Post by bsutravis on Apr 22, 2012 20:33:19 GMT -5
My son and I had another incredible weekend at the Southern Swing Freedom Hunt! The Freedom Hunt is a group of incredible people who give kids with disabilities / special needs a wonderful weekend of deer hunting in the fall and turkey hunting in the spring. This hunt featured 20 youth hunters and amazingly out of the 20 kids, 11 harvested gobblers... 9 of which were long-beards! One of the hunters was only 7 years old and she shot one of the biggest turkeys of the group!!!
My son Kyle and I were paired up Evan Sporleder as our guide. When we met up with Evan on Friday he was so enthusiastic about our hunt as he had been watching turkeys for over a month and had really done his homework to put his hunter on a gobbler. Boy did he do a fantastic job!!!!!!!! We slipped into place and set up the Double Bull on a field edge and had barely caught our breath from the short walk in when we heard a gobbler fire off just over 100 yards away. I swear I could hear my son's heart race as that bird kept hammering away. 4 soft yelp routines was all it took to get the bird to fly down and run into our field. I watched my 13 year old turn to jelly as the big bird emerged at full strut in the field and work his way to us. Within 45 seconds of us seeing the gobbler and he was CLOSE! I didn't have a great view of the bird so I whispered to Evan, "How close is he?" and Evan replied, "Close enough!!!!" I then leaned over and saw the gobbler in full strut at less than 20 yards! We told Kyle when he was out of strut take him and the moment the gobbler broke strut the 12 gauge erupted and spewed 3 1/2 inches of #5's at the big bird. After that it was all over but the celebrating! Kyle busted that turkey at 6:53AM!!!!!!!!!
Final stats: 21lbs 10oz, 12" rope, 23mm spurs.
Like I mentioned earlier 11 kids brought home gobblers and every kid had close encounters but just didn't close the deal. It was amazing seeing the efforts of a bunch of people who don't know these kids, but bust their tail feathers raising money, soliciting donations, and doing everything possible to make life-long memories for all the kids and their parents. These volunteers run the turkey side of the Freedom Hunt along with more folks that run the deer hunt in the fall. Each of them are so special to me and my son for all they do to make each one of those kids feel totally "normal" for that weekend. Kudos to the Freedom Hunt!!!!!!!
Kyle and his gobbler
Kyle, Evan, and myself
These 8 kids got their gobblers opening day - 3 more took birds Sun. morning.
My son Kyle and I were paired up Evan Sporleder as our guide. When we met up with Evan on Friday he was so enthusiastic about our hunt as he had been watching turkeys for over a month and had really done his homework to put his hunter on a gobbler. Boy did he do a fantastic job!!!!!!!! We slipped into place and set up the Double Bull on a field edge and had barely caught our breath from the short walk in when we heard a gobbler fire off just over 100 yards away. I swear I could hear my son's heart race as that bird kept hammering away. 4 soft yelp routines was all it took to get the bird to fly down and run into our field. I watched my 13 year old turn to jelly as the big bird emerged at full strut in the field and work his way to us. Within 45 seconds of us seeing the gobbler and he was CLOSE! I didn't have a great view of the bird so I whispered to Evan, "How close is he?" and Evan replied, "Close enough!!!!" I then leaned over and saw the gobbler in full strut at less than 20 yards! We told Kyle when he was out of strut take him and the moment the gobbler broke strut the 12 gauge erupted and spewed 3 1/2 inches of #5's at the big bird. After that it was all over but the celebrating! Kyle busted that turkey at 6:53AM!!!!!!!!!
Final stats: 21lbs 10oz, 12" rope, 23mm spurs.
Like I mentioned earlier 11 kids brought home gobblers and every kid had close encounters but just didn't close the deal. It was amazing seeing the efforts of a bunch of people who don't know these kids, but bust their tail feathers raising money, soliciting donations, and doing everything possible to make life-long memories for all the kids and their parents. These volunteers run the turkey side of the Freedom Hunt along with more folks that run the deer hunt in the fall. Each of them are so special to me and my son for all they do to make each one of those kids feel totally "normal" for that weekend. Kudos to the Freedom Hunt!!!!!!!
Kyle and his gobbler
Kyle, Evan, and myself
These 8 kids got their gobblers opening day - 3 more took birds Sun. morning.
