2 Photos
When Carlin Thomas started out with his 5 year old son Cannon for a 2015 Spring Gobbler Youth Day hunt they both were hoping to make some memories, and that they did!
The father and son duo were hunting a piece of private land in their hometown of James City Virginia. Just before dawn they sat up along a logging road in a fairly open area where they could see well. Carlin put out a jake and a hen decoy and began some soft calling. Cannon was positioned on his father's lap right on the ground with a good gun rest and his 410 gauge shotgun ready for action.
After about 45 minutes of unanswered calling Cannon was finding it very difficult to stay focused, when in the distance they heard a faint gobble. The optimism for both hunter's began to rise and it wasn't long before the gobbles started getting louder and closer.
After some quality back and forth dialogue the bird finally appeared at 60 yards and was coming directly toward them on the logging road. The gobbler got to about 30 yards out and hung up, even though the bird was looking at the decoys it would not commit.
Carlin knowing that this distance was beyond Cannon's shooting range asked his son to be patient and wait for the turkey to get closer. This standoff went on for 15 minutes when all of the sudden another gobbler started making it's way toward the commotion directly behind the first gobbler about 100 yards down the logging road.
The original bird noticed the intruder and did an about-face and started back toward the newcomer. The hunter's hearts sank thinking that this second bird had just screwed up their hunt, but Carlin was quick to act and he gave a loud "cut" call on his mouth diaphragm which stopped the original bird in it's tracks.
Soon both gobblers were side by side coming into the decoys. Once the birds had closed to within 15 yards Cannon lowered the boom and with one shot from his 410 shotgun he had his first Spring Gobbler on the ground. Carlin told me during our phone conversation that as soon as the bird fell Cannon looked up at him and said "Dad I smashed him".
Star City Whitetails congratulates Cannon for having received the most votes in our 2015 Spring Gobbler Photo Contest. I am also honored to share this story with our hunting community because keeping young people like Cannon interested in the outdoors and all it has to offer goes a long way in keeping our great heritage alive and well...great job Dad!
Jeff Phillips
5/29/15
When Carlin Thomas started out with his 5 year old son Cannon for a 2015 Spring Gobbler Youth Day hunt they both were hoping to make some memories, and that they did!
The father and son duo were hunting a piece of private land in their hometown of James City Virginia. Just before dawn they sat up along a logging road in a fairly open area where they could see well. Carlin put out a jake and a hen decoy and began some soft calling. Cannon was positioned on his father's lap right on the ground with a good gun rest and his 410 gauge shotgun ready for action.
After about 45 minutes of unanswered calling Cannon was finding it very difficult to stay focused, when in the distance they heard a faint gobble. The optimism for both hunter's began to rise and it wasn't long before the gobbles started getting louder and closer.
After some quality back and forth dialogue the bird finally appeared at 60 yards and was coming directly toward them on the logging road. The gobbler got to about 30 yards out and hung up, even though the bird was looking at the decoys it would not commit.
Carlin knowing that this distance was beyond Cannon's shooting range asked his son to be patient and wait for the turkey to get closer. This standoff went on for 15 minutes when all of the sudden another gobbler started making it's way toward the commotion directly behind the first gobbler about 100 yards down the logging road.
The original bird noticed the intruder and did an about-face and started back toward the newcomer. The hunter's hearts sank thinking that this second bird had just screwed up their hunt, but Carlin was quick to act and he gave a loud "cut" call on his mouth diaphragm which stopped the original bird in it's tracks.
Soon both gobblers were side by side coming into the decoys. Once the birds had closed to within 15 yards Cannon lowered the boom and with one shot from his 410 shotgun he had his first Spring Gobbler on the ground. Carlin told me during our phone conversation that as soon as the bird fell Cannon looked up at him and said "Dad I smashed him".
Star City Whitetails congratulates Cannon for having received the most votes in our 2015 Spring Gobbler Photo Contest. I am also honored to share this story with our hunting community because keeping young people like Cannon interested in the outdoors and all it has to offer goes a long way in keeping our great heritage alive and well...great job Dad!
Jeff Phillips
5/29/15
When Carlin Thomas started out with his 5 year old son Cannon for a 2015 Spring Gobbler Youth Day hunt they both were hoping to make some memories, and that they did!
The father and son duo were hunting a piece of private land in their hometown of James City Virginia. Just before dawn they sat up along a logging road in a fairly open area where they could see well. Carlin put out a jake and a hen decoy and began some soft calling. Cannon was positioned on his father's lap right on the ground with a good gun rest and his 410 gauge shotgun ready for action.
After about 45 minutes of unanswered calling Cannon was finding it very difficult to stay focused, when in the distance they heard a faint gobble. The optimism for both hunter's began to rise and it wasn't long before the gobbles started getting louder and closer.
After some quality back and forth dialogue the bird finally appeared at 60 yards and was coming directly toward them on the logging road. The gobbler got to about 30 yards out and hung up, even though the bird was looking at the decoys it would not commit.
Carlin knowing that this distance was beyond Cannon's shooting range asked his son to be patient and wait for the turkey to get closer. This standoff went on for 15 minutes when all of the sudden another gobbler started making it's way toward the commotion directly behind the first gobbler about 100 yards down the logging road.
The original bird noticed the intruder and did an about-face and started back toward the newcomer. The hunter's hearts sank thinking that this second bird had just screwed up their hunt, but Carlin was quick to act and he gave a loud "cut" call on his mouth diaphragm which stopped the original bird in it's tracks.
Soon both gobblers were side by side coming into the decoys. Once the birds had closed to within 15 yards Cannon lowered the boom and with one shot from his 410 shotgun he had his first Spring Gobbler on the ground. Carlin told me during our phone conversation that as soon as the bird fell Cannon looked up at him and said "Dad I smashed him".
Star City Whitetails congratulates Cannon for having received the most votes in our 2015 Spring Gobbler Photo Contest. I am also honored to share this story with our hunting community because keeping young people like Cannon interested in the outdoors and all it has to offer goes a long way in keeping our great heritage alive and well...great job Dad!
Jeff Phillips
5/29/15
