Well we made it out after work yesterday and only had about 2 hours of legal hunting time. We setup and called, I was given a few tips for the afternoon hunt so I thought I would start in a strutting area and go from there.
We we say at least 6 birds a couple hundred yards away, through the binoculars I could see red on one of the heads but they did not come much closer.
I decided to get my fiancee to move up a bit and see if they would come down the fence row the to bush but that was not happening.
With only about 20 minutes to go I suggested we go for a walk to where we last saw the birds as I know that sometimes they move just on the other side of cover and hunker down.
Well we get to the spot but I forgot to tell her to get the gun to her shoulder and have her finger on the safety just in case, she took 2 steps in to the long grass and there he flushes, a tom about 20lbs with a nice long beard, only 5 yards away. It flew from right to left, across in front of us and was not moving too fast as it flew. This made me think of the absolute best situation to shoot at a flying grouse, but then again she was not ready. If I would have been hunting I would have been able to take a shot and it was not a difficult one to make but she is new to this game and new to this gun so still in the cradle carry it sat.
I am not sure who was more startled, us or the turkey, but I know that she is going to be hunting for a good long time after today.
3 days hunting for her so far, 4 toms within 40 yards but too close together to shoot, 1 tom at 50 yards, just outside the range of her gun and today another 6 birds with one up close and personal.
