Montgomery NY is almost a 4 hour round trip commute from my home in NJ. It's where I've been working on a large renovation for the last few months. Daily sightings of fox, deer, geese, the occasional bobcat and yote and the ever present crows and geese that gather in the cornfields all make it tolerable as time with my expecting wife and child has decreased to an all time low. There is plenty of time to think about everything along the robotic drive, but mostly I think about hunting. My passion has never been greater and ironically, the opportunity (time) has never been less attainable. Such is life in the world of the working family man.
In my 5 year quest to kill a gobbler, each year has brought me closer to that moment that eludes me. With about 15 hunts for a tom under my belt and no prize, there is only more drive. More time, more opportunities, sooner or later, that moment will arise.
I turn left onto yet another back road home without even thinking, and there in a field to my left on a hill I see my quarry. "There they are!" I say out loud. My work van circles back into a gravel driveway where a home sits at the end of the dusty ride. Knocking brings no one to the door. My next stop is the property next door. A barn and workshop have cars parked out front but again, nobody to be found. As I make my way towards my work truck an older gentleman in a Carhart vest and jeans approaches from across the road where he and another have been working on a front loader. "Can I help you son?". "I hate to bother you sir, but I'm a hunter and couldn't help but notice those beautiful birds sitting on the hill. Do you know who owns that field?" I ask. "I do!" He replies as if he knows what's coming next. I explain to him that I'm from out of state and working nights far from home. "Does anyone hunt your land?" "I got some guys hunting deer, but no one has taken advantage of all those birds that come around. I guess I can afford to have some of them gone. Do you use a bow?" "Yes. I want to get my first bird with the longbow." "Well, you can park over there next to my trailer" he says as he points to the home I just drove out of. With a stupid smile from ear to ear, I thank him many times and stick my hand out. "My name is Angel" and thank him some more. "John" he replies as he pulls off an oil stained glove to solidify the deal. "Good luck". He says and with that he turns to his task. The drive home has never been sweeter.
Maybe I'll shoot a bird at John's, maybe I'll have to wait yet another year. I hunted today, and I scored. The traffic along the way meant nothing. Another step closer to a turkey was a prize to be happy about.
Good luck to you all this year. -Angel
Topic: Gobbler Handshake Deal (Read 616 times)
