One time a took a good friend of mine turkey hunting that had never killed one. He was fresh off of a rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder too. We went to his leases outside of Eufaula that was loaded with birds. We set up and I called one in text book perfect. We when he shot the turkey went flopping one direction and my friend went flopping and hollering in the other direction. Seems the gun kicked perfectly on his fresh surgery repaired shoulder

On Apr 14, 2003 (day before my oldest was born) I was hunting a small track in north Bibb on which I had gotten on a group of birds a couple of times that were using a steep ridge and the Cahaba River as front and back barriers for roosting. Very early before daybreak that morn, I decided to head towards a strutting spot that I had watched them in a few times already that season. It was cool, and it had rained that weekend and the leaves were wet and fog was rolling off the river making for a quiet/concealed setup. I sat there in the very still for several minutes before the first owl hooted which was immediately answered by (at least) 2 birds less than 100yds away. Just before daybreak, hens began dive bombing all around so I knew the setup was good and it was just a matter of time before the toms hit the ground. The hens actually provided all the calling necessary…I never made a sound that morning. I was able to make one of the gobblers out in a tree and just about daybreak, he pitched and landed about 30yds directly down the barrel and immediately went into strut. A minute or so later, another hen flew down and was cackling as she passed through the woods causing the tom to come out of strut and the rest was history…or not?

Unbeknown to me was that the 2nd gobbler had also landed just behind the 1st but in my moment of concentration, I had not noticed. After the shot, I slowly collected my things while watching the first turkey flop, put everything back into place, buttoned up and proceeded towards the bounty. When I reached him, he was just on the ledge of a very steep, sheer rocky drop into the river. As I peered over the edge thanking God for the morning, His creation, the turkey, etc., I noticed another turkey about 100 yds downhill flopping and gently rolling towards the river. In an instant, I put 2 and 2 together and realized I killed (or at least shot) 2 birds and that the 2nd one was 'getting away'. I began immediately making my way precariously down the rock embankment towards the river. About half way to him, I realized I couldn’t see him anymore and then realized he had made it to the swollen river. I finally make it to the river’s edge and begin running down the bank trying to catch up to him. The whole time I‘m taking the vest off, trying to get out of shirts, etc. because I was going to retrieve this turkey even if it required a dip in the Cahaba. As fate would have it, I caught up to him, was able to get my boots off and wallet out and retrieved him after a short swim in a murky, swollen, cold a$$ river. Needless to say, I had clothes and gear strewn for about 100yds but managed 2 long beards from a single shot along with some cool memories.

I got over "cringing" bout six years ago.....

troy