HUNTING JOURNAL- DAY 6
Alarm goes off at the same time. I really should change it, as the dawn is coming earlier every morning. Get up and make coffee that tastes like the inside of a shotgun shell. Keep meaning to buy a new coffee maker, but never do. NPR news- Top story is Sen. Patrick Kennedy going into rehab after hitting a DC security barricade with his car. He says he's addicted to anti-depressants. As someone who's tried 'em all, they seem a lot of things, but addictive ain't one of them. In a statement Sen. Pat sez- "I thought I was cured." I don't know what the guy's eating, but the fact that he kept eating it should've been the tip off he was still on the stuff. 40 degrees and calm.
This has been one of the best opening weeks I've ever had turkey hunting. Every morning I've heard and seen birds. Even though I've missed four shots I did get one bird. There's been no wind and the soft green leaves have popped with the warm weather. I decide to walk to the high ridge on my rich neighbor Spanky's land. RNSpanky has always given me permission to hunt his property. He's one of the good neighbors, unlike the assholes on the ATVs. From this high spot i can hear three birds gobbling. One is down by Ray Gilkey's trailer, another behind the school house and of course old reliable across the river. I head for the one above the trailer.
8:00am- After calling sporadically the only bird that doesn't shut up is the one across the river, but because GNJohn has people down there I back off and see if I can raise the one behind the school house. Plodding up the ridge I catch sight of two toms and a couple of hens in a field. They see me too. I back track and rush up the hill, hoping to cut them off. As I reach the top I freeze. There they are, coming right for me, but I'm in the open and my glasses are fogged up. I drop to one knee and raise the gun. They stop. It's a long shot. They start to slowly move away. It's now or never. I squeeze the trigger. The two toms jump and then calmly saunter off.
9:30 am- I go home and draw a turkey on a large piece of white paper, set it against a tree 30 yards out, load the gun and shoot. The gun is right on. I can't even blame my weapon. I'm not on anti-depressants and the fogged glasses is a lame excuse. I won't even go there. Let me just say I thought I was cured of being a bad shot. I wish there was a rehab. for this stuff. End day 6.
This has been one of the best opening weeks I've ever had turkey hunting. Every morning I've heard and seen birds. Even though I've missed four shots I did get one bird. There's been no wind and the soft green leaves have popped with the warm weather. I decide to walk to the high ridge on my rich neighbor Spanky's land. RNSpanky has always given me permission to hunt his property. He's one of the good neighbors, unlike the assholes on the ATVs. From this high spot i can hear three birds gobbling. One is down by Ray Gilkey's trailer, another behind the school house and of course old reliable across the river. I head for the one above the trailer.
8:00am- After calling sporadically the only bird that doesn't shut up is the one across the river, but because GNJohn has people down there I back off and see if I can raise the one behind the school house. Plodding up the ridge I catch sight of two toms and a couple of hens in a field. They see me too. I back track and rush up the hill, hoping to cut them off. As I reach the top I freeze. There they are, coming right for me, but I'm in the open and my glasses are fogged up. I drop to one knee and raise the gun. They stop. It's a long shot. They start to slowly move away. It's now or never. I squeeze the trigger. The two toms jump and then calmly saunter off.
9:30 am- I go home and draw a turkey on a large piece of white paper, set it against a tree 30 yards out, load the gun and shoot. The gun is right on. I can't even blame my weapon. I'm not on anti-depressants and the fogged glasses is a lame excuse. I won't even go there. Let me just say I thought I was cured of being a bad shot. I wish there was a rehab. for this stuff. End day 6.
posted by mike osterhout at 12:08 PM
1 Comments:
christmo-
i was out celebrating cinco de mayo last night and as part of the drunken tequila celebrating, we made personalized crowns.
you inspired mine.
yours,
burnt
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