This was a hunt I will never forget, and I wanted to tell you what made it so memorable. I had been trying to get my brother-in-law (one of my best friends) on his first turkey for the past 4 years, and this time I had put together a plan. I called my good friend, Morgan Williams (Trey), and told him I wanted him to come help me get Caleb on the board. So, I called Caleb and told him about my game plan, then proceeded to tell him to meet me in Red Bay, Alabama the next morning at 5 am.
As we all arrived, the introductions were made and we headed out to the backside of the property to wait on daybreak. once out of the vehicle I asked Trey what the plan was. Locating? Run-N-gun? Glassing? Trey responded with a smooth (almost Matthew Mcconaughey like) "Slow and Go." He told me sometimes he just slips and listens for a gobbler to sound off on his own, instead of trying to force a shock gobble. After a little bit a Tom sounded off on top of a very steep mountain. If you aren't familiar with Red Bay, it is located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains of North Alabama.
We decided to strike out on this bird at the top of the mountain, and as luck would have it we found him. Not quite in the way we wanted though. As we get to the top of the mountain we slipped right up on him and he hauled tail to get out of there. My heart went out for Caleb as he had showed great patience after all these years. We decided to sit on top of the mountain and watch a field to see if there was any activity below. As the sun began to heat up so did we, so it was back to the vehicle to get some water, rest, and put a game plan into place.
After getting some rest, some water, and tracking our steps (5 miles by this point), there was some chatter as to what we should do next. Now, I can't lie when I say I was ready to just call it a day and go home and relax. However, my boy Trey said "I want to go up this particular mountain and just see what's up." As the only person who had ever trekked up this long and steep mountain, I can honestly say that I wasn't too thrilled about making the hike. Then it hit me! This hunt was never about me, it was about getting Caleb his first bird. I put my boots back on, dropped my vest, grabbed my gun, snagged a bottle of water and replied with "alright, lets do it."
As we got to the bottom of the mountain to start our trek up, all I could think was how bad this walk was going to suck. AND suck did it!!!!! Halfway up the mountain me and Caleb looked at each other, and in that moment he embraced the suck that I had mentioned. That mountain will wind the best of men, however we noticed Trey was a good 20 yards ahead of us and showing no signs of slowing down. Finally, after a long trek we had made it to the top of the mountain.
Once we got up top I was showing Trey a spot I wanted him to check out for this falls bow season. In my mind this was no longer about a turkey, but rather a scouting trip for the upcoming archery season. As we started to slip to the back side of the mountain I noticed Trey freeze mid-stride. He held his for us to stop and then I heard him say "strutter!" Once the bird turned we got low and got our of sight into some sage grass. There wasn't any trees on top of the mountain and the sage grass had become our only option. Trey set Caleb up front so he could get a shot on he bird if he presented himself. Then Trey got about 4 feet behind him, and I was about 4 feet behind Trey. By being in a straight line behind each other we knew our profile wouldn't stand out quite as bad.
Once settled Trey began to call to the bird, yet there was no response. I have turkey hunted a lot of years and a lock-lipped bird is a very common thing, and a very frustrating thing at times. I wanted Caleb to have that picture perfect moment that we all dream of, but that wasn't looking to be the case here. Trey turns to me and said "you know what a bird likes to do more than breed? He likes to fight!" With that statement he rolls of a gobble that shook my soul, and the response was a triple gobble. Now the look in Calebs eyes as he turned around was priceless. In that moment it all became very real, very fast.
When you have someone like Trey in your bullpen, you let them do what they do. Trey is quite possibly the best turkey hunter the good Lord has allowed me to meet in my life. He talked trash back and forth with those gobblers, and then here they come running on a string. The rolled in there hot, red heads glaring, and ready for a bar fight. As they came into range I heard Trey tell Caleb to take the bird on the left on his signal. When they got to the opening they started strutting and drumming, and in that moment the entire world stood still. It was crunch time for Caleb and all I could do was sit back there and pray for him. While I know God doesn't care if we kill a turkey or not, I continued to pray because I wanted that moment for Caleb so bad. Then, with Trey's signal, Caleb fired off and the bird fell to the ground and started the flop. Trey and I jumped up to take our chances as the other birds started to run. Trey downed one of the other gobblers, and being the last guy I wasn't able to get a shot on one.
Now, getting a shot off didn't bother me one bit because We were there for a mission, and that mission was now a success! As we gathered our birds it was back down the mountain we go. That long trek up the steep mountain was just as long coming back down it, but this time there was more excitement in the air. We settled down at the creek to cool off, get pictures, and play the hunt over a dozen times. As I checked my phone I realized I had missed calls, missed texts, and missed emails. I looked over at my brother-in-law and my good friend taking photos in a crystal-clear creek in North Alabama, and decided all those calls, texts, and emails could wait till tomorrow. For in that moment, we were to celebrate the time that was had on top of that mountain at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. I bowed my head and thanked the Lord for the experience he had just blessed me to witness. My two best friends sitting there snapping pictures and exchanging laughs was a day well spent.
In closing, I want to say the best days are the simplest ones. The days were there is no money made, no expensive meals, no luxuries, no fancy tricks, not even decoys. Just a couple of guys with spotty cell service, a lot of miles walked (8 miles), sweating from the 95-degree heat, all focused on one thing. Getting Caleb that bird! I thank the Good Lord for that day often, because it's not often you get to experience one of your best friends get his first bird, all with the help of one of your other best friends who drove an hour and a half to help make this moment possible. When I thank God for my blessings in life, not only do I mention the memories, but the friends he has put in my life to make these memories with. Thank you, Caleb and Trey, for giving me a memory to tell for years, the one when they were "Lock Lipped and ready to fight!"