What an AWESOME day!!! The weather was great, though a little cool. We had both started to get a little discouraged as we hadn't seen anything for several days. But yesterday morning I was on the move trying to see if I could locate any toms, and they were all off the property where we were hunting. There was one I could hear about 200 yds away but he wouldn't come closer than about 100 yds. Discouragement was really starting to settle in as I heard several gobble across the river that the property borders and looking over I saw a wheat field. However, I found out the name and number of the guy who owns the adjoining property and gave him a call last night and he was very nice and said he was glad for us to hunt there as he wouldn't have a chance this year.

Our son Cody had been battling leukemia since 9-99, he passed away 4-1-02. He got his first turkey last year and was counting down the days until opening day. He was planning on teaching Ronda how to hunt this year. The day Cody died he prayed for God to come take him @ 5:15 a.m. and he died @ 6:00 a.m.

We got to the woods @ 5:15 a.m. and when we got out of the truck we could hear them gobbling across the river and back toward where we were going. We took off and got to the edge of the woods where we were going to hunt, and I hooted with my call and had 3 or 4 answer back, a couple within 200 yds & still on the roost. So we moved into the woods about 100-125 yds and set out a hen deke and got ready, it was about 5:30. I got out my slate and did a few purrs & clucks and scratched around in the leaves some, I repeated this about every 10 minutes.

About 5:50 Ronda saw 2 toms fly up from the river to the ridge we were setting on, although I couldn't see them. The first I knew of them was when I saw Ronda raise her gun to get ready, I looked at her and she signaled that there were 2 coming in. When I looked where she motioned, I saw the first ones head come from behind a tree and I was in full view, but in front of a tree. He was in full strut and coming in. Then I saw the other one and he was nearly as big as the 1st one but my gun was laying on the ground and I didn't dare try to pick it up for fear of spooking them. My most important goal was to have Ronda get one.

I purred softly a couple of times and scratched some in the leaves. He came to within 16 yds, and I was afraid he would bust me & take off, and I was whispering to Ronda to take the shot but he was behind a tree. He took a few more steps with the other one in tow, as soon as he cleared the tree, Ronda capped him, and he fell dead on the spot. The other tom ran about 6 or 7 yds and stopped and just stood there looking back like he was wondering what the heck happened to my buddy?

I told Ronda great shot and expected the other one to move off, but he took a couple steps and stopped between 2 trees and just stood there. I picked up my gun, got it up, took aim & BOOM!! We had a double. I looked at my watch.....the time was 6:00 a.m. Ronda started weeping, I hugged her and we stood there looking at the birds and talking about how happy Cody would be. It was so AWESOME!!!!!

Ronda killed her bird with the NWTF Remington 870 Express Magnum turkey gun she won at our Banquet. Cody had wanted her to join Women in the Outdoors, but she hadn't done it until the banquet. When she joined it made her eligible for the shotgun. Last year Cody killed his bird with my 870 SuperMag, but this winter he bought a Benelli Nova with his birthday and Christmas money, but never had a chance to shoot it, though he had it ready to go turkey hunting (Mad Max Choke & sling). I killed mine with Cody's gun.