Running a local hardware store, raising 2 boys and trying to find time to hunt with my husband and children is sometimes very hard. I have spent many trying hours to free up my schedule to escape the responsibilities of work (hiring wonderful women and men) to cover for me so I can appreciate a few hours of quality time talking to the local farmers and friends who might help me locate new properties to hunt. I love to talk about hunting and have many opportunities to mingle with a fantastic crowd of customers who frequent the hardware store. The farmers usually do not mind allowing myself and family to access their property for hunting purposes. I try to locate a few new properties every year.
This season, I had the wonderful opportunity of harvesting my first spring turkey on one of those newly located properties. I love to turkey hunt. It is the only sport that I enjoy getting up early for. There are not many mornings that inspire me to climb out of bed at 4:00 AM, except Ohio's turkey season
You must realize that when I turkey hunt, it is usually with the my husband Randy, our 2 sons Nathan(16) and Corey(11) and our best friend - also a "Randy". This season, everyone had already harvested a spring turkey - except me.
Corey shot his first one this year during the youth season. His is another wonderful story waiting to be told.
But back to me ... I was beginning to feel a little deflated, yet still energetic about the season, hoping for Ohio's spring weather to change a little because all we had been getting was rain and high winds. I'd been out hunting with Randy and Randy, but still no turkey for me. One thrilling experience I enjoyed, was the pleasure of helping my husband call his turkey into shooting range. He was able to get off a shot and harvested a nice turkey - but as yet ... my tag was still not filled. We spent Mother's Day weekend, camping and hunting. I was sure I'd find my turkey this time - seeing that it was Mother's Day and all, but by the weekend's termination, there were no turkeys and only heavy rains. By now, the season was beginning to look pretty bleak.
Even so, I became even more determined than ever to get a turkey this year, so I decided to hunt an area close to my hardware store that we had hunted earlier in the week. We hadn't seen any fresh scratches but I just knew there had to be turkeys in the area. I took my son to school that morning at 8:30 AM, headed to work, opened the store and then took off for the farm. By the time I was actually ready to hunt, it was 10:00 AM. I decided to climb the ridge and walk the outer rim overlooking the inner bowl area. Nothing! No signs whatsoever! I continued to hike, dug up some ferns to transplant back at home, and called the store to let them know that I was taking a stroll through the woods and would be back shortly. (I do like to let the employees to know where I am when hunting by myself, just in case of an accident).
I continued around the ridge calling softly with my Easy Yelper, as I had been taught to do. As I walked around a corner, I spotted a hen milling around. As she meandered out of the area, I followed, letting her lead the way. As she disappeared, I started calling again and then it happened! There! In the distance, a distinct gobble! My heart felt like it was on fire and for a brief moment I even forgot what I had been taught. But experience pays off - I located a split tree and set up at the base of it so that I could see the path and the forest without having to move my head. I called again, and the gobbler answered again. My heart was throbbing and I was concentrating on trying to control my breathing - which can be very difficult when you are facing one of your most important challenges - a chance to harvest your first wild turkey - the turkey I had dreamt about from season to season ... and now ... finally, a chance to fill the tag left empty far to long.
As the bird moved closer, he gave one last gobble before moving directly behind a tree. I took that opportunity to reposition a little to the right and was set up he walked out into the clearing - 25 yards away. I remember saying, "Now or never!", and took the shot. As the noise of the shot was still ringing in my ears, I stood up, raced over to my turkey and put my foot down on his head to keep him from thrashing all over the forest. I was feeling so many emotions at that moment, that I all I could think about was calling my husband. I just wanted to express to him that all his patience, love and understanding of my desire to hunt the wild turkey, had finally paid off! Even though my family wasn't with me at the time, they were first in my thoughts. We had spent so much quality time hunting together that I couldn't wait to share this exciting adventure with them.
I am sure glad I decided to hunt the ridge that day. My first time gobbler tagged out at 17 lb., with a 10 inch, on May 21, 2003 at 11:30 AM.
I send my thanks to you for having a dream and letting us become part of a very special family of women hunters who are allowed to express their love for the sport.
Sincerely,
Lou Ann Weisenstein
