Pro Staff Blog

Helping a Friend Bag a Bird by Trevor Simmons

This past Friday I got an opportunity that most hunters would die for. I got to watch the unfolding, harvesting, and all the emotion that comes with a best friend harvesting his first Gobbler.  After 8 hard years of turkey hunting my best friend Caleb finally took his first Gobbler at 8 steps. The amazement doesn’t stop there he did it all with his grandpa’s old side-by-side 12 gauge. Plus, add a medical walking boot for a high ankle sprain this was truly a hunt for the story books.

After roosting the bird Thursday night I called my old friend up too see if he‘d like to hunt the Friday morning. An hour later and we where unpacking his bags in my bed room floor making sure he had brought everything. We discussed where we would go, what time we were getting up, and the plan of attack for trying to harvest this bird on film. Once all plans were set we drifted off to sleep, only to be woken up 5 hours later to a buzzing alarm clock that started the countdown for our hunt.

Caleb and I finally drug ourselves out of bed and vowed no more hunting videos till 1 in the morning ever again. As Caleb strapped on his medical walking boot I grabbed the camera and we headed out the door. While walking across the tall dew dampened field I turned to Caleb and asked if his foot was getting wet (here’s your sign moment). We laughed it off, set up a decoy, smashed in beside a tall Oak tree and readied ourselves for the morning.

Sometime around 6:15a.m. the old tom let us know where he had called home for the night and we let him know we were interested in his company this chilly morning. After some soft calling and loud responses we knew he was looking for us so we shut up. I told Caleb to get ready in case he’s coming in. No more did the words cross my lips we heard his wing tips dragging in the leaves. Two seconds later he was right on top of us I told Caleb to shoot as I struggled to get the camera turned. At the crack of the gun the bird fell and we knew we had accomplished our goal.

We stood there for a minute still shaking from all the pumping adrenaline and exchanged a few high fives. As we looked the 1inch spurs, 9.5 inch beard, and 19 pound Gobbler over Caleb glowed with excitement. I do not think Caleb will ever know how much this hunt meant to me but its definitely one I will be telling both of our sons as they grow up. Nothing can come between two friends and their love for hunting and the great outdoors nothing. I cannot wait till we do it again, but I told him next time I’ll let be a bull elk at 8 steps before I let him shoot.

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Kevin Paulson

Kevin Paulson is the Founder and CEO of HuntingLife.com. His passion for Hunting began at the age of 5 hunting alongside of his father. Kevin has followed his dreams through outfitting, conservation work, videography and hunting trips around the world.

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