# SON OF A …..!



## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

SON OF A &#8230;..!

It was fifth season in the northern Illinois wild turkey season and I only had one last morning to go. I had been out only once and had been worked over by this unseen monster bird for over three hours two days before and here I was heading north on Route #4 on the outskirts of Springfield when a BAD (Big Azzed Deer) ran right in front of me at 4:15 AM just outside the Meijer's store entrance. Hitting anything before I get in the woods is not my idea of how to start out my day. And since it was a Tuesday and the one day of the week when bad things happen to me, I was now on high alert for the 60 mile race to Schuyler County expecting the worst.

The forecast was a 60 percent chance of rain but when I left home there were stars in the sky. But since I was heading west, my eternal pessimism chimed in that the skies would open up as I pulled into the farm on the bluffs overlooking the Illinois River Valley. And as I crossed Virginia, the clouds had blanketed the sky - go figure!

I made pretty good time and pulled into my parking spot just after 5 AM (yes, I use a radar detector). As I was mostly dressed, all I had to do was throw on my utility belt, vest and the SX2 over my shoulder. Was just about to walk off and last night's dinner hit me for a second time this morning and I had to scramble to&#8230;well, you know.

With the paperwork done and daylight breaking to the east (I use a compass!), I struck out to the area I had been defeated at two days before where I planned on utilizing ALL the suggestions I garnered from my Internet buddies. Surprisingly, I didn't see any deer along the trek and was at the opening to what I hoped would still be the strut area I had been teased for so long on Sunday. It was just after 5:30 AM and it was shooting time already but I hadn't heard a peep ever since I left my dumping ground. What was surprising was the fact that there was no rain (yet), the winds out of the east-southeast were mild and the sky, while cloudy, did not look threatening. Could the weatherman have been mistaken?

While the majority of the woods were pretty thick and I wasn't going to use a light to guide my way, I decided to take advantage of the deer trails that eventually led to the real trail and a more open area where I last heard the Tom. It wasn't too bad but I would never have made it as an Indian what with twigs cracking and dried leaves splitting. However, I made it to where I thought it would be a good spot to sit down and wait for what I hoped would be a bird gobbling close by.

How many times have you all gone into the woods, looked for a tree to sit up against and while you have dozens of choices, you still pick one that just ain't right? I mean one that when you clear the debris from around its' base so you will retain some stealth, you still find some root sticking into your nether regions. Or, even worse, it looks great and provides a pretty good field of fire but then when you have been sitting awhile, you discover there is one or more saplings that would force you to move your gun inwards or over them to get a shot from where you want to place it?

Anyway, I digress. I hadn't been there more than a couple of minutes when Mr. Tom erupted within 75 yards to my left and in the area I had waited him out two days earlier. Oh yeah, that is when I discover the sapling to my left that would case me to pull my SX2 back and over it if a bird came that way. SON OF A &#8230;&#8230;

As I was fuming over this discovery, I looked at that tree just 10 foot in front of me and wished I had sat there as it had nothing in front of it and provided a clear 180 degree field of fire at the minimum. Just my Dark Cloud luck! I had to stay where I was as the bird was close and within a couple of minutes I saw a dark shape about 50 yards away to my extreme left. No way could I or would I move now&#8230;

However, I did reposition myself so the root wasn't going to emasculate me and that I would have a better opportunity to cover the majority of opening he might present himself. And since it was overcast and still not sunrise, the woods were not that bright - did I mention I need new glasses? The ones I have look like plastic headlight covers from a 20 year old car that are scratched so bad from bugs, rocks and the like, they seem opaque to people on the outside. In addition, they are bi-foculs and even though I use anti-fog solution, I still get fogged up 8 out of 10 times in the field. At least the anti-fog was working but I wasn't sure about this Turkey. He had sounded off with that single, deep gobble and I was worried about what his agenda was.

I had laid out my friction calls and two strikers to my right side and kept my mouth diaphragm between my gum and cheek. When the turkey had gone behind a tree, I gave it just a series of two very soft yelps with the one slate. Not my best by any means but he responded right away and it even sounded like he double-gobbled. Now the operative word is patience!

I could see him in the very dim light meandering first to the left and then to the right on a parallel course to the level of the woods I was sitting and coming in my direction. He had me all screwed up, as I would see him to the left of the trail that went in front of me, and then to the right of the trail, so I didn't know if he going to flank me, continue on in a straight line in front of me, or head farther down the side of the ridge and out of sight. Talk about stress!

He was gobbling this morning and moving much more aggressively that Sunday, so much so that I was worried he would be on top of me before I could figure out an opening in which to try for him. I did try some leaf rustling and that did elicit a gobble or two, so I decided to continue and stay quiet for awhile to see what he did.

Within 10 minutes he was right in front of me at about 30 yards and spitting and drumming away - but on the other side of that tree in front of me and another one just beyond that one. I was kicking myself for not picking that tree as he was spitting and drumming so much just out-of-sight that I wondered if I was hearing echoes.

Did I mention that it was pretty dim light this morning? Well that just made it more stressful but then I see the top of his head to the left of the second tree in front of me. He was moving to the right and would go behind that tree which would give me time to get to SX2 up, over and around the sapling and I would be there when he came around the other side. Now I am on highest alert and getting ready - I even raise myself up a little so I can see better since the woods on the other side of that tree was lower than where I was and I was concerned he would be too low for a coup de grace.

Well,, he came around and was lower than where I could shoot with a degree of confidence - SON OF A &#8230;&#8230;!

Wait! Hold on a minute. Either he is a ********* Tom or there are two birds there! You got to be kidding me! That is about the time the two-headed ********* Tom(s) erupted with a deep and ferocious gobble as they looked for that evasive, sweet-talking Hen they heard 15 minutes earlier. SON OF A &#8230;&#8230;!!!!!

Now what do I do? They are nearly side-by-side and both obviously male turkeys but I cannot shoot two as I only have one permit. Wait a second, the farther bird takes a couple of steps forward and the other bird with a larger head cranes it up for a look-see in my direction. IT'S SHOWTIME!!!!!!!

BOOM!!!!!!!!!!

And I see two birds fly up into the air - SON OF A &#8230;..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As I was so stunned, I didn't take a shot at either bird since I just could not believe I had missed. I had the two sight pins lined up and while I now recalled I was on his head and not the base of his neck, he should have went down in a heap just on the other side of that deadfall. Is my Dark Cloud maintaining tradition for my Tuesday superstition? Did I miss a Tom at 20 or so yards?

I pull myself up and walk over to the spot I had shot at, and when I arrive one of the birds flies off again just 30 yards away. BUT WAIT A MINUTE WHAT IS THIS LAYING AMONGST THE DEBRIS?

Could it be? Is it? It sure is! There wasn't one Tom. There weren't two Toms. There were - count them - three or four Toms!!!! And when I turn him over, he starts blinking at me and appears (while dieing) just as amazed as I am. He quickly passed on to greener pastures; I tag him and then take in what I just accomplished. He is a NICE bird! His spurs are hooked and pointed and his beard is full and long. I am one happy camper and it is just 6:08 AM.

The day before I posted my questions to my Internet friends and received some excellent counsel. I arrived in the woods earlier (maybe could have been there even earlier as they had already flown down when I arrived in my spot at just after 5:30 AM). I positioned myself in the area a bird had strutted for several hours two days earlier. I did very little calling (just two short, soft series of yelps). I rustled some leaves when they were off to the side. By chance or design, I was in front of them and where they were headed - unless, of course, it was my calling that enticed them my way. And I didn't get greedy when I might have either taken more than my share, or even worse, crippled one.

So, SON OF A &#8230;.., I am one happy hunter and look forward to finishing off in Missouri this weekend. Thanks for the advice, support and counsel!


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## DuckerIL (Dec 9, 2005)

Congrats Zettler. Sounds like a great hunt. I see you're from Chatham, I'm here is Spfld. Anyway, good story and great drivetime over to Schuyler county!


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