I've missed a number of days on my challenge but I'm not giving up - I am going to keep going with some of the suggestions they have given for topics to blog about. Today's topic was very interesting to me; it made me realize that my life has been pretty awesome lately. This past weekend Ray and I went to Beaver, UT for our second weekend of turkey hunting. We had a wonderful time. My brother Randy and three of his boys also came up for the opportunity to commune with nature, traspe through the forest, shoot a gun, eat good food, and spend some time camping with their favorite Aunt Cathy. It turned out to be a beautiful weekend - especially since the weekend before included 18 inches of new snow! We were expecting things to be pretty muddy after the snowfall we received on our first adventure; but luckily things had dried out pretty well and we were able to do a lot of hiking with just small amounts of mud. We arrived on Thursday evening to the sound of gobbling turkeys all around us. Ray and I were able to scope out a big Tom roosting in a tree and we knew exactly where we were going to start our hunt on Friday morning.
We got up very early after a really COLD night! With lights on our heads and multiple layers of clothes we headed out to the tree that our turkey was roosting in. We got all set-up before dawn and waited anxiously for the turkeys to wake up and jump out of their tree (it is illegal to shoot a turkey while they are roosting in a tree). We spotted our big Tom as the sun came up and anxiously watched him shake his feathers and stretch his wings. Ray was ready to call him to us so we could get a good shot. As soon as his feet hit the ground he was running in the opposite direction. Needless to say we were a little disappointed. He didn't even gobble like he had the night before.
So we decided to set up our blind that afternoon and wait for the turkeys to return to their roost for the night. We quietly snuck down to an area not too far away from the roosting trees, we set up our blind (it is an amazing Cabela's blind that blends into the scenery and has room for two people to sit comfortably inside), and then the waiting game started. I didn't know that I would be about to sit still for over 3 hours without talking (those who know me know that this was pure torture! LOL!), listening intently for the sound of a gobble or click and hoping that our plan would work. At precisely 8:07 PM which was listed as sunset and the last minute for shooting legally we decided to give up and head back to the trailer. We didn't see or hear a single turkey.
The next day we hiked, drove the Jeep over the countryside, and compared notes with Randy and his boys. Not a single gobble to be heard. This is very unusual for this time of year - even if the turkeys are spooked they can't fight the urge to gobble and call in the hens. It was weird! We decided that maybe the strange weather has effected the mating season of the turkeys. So Saturday afternoon we got out the 22 rifle and pistol and did a little target practice. Then we read for a while in the sunshine and finally we decided to put together our foil dinners. We did chicken teriyaki and it was amazing! Then we packed up the trailer and Jeep and headed home.
The drive home was uneventful (gratefully) and when we arrived home everything was fine. We cleaned out the trailer, took a shower, went to bed early. The next day Ray had to clean up some straw in the backyard so he could put the trailer away in a clean area. Then he fed and watered the chickens. I happened to be watching him as he worked in the backyard and this overwhelming feeling of gratitude bubbled up in my heart. I felt so blessed to be married to such a great man. I was overwhelmed by the safety and peace that we had experienced over the weekend and throughout our lives. I was grateful for an extended family that takes care of each other and shares not only family ties but a great friendship as well. As I stood there looking out at our humble backyard I couldn't stop the tears of gratitude. I am truly blessed!
It is the people that make life worthwhile along with all of the little moments that build into great memories and touch our lives each and every day. Some would say that our turkey hunt wasn't successful because we didn't come home with a bird...but they would be wrong - we were successful in so many other ways. I am so grateful to Ray for being willing to share his passion for hunting and camping with me - these experiences have truly enriched our lives.
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