Julie’s Redemption - By Bob Fringer

Story By Bob Fringer

Have you ever been in a situation where you would rather be somewhere else? Well, that’s the kind of situation that I think Julie Perry found herself in when she, her husband, father-in-law, and about ten other male companions went swan hunting last February.

Bundled in bulky, insulated hunting garments and squeezed into a pair of white coveralls, Julie looked like the proverbial Pillsbury doughboy. To add to her problems, she was trying to use a shotgun with a stock much too long for her small frame. Compounding her dilemma, she was shooting in-coming swans while lying on her back in the middle of a corn field. She was game, however, and continued to shoot that clumsy gun even after her hunting companions had harvested their birds. Needless to say, each shot missed by Julie brought a barrage of helpful (?) suggestions and advice. After borrowing some additional shells from Burch, her husband, Julie finally succeeded in bringing down one of those big birds, to a loud chorus of cheers from her audience. It had been a hard hunt for Julie but she persevered.

Several months later, Julie had regained her confidence and was ready to embark on another hunting adventure. This time her quarry was the wily wild turkey, a bird well known for its incredible ability to see and hear like no other creature in the woods.

Prior to the turkey season, Warner Perry, Julie’s father-in-law, and I began pre-hunt scouting to check some of our favorite hunting locations. Early one morning I heard a gobbler in an area where we had successfully hunted birds the previous year. That old bird gobbled and gobbled for the longest time. I had found a hot turkey and I couldn’t wait for hunting to begin!

On the first day of the season we all met in Colerain and broke up into two separate hunting parties. Warner planned to take Julie’s father and Fred Browne with him while Julie, Burch and I were to hunt together. We quickly went our separate ways with Warner going over to a favorite spot on one of his farms and the three of us headed to my “honey hole.”

During the drive to our hunting location I tried to brief Julie on a few do’s and don’ts to consider if she was lucky enough to shoot at a turkey. I suggested that she should remember to move her gun slowly, aim directly down the top of the gun barrel and to shoot the turkey at the base of its neck. I encouraged Burch to take my gun even though he just wanted to be an observer and didn’t intend to shoot a turkey.

A gobbler broke the silence of the early dawn as we were walking to our hunting spot. I was pleased to hear that old bird break forth with his lusty call. At least Julie would hear a turkey and feel that she was in the hunt! That old bird kept up a continuous stream of gobbles as we quickly set out our decoys and selected our positions. Julie and Burch sat down side-by-side while I picked a spot about 15 yards to their left. A wooded wet area was to our backs and we faced an old cornfield, which sloped up to a dirt road.

Shortly after the darkness of night surrendered to the early morning glow of daylight, a hen turkey emerged at the far end of the field, walked down the road and disappeared over the rise of the hill. The gobbler kept up his incessant calling. Sometimes it seemed as though I could hear several birds gobbling, but I couldn’t be sure. Each yelp on my diaphragm call was greeted with an instant response from that old, lusty, long beard.

After about 15 minutes, all gobbling stopped. That old bird had made up his mind to do something other than just stand there and gobble. He was going to either come to the field or walk right away from us. We waited in silence.

All of a sudden, a gobbler walked out into the field, followed by two others! What a surprise! They were in the field about five yards when three more males appeared. Now there were six gobblers about 100 yards to our right. I was expecting one bird!

The first three birds barely paid any attention to the decoys. They simply slowly walked up toward the dirt road and disappeared over the rise. The other three birds appeared to be headed in the same direction until I made a soft purr on my homemade turkey call. The birds immediately turned and started toward the decoys. They looked indecisive but continued to slowly work their way to us. Finally, one male left the other two and zeroed in on the decoys. He had fallen in love with those plastic decoys! He really put on a show for us. He strutted, puffed up his feathers, drummed, and pirouetted. It was a beautiful display.

The blast from Julie’s gun broke the stillness of the day. The gobbler reeled backward from the impact of the shot and fell over dead. The other two birds ran up the hill and disappeared from sight.

Burch jumped up and raced to the bird to make certain it wasn’t going to escape. There was no need to worry about that old bird going any place because Julie had put that old gobbler to rest for good! She had redeemed herself by that fine shot! It couldn’t get any better than that. Julie had done everything right.

As we drove back to Colerain, Burch explained that he could have shot one of the other turkeys when he ran up the hill to Julie’s bird. The other two males were standing beside the dirt road. However, he was pleased with Julie’s gobbler and didn’t want to shoot another bird.

After we proudly displayed the beautiful gobbler to every one in Colerain, we proceeded to measure him. He weighed almost 20 pounds and had a 10 1/14 inch beard and spurs 1 3/16 inches long. He was a prize specimen!

It had been a great day, full of anticipation, surprises, suspense and accomplishment. Julie had carried out her part of the hunt. I know her father, Burch and Warner were very proud of her success. I will always remember that day as “the day of Julie’s redemption.”