Alabama- The struggle

Last year I made it look easy so it was only fitting that this Alabama turkey season would be one of struggles and humility. At some points this season I felt like I was in a sparring match with an opponent that was more talented, faster and stronger than me. I just kept getting knocked down, getting back up and then knocked down again.
I’ll always share my season with y’all but don’t be disappointed in me when you only see one turkey picture down here 😂

Gobbling was slow and almost non existent on the ground for me this year. During the first two weeks of the season I miss judged the distance on a bird in a cutover and watched him fly off and another morning I had a gobbler coming and a coyote ran him off. A few days later I had my safety clicked off just waiting on a gobbler to show himself. He popped up to my left, I went to swing my gun and the sling got hung on my knee. He didn’t stick around.

On April 4th, a week or so after I missed that gobbler, I decided to go back after him. Every time I fooled with him he had hens that drug him away so I decided to try him mid morning. I got to the spot around 9 and eased up the road walking and calling. Around 9:20 he answered me out in the cutover not 200 yards from where I had previously shot at him. He was a long ways off and I really needed him to gobble again so I could pinpoint exactly where he was. I called a few times with no answer and then he hammered not 80 yards away. He was coming the whole time. I just melted into the ground and hoped he hadn’t seen me. I soft yelped a few times and he gobbled. I relaxed but now I had to figure out how to set up and kill this joker because I was in an AWFUL spot. There was a little rise in front of me and I couldn’t see 10 yards. I maneuvered myself to a tree where I could see a little better. We played the game for 30 minutes or so but he wasn’t coming any closer. There was a 60-70 yard strip off woods before the cutover started and he was gobbling on the edge of those woods. I decided I needed to make him think the hen was leaving. I slid out of my vest and started crawling away from the bird. I dropped about 30-40 yards back from where I was calling and went 30-40 yards up the road past where he was gobbling. I backed myself into some cover on the side of the logging road and soft yelped at him. No answer. I yelped at him again. No answer. Then I heard running in the leaves coming towards the road. When he broke, he came full throttle! I could hear him now walk a few steps, spit and drum, walk a few more, spit and drum. He was drifting left so I clucked and purred. He turned and started walking straight to me. I finally saw him as he spit and drummed, walking to my right looking for the hen. He got to the edge of the road and craned that head up and I killed him at 19 steps. It was 10:15. I was so freaking happy to kill that gobbler I don’t know if I can put it into words! As it turns out it was the bird I peppered earlier in the season. I had shot him facing away from when I “missed” and he had some nasty wounds about 8” down from his neck that was trying to heal up and some of his beard was shot off. I couldn’t eat the meat because some pellets were in the breast as well and he had some infection around those.
The rest of the season had some action but I never could outsmart another one. I did have a great set up on a bird about a week ago and another hunter drove down a road you’re not supposed to drive on and blew him off the roost. Stupid people are just part of public land hunting though. I finished out the season hunting with dad and we had a great time!

I’m gonna miss the sunrises, the gobbles and playing the game. Thankfully I am headed to TN in a few days so I’m not quite finished but the Alabama season ending still makes me sad. I hope y’all had a great season and I’ll leave you with a few pics.

Mighty fine clover field. Nice write up.

Sounds like a great season to me!!

Thanks for sharing. Makes me feel better about my season

Great read and hope you get a few in Tennessee! The opportunities you give yourself on public land means you are doing the right thing! I’ve killed a few on public land and know the idiots you have to deal with!

Great pics! It was a rough season here also. Hope Tennessee treats you better and y’all mash some heads!

Good read. Waiting on the Tennessee story. Good luck!

Always look forward to your season wrap up Southwood. Thanks for sharing.

Man Southwood that gobbler did have a nasty wound! And still was gobbling..they are tough birds.

This was a strange year no doubt. They really didnt gobble much after they hit the ground.

But you got to enjoy the woods and hunting with your dad. Just go kill them in TN and make up for it.

Sometimes it just happens like that where it seems like you cant catch a break. Kudos to you for not giving up! A lot of guys would have thrown in the towel but I'm sure that's not an option for you. Glad you got redemption on that turkey. I'm sure next year will be different for you here in Bama. Good luck in TN!

Years like this one make you appreciate the good ones.
At least I keep telling myself that.

I heard 2 turkeys gobble this year..i killed those 2 turkeys....the end...one public an one private...i hunted quiet a bit this season in places i know there were birds....they just did not gobble...an ive yet to figure out how to killem telepathically.

It’s amazing how you can limit one year
and struggle the next ! Once it’s in your blood
you can’t ever give up ! Congrats on finishing
a tough season! You had what I would cherish !
A hunt with your Dad !