My dad (Thomas) and I had gotten into the area way before daylight (around 4:30 am.) and we went our separate ways as usual.  When turkey hunting, you want to catch the turkey on the "Roost" (sleeping in trees) and we always went our separate ways `cause He Said: " Can't You Be Totally Still?---You Are Always --Moving--Slapping--or Making Some Ungodly Noise." What Did You Eat Last Nite??"--SOooo--
we always went our separate ways.

NOW,----I am quietly slipping through the woods and its PITCH DARK. I am making my way down to the edge of the SWAMP. I have my turkey yelper in my shirt pocket and I'm almost to the right area. I hear small
critters in the underbrush which at times I've got to get through on my hands and knees.

Now,--I'm sitting in the edge of the swamp,--in the dark,--just listening to different sounds and smelling the Muck of the swamp, Or Is That The Muck I'm Smelling???  I have my back braced against a tree,--listening for the turkeys to either flop and stretch their wings,--yelp and start talking turkey talk or fly down to the ground. Time passes by and my stomach is growling.  Not because I'm hungry,---but because I need toilet paper.  Nothing to do but take off my T-Shirt, cut it up and Use It----..

NOW,---That business being taken care of,--I move a distance away and squat against a tree again. Time is passing by and it's getting to be almost daylight. I easily remove the turkey yelper from my shirt pocket,--lay my gun across my lap and prepare to start Yelping-----( turkey talking ). I put my hand to my ear--hold my breath,--and listen for any turkey sounds. NOTHING,----I wait awhile then yelp some more,---I can hear daddy yelping across the swamp. His Yelping Always Sounded Like A Turkey With
A Sore Throat.---I yelped a few more times then I heard a Heavy sound in the bushes in front of me. I think to myself--That's A Turkey For Sure,--so I yelp 2 or 3 more times. Now--all hell breaks loose,---I have two,--full grown,--30 pound Bob Cats charging at me thinking I'm a
turkey. I pick up my gun in panic,---take it off safety,---and think to myself "I don't want to kill or injure the cats but also don't want to be attacked." NOW---What To Do??--so I shoot at the ground, pump another shell in the chamber, ---and shoot over their heads several times.  WELL--- they scurry off in separate directions and I sit back to see if I can get my heart out of my throat and calm down a bit.

I figure that mornings hunt is over with,--so I head back in the direction of the car. I heard daddy shooting and figured he ran into the same type problems. I'm sitting on the bumper of the old car drinking coffee---and here comes out daddy with his turkey.

He gets to the car and said; "Where Is Yours??" –"You Should Have 2 or 3 With All The Shooting You Were Doing. It Sounded Like You Had A War Going On Over There."----

I started telling him the story about the Bob Cats and he said;  "Boy,--You've Faced Worse Than That Before---Them Cats Knew You Weren't No Turkey,----You Smell To Bad,---You Smell Like You Been Laying In Something."

When we got home and started dressing the turkey,---I dare not tell Mama Virgie what Daddy Thomas had said --`cause Mama Virgie would start yelling " "Tom-As ---Tom-As " to the top of her lungs for the whole town to hear.

My Dad--taught me how to think on my feet and roll with conditions. These were good time growing up and especially having a Dad that was a Father and also as my best Friend. God, thanks for giving me my Dad for that short time and Dad, these stories are dedicated to you.

Jerry Delany

Stories copyright ©2000