Well, we all have our heros,and mine are my wife,Dad,and My
Grandfather.The reason I put my wife first is because she is very
supportive of my call making, and my hunting.My Dad well all I can
say Is that he taught me all the great wonders of the outdoors, and
He believes in everything I do when it comes to hunting or call
making, my Grandfather well he is my inspiration in the outdoors and
call making.(Just had to share that).
Like I said before my turkey season was very tough for me,the birds
just didnt want to respond like they are suppose to, I guess that I
was hunting 3-4yr. old birds,they are just plain and simple
smarter.With that being said you can tell I haven't gotten a ole tom
yet.
There was this ole tom that I just kept going back for the simple
reason is that he would put me in such a state of mind that would
make any turkey hunter ready to admit themselves into the crazy
house. He was the bird of all birds to me He didnt have 1-3/4" spurs
but he had enough spur that I could see at 50 plus yrds. He out
smarted me all season and that was enough to keep me going back.
One Sunday morning I got up and made my coffee,went to the porch to
get some air and to pick my place where I wanted to hunt.I was in the
woods about a hour before daylight.They would gobble on roost 20 to
30 times,but as soon as they hit the ground dead silence. I stayed in
that one spot until noon,and by this time Im starving,and its time to
go eat,so I packed everything up and started to the house,I went
about 100yrds and decided to call one more time, Gobble!Gobble!I sat
everything down got my gun up and ready 45min.later still nothing, I
called one more time and he gobbled again just this time he was
further away!@#$%^. I get to my four wheeler and my mind starts
playing with me I want this long beard!!! I go eat and decide to try
a ambush hunt cause I think that I know where he might be so walk to
across the field to get in the fence row that has plenty of cover,I
ease out just a little to see if he is in the other field and sure
enough he is walking straight to me. I !
  am all smile he has been handed to me from God and my
Grandfather,(a piece of cake) A crow calls out and he gobbles any
second now he is going to walk out in front of me, 50yrds he is
standing there,my gun shaking as though it was a leaf on a tree in a
20 mph wind I shoot and I miss!! I quit!!! I shout and go home, that
night my wife told me dont give up you will get him, her smile just
melted me, she knows that it is now a mission for me.Thursday April
24th, I have to go back to mow the yard at the farm,I get done mowing
and I have a hour and half to kill before I have to leave to go to
work, I slip my como on and go back to the spot where I had missed
that ole tom, and he wasnt there so I just eased up the fence row and
get to a finger of woods that come out to the field and made a few
yelps on my wingbone call, I heard a cluck, I wait a moment and I
dont see him, but something told me to ease to the back of the woods
and field, I took a few steps and I could see the corn!
  er of the field and there he was!!!! I just froze!! Now where !
  Im going
  with this I believe that Michael Waddell of Realtree and RoadTrips
would be very proud of me, This ole tom is about 100yrds from me. I
ease down and started my way to him,taking a breath which seem like
every 2min. only!! I close the distance to 40yrds, I am proud of this
task, I look to my left and there is a hen only 20yrds she laying
down waiting for this tom to come to her.Now we all know when it
comes to turkey hunting our favorite thing to do is call. I would
tell myself over and over dont call, dont call just wait!!! That ole
tom would go into strut and gobble, then back into strut, it was the
most beautiful thing to watch I was just in awe of the whole thing, I
kept thinking if that hen would just pick up and move to steps he
will move 2 steps toward her and I would have a clean shot,this only
took just a matter of minutes but I seem like hours.
The hen finially pick up a took two steps and he went into strut and
took two steps, He was finially in the open, BOOM!!!!!! Old Tom
finially got out smarted!!!
I got my bird, it was such a magical hunt,now alot of men want admit
to this, but when I went to pick him up,and saw him there I cried
like a baby tears of joy that is undiscribable, Thank you
God,Vangie,Dad,and Pop!!

Michael Wells