Rob Cotiaux, Dan Long, Jeff Hopkins

I had never hunted turkey prior to this trip. Didn't really know much about the tactics and tools other than what I had read. I asked a couple of friends in the Maine Bowhunters Association if I could tag along on a spring hunt as an observer. Jeff Hopkins generously offered to have me go with him and shoot if I wanted to. An absolute “Yes!” was my response. Jeff had taken the time to build a relationship with a landowner years ago. “Galena” was her name. Jeff told of the wonderful experiences he had on her farmland and how he had shared his successes with the landowner, which proved to include her first taste of wild turkey. Jeff's actions over the years, including fixing a door, made his trips to the farm special for that landowner and priceless for Jeff. Galena has since passed on. Relatives have assured Jeff that he is welcome to continue to hunt the land because of his respectful use and landowner relationship. The respect is honest, this I know for Jeff's reverence for this land and the late Galena continue.

Rob Cotiaux, another friend in the MBA heard of our proposed adventure and offered to team, to help ensure success. Rob, I later found out, is on the Board of Directors for the National Wild Turkey Foundation, and was a Habitat Pro-Staffer. An experienced turkey hunter and caller to put it mildly!

The evening before the first day of turkey season we were to meet at Jeff's house. The objective was to locate turkeys in several areas and determine where they would roost that night in order to be within calling distance the next morning. I arrived to find that Jeff's wife Sarah had prepared venison meatballs with a mouth-watering special cranberry sauce served over rice. Incredible! Both Rob and I are thankful to them for welcoming us into their home and sharing this luxury meal with us.

Driving around, we spotted various groups of turkeys. We watched through binoculars and identified mature birds. Jeff and Rob agreed that there may be an advantage to finding a single tom roosted for the night: One pair of eyes will be easier to fool while drawing a bow, than several. Rob located what we believed to be a single tom by imitating an owl. The sound excited the tom into a gobble allowing us to pinpoint his location. The bird was in a large pine tree near the edge of a field. “He will most likely pitch down into the corner of the field in the morning”, Rob said. We identified a prime spot to set up the blind and in darkness cleared away a few leaves and dry sticks so the task could be completed silently in the morning.

Short night! After getting home and in bed a little after 10 p.m., my alarm went off hours before daylight. I threw my camo clothes back on, did a quick double-check that I had everything I needed, and headed for farm-county about an hour away. The drive was easy with no traffic in the middle of the night. My sore eyes began to feel better as the coffee sank in and the excitement awoke, of what I was about to experience. A quick “good morning” and we consolidated items to one vehicle prior to heading out.

Once at the farm, we unloaded the necessary items including the blind, seats, bow, calls, and binoculars. We quietly walked up the road a short ways, and cut into the field along the woods trying not to make any noise. The air was still and cold. We strained our eyes in the dark trying hard not to step in a hole, trip over uneven ground or make any unnatural noise. Finding the pre-determined spot, we set up the blind just off the edge of the field in the woods. Rob set up the decoys including a mating hen and jake, and a larger tom looking to move in. He also set up a feeding hen or two. Rob located himself inconspicuously about 15 yards behind the blind and got set for calling. Jeff and I adjusted the blind so the windows provided ample visibility without revealing our location. A few practice draws to make sure my arrow would clear the bottom of the unzipped window and I was ready. Jeff whispered stories of previous turkey hunts, furthering my education. Several times my mind went through the motions of drawing with proper form and anticipating when to release.

As the sun started to lighten the sky, Rob used a slate over glass call made on bird's-eye maple to imitate yelps and putts later followed by fly-down cackles. This call sounded awesome. It was made by “Bob's Turkey Calls”, Houlton, ME, 532-6453 if you want to try what Rob uses so skillfully. Once the roosted birds started talking, we discovered the single tom was in fact a few toms, with hens. The thick fog in the low area adjacent to the roosting trees held the birds up for a good half-hour longer than what is typical. I couldn't believe the noise and excitement coming from the large trees outside of the edge of the field. I was so excited myself that I had kneeled in an archery ready to shoot position much too early, and for so long that my feet went numb. Jeff warned me about getting “too uncomfortable yet” as it would be a little while before the fly-down. He was right. I settled back onto my milk crate and tried to relax. Rob really showed his experience in calling by the variety and appropriate timing of his calls and soon we heard the wings of turkeys flying. We waited in anticipation of the birds hitting the ground right in the middle of the decoys (at least I did) but nothing happened. Turns out, the field on the back side of the thin strip of woods behind us was a better landing strip. It wasn't long however, before the birds started moving through the leaves and into our field.

Three birds appeared on the edge of the field. Looking through my binoculars, I searched for a beard, or a brightly colored red, white, and blue head. I watched their behavior and determined they were all hens, but later found out they were actually jakes –young birds with little or no beard. These three birds worked their way cautiously up the edge of the field feeding, and came within twenty-yards of the blind. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them feed in the grass from the masked location. I also knew they were the perfect decoy should big-daddy long-beard decide to visit. Rob continued calling occasionally with caution not to spook the present company.

Watching these birds was great fun, but my mind started doubting if a mature tom would be joining us. We only had the two front windows partially open, so could not see much at all anywhere else. Jeff was sitting back a little to allow me ample room to draw and shoot if needed. I was again in a kneeling position because that was a good “ready” position, and also helped to hide from Jeff the fact that I would very soon have to dump out my water bottle so that I could fill it back up. The alternative was exiting the blind to “go” and I certainly didn't want to spoil any chance we had in this location. “Patience” I thought. I've sat on deer stands for hours; I knew I had the will. After all, there is no place I would have rather been.

Just then, I heard something dragging in the oak leaves next to the blind. I could see a little further to the right than Jeff could. The top of a huge brightly colored turkey head appeared ten-feet from the blind and I was immediately overcome with excitement. He was moving toward the decoys. Next I saw the top of his tail, spread wide open and shaking as he strutted toward the rubber hen pinned to the ground by her rubber suitor. As he moved in between the two half-open windows, I took advantage of the blocked view. My bow already lifted into position, I came to full draw. He continued moving with attention on the staged action in front of him. Focused on remaining calm and collected, time stood still as I checked my setup –everything was perfect. I held my breath and I knew the shot was good before the arrow left the bow. Feathers vanished into feathers. The tom made a small jump and ran to point 20-yards away. He re-focused his attention back to the jake and hen still in “action”, and he became unsteady. As he was wondering what just happened, I sent another arrow home to make sure the task was complete. I was in an almost dazed state when Jeff quickly unzipped the flap entrance of the blind and burst out next to Rob who was also running for the bird just in case he still had some unexpected energy left. Wanting to get to the bird and share in this excitement with my friends, I too moved for the door of the blind. Prior to stepping through the opening, my bow caught on the door flap of the blind. My momentum carried me, my bow, and the entire blind in a tumbling motion to the ground. Frustrated at my delayed exit, I flailed around in the collapsed blind trying to find the door. Finally, I realized there is no bottom to the blind, and lifted the heaped up fabric off from my head. Jeff and Rob were standing at the bird looking back at me with God knows what going through their minds. I stood up, and went to the scene to see up close this magnificent bird. The excitement intensified as we looked at the colors and details and celebrated a job well done. We gave thanks with a heartfelt prayer for the bird's life and the experience.

We were filled with pride and examined the creature that presented himself for our taking. An inspection of the bird by Rob and Jeff led them to believe that he was about 2-1/2 years old. We took photos together to help us remember this day, but they can not compare to the memories. We made an effort to locate and call other birds into range for Jeff, but it wasn't to happen that day.

The tagging station documented the 13.67 lb bird with 9-inch beard and 5/8-inch spurs. I was very proud of my first turkey, and couldn't stop thinking what a wonderful selfless sacrifice Jeff made so I could have the opportunity to take my first bird before he got his own. He and Rob's experience with past turkey adventures made this a genuinely memorable experience. Rob had the second season to hunt, and took the time to travel a great distance to offer his calling and general turkey expertise to introduce me to the sport of turkey hunting. I am forever grateful to both of my friends.