[Angel Cruz Ortiz]

Charlie, my tale does not have a happy ending but I'll tell it anyway. This was back on March the 16th, opening day here in my part of Florida.
I met the guide at 6:30 and hopped on his boat. We were hunting a cypress swamp and boat was the best way to get there. We hit the shore around 7am and made our way inland. By that time the owls were hooting and the gobblers were going nuts. There had to be at least 6 toms in the group. We got to our spot and settled down. The guide made a few calls and the gobblers were going nuts. Never heard anything like it.
There was one that was louder than the others. My guide's been hunting this land for over 45 yrs and he knows Oceola turkeys. He told me that's the one we want. He figured that one tom did not have a mate and was trying to out call the other toms.
My guide made his last call around 8am at which time he told me that tom was gonna come in alone and silent just to keep my eyes open. He was not going to call again.
Sure enough around 10:30am he whispers "Shoot him". I don't see anything, all I see is high grass and bush. Again he says "shoot him" and again I say "where?" That time he tells me to my right but I still don't see anything. So I asked him to give me a "cluck" on his slate. he does and around 40 yards in front of me the most beautiful golden brown tail opens up in a fan and up pops a red head on a red neck. I was amazed, that turkey came in like a ghost.
I put the front bead just below the head and squeeze the front trigger, the gun goes off and I'll be danm if that turkey did'nt take off like a Harrier jet. Straight up and flapping for all he's worth. It took me a second to remember I had a second shell but when I shot I missed again. Man was I pissed.
And now I have to wait for october for another chance at a Florida Osceola.
Those are some pictures of the lake I took on the way out. When we when in it was still dark and we got there with out lights. This boy really knows his swamp.