1: out of my head as I saw gobbler's head poke 405 00:23:24,760 --> 00:23:27,600 Speaker 1: up above the rise in that field one hundred yards away, 406 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:31,280 Speaker 1: And then another one, and then another one, and then 407 00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:36,359 Speaker 1: four jacos seven turkeys, the first one running point, the 408 00:23:36,480 --> 00:23:39,639 Speaker 1: second in full strut, the third one riding herd on 409 00:23:39,680 --> 00:23:42,160 Speaker 1: the four youngsters that were trying to work their way 410 00:23:42,240 --> 00:23:45,000 Speaker 1: up to pecking order, and they wasn't having any luck. 411 00:23:45,880 --> 00:23:48,199 Speaker 1: I whispered to Toby that that hen decoy was going 412 00:23:48,280 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 1: to wreck us. When the league gobblers saw it, they'd 413 00:23:51,560 --> 00:23:53,679 Speaker 1: make a bee line for her, and where they stood 414 00:23:53,840 --> 00:23:57,000 Speaker 1: right now, at one hundred yards, would be as close 415 00:23:57,040 --> 00:24:01,119 Speaker 1: as they'd get to us. And my street sweeper, the 416 00:24:01,160 --> 00:24:04,560 Speaker 1: strutter gobbling, the point man under his order, started making 417 00:24:04,640 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 1: tracks towards the decoy. Toby, blessed his heart, was now 418 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:11,000 Speaker 1: looking back at me, unable to move, having to judge 419 00:24:11,040 --> 00:24:13,320 Speaker 1: everything that was going on by what I was doing 420 00:24:13,359 --> 00:24:16,439 Speaker 1: and how I was reacting. The vibe I was putting 421 00:24:16,440 --> 00:24:19,560 Speaker 1: off was desperation, because I had already done the math. 422 00:24:19,680 --> 00:24:21,760 Speaker 1: No calling in the world was going to compete with 423 00:24:21,840 --> 00:24:24,520 Speaker 1: the decoy sitting in the very spot they were heading 424 00:24:24,560 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 1: towards anyway, but I was going to try to do it. 425 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,679 Speaker 1: I turned my head and I started purring and yepping 426 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:34,159 Speaker 1: to the right, and that strutter started gobbling, still inching 427 00:24:34,200 --> 00:24:37,320 Speaker 1: his way to our left towards that decoy that had 428 00:24:37,320 --> 00:24:40,080 Speaker 1: gone about ten yards in the wrong direction, and I 429 00:24:40,160 --> 00:24:43,520 Speaker 1: poured it on him. It's best I could anyway, purring 430 00:24:43,560 --> 00:24:46,360 Speaker 1: and yeping, begging him to turn towards us and come 431 00:24:46,400 --> 00:24:49,720 Speaker 1: to me something he couldn't see instead of something he could, 432 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:55,359 Speaker 1: And to my surprise, he did. He pivoted and started 433 00:24:55,440 --> 00:24:58,119 Speaker 1: easing in our direction. I kept turning my head and 434 00:24:58,160 --> 00:25:01,080 Speaker 1: calling him back over my right shoulder, and now he 435 00:25:01,240 --> 00:25:04,560 Speaker 1: was on a string, coming straight to us, and that 436 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:09,440 Speaker 1: was bad. Toby was laying on the ground looking back 437 00:25:09,480 --> 00:25:12,960 Speaker 1: at me, but directly between me and the turkey rodeo 438 00:25:13,160 --> 00:25:16,360 Speaker 1: that was taking place in front of us. I wasn't 439 00:25:16,359 --> 00:25:18,160 Speaker 1: gonna be able to shooting unless I could get them 440 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:21,320 Speaker 1: to fade more to the right around that cedar tree 441 00:25:21,359 --> 00:25:24,560 Speaker 1: that was hiding me. And I turned my head even 442 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:26,600 Speaker 1: further as far as I could get to turn without 443 00:25:26,720 --> 00:25:31,520 Speaker 1: turning completely around, and I called some more. The strutter 444 00:25:31,600 --> 00:25:34,119 Speaker 1: gobbled and started moving more to the right. The point 445 00:25:34,160 --> 00:25:36,160 Speaker 1: man was now on the left edge of the group 446 00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:39,720 Speaker 1: and finally made his way directly in front of me. 447 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:44,000 Speaker 1: Now it was safe for me to shoot. I let 448 00:25:44,119 --> 00:25:45,879 Speaker 1: him keep walking, and I picked out a hole in 449 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:48,560 Speaker 1: the cedar tree at the one o'clock position that would 450 00:25:48,600 --> 00:25:51,679 Speaker 1: have me shooting away from Toby, away from where he 451 00:25:51,800 --> 00:25:55,280 Speaker 1: was laying. I used my shotgun and my shoulder. I 452 00:25:55,320 --> 00:25:58,040 Speaker 1: popped his safety off and took starvation aim at the 453 00:25:58,080 --> 00:26:02,120 Speaker 1: point man who was just left of the strutter. Bam, 454 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:05,920 Speaker 1: I sent watermounted to a tablespoon full of poisoned seed picks, 455 00:26:06,000 --> 00:26:08,919 Speaker 1: right from the barrel of that four ten. It was 456 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:12,439 Speaker 1: the last thing that went through that turkey's mind the 457 00:26:12,520 --> 00:26:15,520 Speaker 1: instant he dropped off the radar, Toby rolled over and 458 00:26:15,600 --> 00:26:19,560 Speaker 1: smoked the strutter the last one raised the four jakes 459 00:26:19,600 --> 00:26:22,359 Speaker 1: to see who could get across that field first before 460 00:26:22,400 --> 00:26:27,280 Speaker 1: they broke out and bullet holes themselves. Toby had missed 461 00:26:27,520 --> 00:26:30,800 Speaker 1: the whole show, but he had redeemed his poor choice 462 00:26:30,840 --> 00:26:34,440 Speaker 1: and shooting positions by making up for it with reflexes 463 00:26:34,480 --> 00:26:37,480 Speaker 1: so fast they would have kept Johnny Ringo around for 464 00:26:37,560 --> 00:26:42,439 Speaker 1: the end of Tombstone. It was that quick reva stick 465 00:26:42,480 --> 00:26:45,399 Speaker 1: a fork in turkey season. I'm done with them until 466 00:26:45,440 --> 00:26:49,680 Speaker 1: next spring, maybe, but I'm headed to have some fun 467 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:51,879 Speaker 1: adventures this summer, and I have some other things that 468 00:26:51,920 --> 00:26:53,600 Speaker 1: I want to talk to you all about as well, 469 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:56,840 Speaker 1: and it's all coming up here in the next few weeks. 470 00:26:57,040 --> 00:27:00,760 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening. We appreciate y'all. So much until next week. 471 00:27:01,040 --> 00:27:04,520 Speaker 1: This is Britt Reeves signing off. Y'all be careful.