Ok, so we are better than halfway through the turkey season.
Thomas took that monster 11" bearded tom on opening day that I posted here.
http://www.piscatorialpursuits.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/427571#Post427571

Well we've been hunting a couple pieces of property and getting decent birds to respond to our techniques.
I took this 10 1/2 " bird a few days ago.






Anyway the birds are getting call shy from local pressure and Thomas decides he wants to try a shotgun as he has never taken a bird with a gun.


We live up in the hills and have a neighbor and good friend with a very large parcel of property where he raises sheep, it just happens to have a large population of unhunted turkeys on it as well.
I suggest to Thomas that he go down and talk to Greg and offer to help out with chores in exchange for a turkey hunt on his property.

Saturday afternoon he rides his bike down to Greg's ranch, knocks on the door and politley makes his offer.

Greg has been a friend of the family for many years and gladly takes Thomas up on his offer.
During their conversation a big tom turkey erupts with a loud gobble from off in the distance..
Greg gets his binoculars out of the truck and hands them to Thomas.
"See that bird? Says Greg.
"That is the biggest bird in the valley, I'll bet that tom has a 12" double beard . I've been watching him for about six years.
That would be one you will never forget.
Come back here in the morning before sun up and set up over by that big oak, he is there just about every morning."
"Good luck young man" I'll see you in the morning"

Sunday morning before daybreak as I'm leaving for work, Thomas puts on his hunting gear grabs my old 870 Remington and puts his decoys in my pickup, I drop him off at the ranch before daybreak and wish him luck on that monster tom from the day before.
Greg comes to the door and waves goodbye to me and off to work I go.
About noon I make a call home to Thomas to see how the hunt went.
"Did you get the big one?" I ask.
Well "yes and no " he says.
"I got set up down by the creek, put out the decoys waited for daybreak
He began to call.
A big gobbler answered right away and next thing Thomas knows that monster Tom is right in his lap fanned out at twenty five yards.
He has the bead of my shotgun in perfect position as the tom struts by his decoy with his huge beard dragging the ground and his gorgeous fan fully displayed.
Thomas lets out his breath, and in a totally unexpected move, lowers the barrel of the gun and just watches the bird untill he becomes aware of his presence and scurries away.
What a class move.
You see, Thomas knew that Greg doesn't allow hunting on his ranch, and simply obliged Thomas's request out of respect of our friendship.
Thomas tells me on the phone, "I just couldn't shoot that big old tom, that is Greg's bird, he could have shot him every day of the week if he wanted.
I asked him if he told Greg what had happened and he said "No, I just said " It wasn't my day".
My heart swelled up as Thomas relayed the story.
Like releasing your biggest fish ever, (Which we both have done) there is such a feeling of respect that comes with knowing you wield the power of life and death at your finger tips amd choose to let live.
That was a good day, my son is becoming a man.
Sal

Sal, thank you for posting that great story and the pictures. Glad to have you back.

Great story.

Thats one big step in to manhood.

You have every right to be proud of that young man.

Pretty cool. At 12 there is no way I'd have let that bird go. Heck at 41 if the guy said you should shoot that bird I would have.
I guess the one thing that would have stopped me was the thinking "this is too easy and I want to do it the hard way...the Barta way. I can't stand watching that guy but I still do it sometimes.

Life is all about the choices you make. Sounds like he's on the right path.

He could have shot that bird and had a great morning. Now he will know he could have shot that bird and it will be an experience he will remember the rest of his life. Great story.

hey david, when are u comin down so we can kill a couple birds???

Great story. Few things make a father feel better than knowing your son is growing up to be a somebody who really understands what matters.
That says a lot about you.

Cool story Sal. You must be very proud!

Great story.... You have a good Kid!!

That doesn't surprise me in the least.

yer kid will get his chance at a bigger bird. that is how things work. I learned that lesson hunting white tails. let a few go that I should have shot only to get a bigger one that I was able to call in rather than shoot in the middle of the road. I gues it goes back to carma.


Kris

A class act that obviously had a great teacher.