ONE SHOT LEFT

   I started the season with 5- 3" #6 12 ga. shotgun shells. What with all the controversy over what to shoot out of Jake, he sits patiently in the corner, until I can figure it out. These shells are what I shoot out of my Browning pump. It's a good turkey load. I thought that would be enough for the season. I was wrong. So lets recap. I missed a bird with Tristan and shot a bird behind Diamond Dave's. Yesterday I slid three shells in the gun, and parked Shirley down by the bridge. My plan was to walk GNJohn's mountain and see if I could raise a gobble.
    I no sooner got ready, than a big silver pickup passed me and then backed up. It was RNButch. It's impossible to keep track of which shiny new pickup these guys drive. RNB rolled down the window and I went over. Before you knew it we were in the midst of a production meeting for HWSTV. Hey, you got to catch the producers where you can. RNB informed me that TVZack was on the west coast and he had two possible fish on the line. "I told Daymond about the Bikini Car Wash and Cow Branding." RNB informed me "And he said to make sure I take plenty of video." I already had scheduled 'Durado as my camera man and hopefully had Hollie Witchey and Mystery Girl on board. The idea is to hunt, wash cars and brand a cow, as part of an overall festive holiday weekend. Maybe we'll even blow up some shit, just for fun. RNB was all for it. Once our meeting was over I bid my producer goodbye and trudged up the hill. This is the real business.
    It was a little windy and cooling off fast. Turkeys tend to shut up in this kind of weather, so I wasn't too surprised at the silent woods. I kept walking and calling. On the back side of the mountain I caught a flash of something coming through the green undergrowth. Coyote. I immediately took a knee behind a tree and peeked around the trunk, slowly raising the gun. He had me  at 50 yards. I put the sights on his chest and fired. I never touched him. Running full bore down the ridge, I picked an opening and tried to steady for a second shot. When I saw fur I squeezed the trigger. He never flinched. A clean miss. So be it.
   Today it's cold as hell. We're supposed to have a hard freeze tonight. I never even got out this morning. I have one shell left and the next time I hit the woods I think I may take the bow. I've yet to get a turkey with the bow. It's the ultimate challenge for the turkey hunter. The long johns are back on and they'll be frost on the fields tomorrow. Will I be able to drag my ass from the warm covers in the morning? That has yet to be determined.