This Warden Is Working Hard For His Bird!

May 9, 2018 Ralph Cianciarulo

This Warden is working hard for his bird!

It’s our second season for Illinois turkey and Vicki & I didn’t have tags for it, but one of our local game wardens did and he was pumped to get in the woods for himself. This second turkey season would prove to be just like the first one. The birds were not playing fair at all and even though we had Steve in the blind, they didn’t want to see his badge at all.

Turkey hunting necessities for in the blind. Bog-Pod, Hunter’s Specialties calls, Cabela’s Instinct binos and Hunter’s Blend coffee!

For a few days they would do exactly what turkeys do to all of us… piss us all off! LOL! Not really, they did what they do and we could peek through the Ameristep blind to see them down low or way to the south, and then sometimes to the north. In the mornings we had them gobbling all over, and decided we were in the right spot, only to be fooled by these birds that have a brain the size of a grape.

Back and forth each day we would go, from running & gunning to blind sitting. We tried it all for Steve, however, wherever we were, they weren’t. So we knew where they were strutting and just figured that we were going to just sit them out. I think it was day 4 and poor Steve was running ragged hunting in the am and working thru the pm.

Waiting patiently…. Steve is ready with his Browning A5 with the Truglo turkey scope!

Will this be the day for Steve to get his Gobbler?

Steve and I sat in the Amersitep Super natural blind and with the sunrise to our back, we knew we were in a good spot. Birds were talking, but not like the day before and it was just a matter of time. We had our Montana decoys out with a strutting mounted bird. We had a hen surprise us by walking right out next to the north side of the blind, very close! She fed on while looking at the decoys. About an hour and half later, and after hardly any calling, Steve spotted a gobbler coming out of the timber to our south and then another one and they were coming directly to the gobbler decoy.

Cameras were rolling. We had Chad filming from one blind and Terry from another. I was filming in the blind with Steve. The birds walked right in front of the decoy, and as they split up Steve took the one of the right and blasted him.

It was so awesome to see Steve so pumped up and excited, heck, we all were there with him. The celebrations that go on are truly a blessing for all, and what great memories we will have to last us a lifetime. The coolest thing was Steve had to grab his phone and film exactly what all just happened, to share it with his boys! You see Steve is passing on the traditions of the CHOICE lifestyle by keeping his family in the outdoors.

Big Bird Down 10-4

It was a great gobbler and what a special hunt for us all. We all worked hard for this bird and Steve never gave up. It was awesome to share it with him. Congrats Steve!!