SHOWCASE YOUR HARVEST: Turkey Season 2021

Dawson Jordan harvested this turkey April 3 in Darlington County. The turkey weighed 20.6 pounds, with 1 1/16-inch spurs and a 9 ¼-inch beard. PHOTO BY STEPHAN DREW

“I began early Saturday morning listening to gobblers roosting in the tree line all around me. I called every now and then hoping one would eventually approach to examine my decoys. “I sat for two hours and listened as the early morning gobblers faded out. I was about to change my location to a distant field when I heard a set of gobblers far ahead in the forward tree line. “I picked up my decoys and cautiously crept down the trail to a nearby crossway hoping to intercept their path to a nearby opening. I reached the crossway, set up my decoy spread, and hid in a thick patch of bushes hoping the active gobblers were coming my way. Not even five minutes later a family of deer passed by unaware of my presence. I called once or twice hoping for a close response but heard nothing. “I knew my given time to hunt was close to an end, so I decided to pack up my decoys one last time and patrol the area I heard the gobblers from before. I crept 100 yards, knelt, called once, and waited for a response. Hearing nothing, I crept another 100 yards, called, and heard an immediate gobble reply just down the slope. “My heart racing, I dropped to the ground and stuck the hen decoy in the ground where I laid. I knew I had to get out of sight, so I Army-crawled toward a thicket on the other side of the trail. “I could hear they gobbler approaching the clearing and I had to get out of sight before he saw me. Alas, I reached the decline of the trail and lay prone just as the Tom poked his head out of the nearby bush followed by two others. They cautiously approached my decoy and the Tom in front fluffed up his feathers and began to strut. “I never have shot a turkey and I only witnessed this on TV. I couldn’t believe I was witnessing this from the other side of my barrel. “I called one last time, and the lead Tom stopped and raised his head for the perfect shot. I took it, and the gobbler rolled over.” Please submit your hunting or fishing story and picture to editor@newsandpress.net to be featured in our weekly newspaper.

Author: Stephan Drew

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