April 08
Better Late Than Never - Missouri
Hunting with your kids, an all new level of excitement and enjoyment in the woods!
Hunter – Kestrel Smoot
Cameraman – Gary Smoot (proud Dad)
After the doors closed here at Archer's Choice Media on Friday, April 26th the mad dash starts as I head home to finish packing and trying to make sure Kestrel & I haven't forgotten anything. Then it's time to hit the road to take our annual journey to the great state of Missouri!
A late start and a long drive get us to the Missouri line around midnight. Still needing to buy tags we decide to forgo the early wake up call, and apt for sleeping in, getting a good breakfast, buying tags and then heading to the field late. While early morning hunting is exciting, we also know that 10:00 a.m. on can be a magical time with lonely toms searching for hens.
After arriving to the field and setting up the new Amirestep "The Choice" Two Chair Ground Blind we started to settle in and hoped we picked the right spot. Kestrel decided to read her book as I finished setting up the camera. Only 15 minutes after getting everything set up I look off to the north to see a tom approx 100 yards out looking over our decoy spread. Kestrel suddenly lost all interest in here book and traded it in for the TC 20 gauge.
The bird acted like a subordinate bird, not wanting to come straight in to the hen and strutting tom decoy. He instead inched his way closer and then when he reached 80 yards he did something I've never seen a Tom do - he layed down! Evidently being a turkey is hard work. Kestrel asked what we should do and the answer was easy, we wait.
With only an hour of shooting time left our soft calling finally got the better of him as he rose to his feet and started towards the decoys to check them out. Our Nikon rangefinder found him inside the 30 yard mark and I gave Kestrel the green light, like a pro she made sure I had him in frame before pulling the trigger. GREAT SHOT dropping him where he stood, we celebrated in the blind and then ran out to check out her bird. 23.5 lbs. 10.5" beard and 1.125" spurs for a very proud and well rested daughter and dad.
If you want an all new level of excitement and enjoyment in the woods, hunt with your kids.
Happy huntin'
Kestrel & Gary