Blessed in June

Day two in Maine was a special one! My buddy Mark was able to get off early today so I didn’t hunt hard this morning in hopes I could kill one with him in the afternoon. We met up at 2 and hit the road looking for one that wanted to play. Mind you it was 95 degrees out today in Maine on the first day of June! Well we Found a big bird strutting with some hens and jakes but unfortunately couldn’t find a way in to hunt him. About an hour later around 430 we struck one on a piece of public Mark knew there was a good bird around. He was far off and had to make a big move and he would only respond every few minutes. Found a logging road that was headed right to where the bird was and last. He gobbled and it sounded a easy 200 yards away.

Well things got a little crazy when we were coming up the hill and I could hear loud scratching only 20 yards above or closer. We dropped to our knees in the road and I started soft calling with no response. I could hear drumming and that confirmed he was right over the rise. After about 5 minutes he wouldn’t show himself so I slowly stood up gun ready and creeped over the hill there he was 15 yards strutting he saw me and started running got the bead on him and gave a few soft yelps enough to get him to hesitate at 35 yards and that’s all she wrote tagged out in Maine!

With a great buddy of mine there to experience it all with me and in one of the most gorgeous spots I have ever shot a bird. Not to mention the first turkey I’ve ever shot in the month of June! This spring has truly been something I could have only dreamed on and one I will never forget. What a way to end my spring…. Blessed is an understatement!

Sean Kirk Russel


New state checked off!!

Crossed into Maine today at 1:38pm got online and purchased a 3 day license that was set to start today at 2:00pm well by 4:00pm my first tag in Maine was punched! Sometimes it’s just about being in the right spot at the right time. Found this bird on public with a hen and he was glued to her. Unfortunately for him that allowed me to get in tight along with the tall grass a few calls and he came to investigate. Gorgeous bird in a gorgeous state! Hopefully tomorrow we can get number two another new state checked off the list.

Sean Kirk Russel


A bittersweet ending

It all started when I dropped my gun yesterday and thinking to myself “that it should be fine” ....

Fast forward to this morning i was only able to hunt for a couple hour so I decided that chase some mountain birds. With the foliage getting thick l was able to sneak in between two toms. One in which I had some history with from this season. In the past couple of times hunting this area Anytime, I would call to him he would head in the other direction.

This morning with overcast and thicker foliage, I was able to sneak into where he usually roosts. I got to the location and I hear a bird gobble once above me about 200 yards. Thinking that it was him. I decided to head up and awhile I was walking up at about 100 yards from the bird that gobbled the one that I was after gobbles right from where I left… I thought to myself being that this bird that's above me is going to fly down. I decided to get level with the one that’s below me and turns out to actually be the one that I’ve been after.

Both are Gobbling at each other pretty good. I get set up about 80 yards from the lower bird. He’s on a small finger ridge adjacent to me, and with it lightning up and the birds tweeting there was no way I could get any closer.

I sit down facing the Gobbling bird with the other Tom about 150 yards away at 2 o’clock. I sat there and waited it out. With it lighting up some, I decided to do a couple soft three yelps and he ate it all up. Waited another 10 minutes and tree yelped again and this time I did a fly down and he eats it up again. About 10 minutes later he hits the ground and Flies down to the right of me, on a flat. He gobbles on his own and I cut back at him and he eats it up. I shut up and he ended up slowly coming to my lap.

The other Tom above me is still on the roost while the closer Tom is getting closer and closer gobbling at me every 10 yards. he’s already in shooting distance, but I wanted him to get closer. The Tom is on the edge of the finger and gobbles right at me, and then starts angling down towards me rather than him going down the drain and popping up below me somewhere, I decided to take a shot at 30 yards. He is at around 35 yards and I gave him a couple cuts and he stops. I put the red dot on his head and pull the trigger. In disbelief, the bird tucks turns and flies off. I couldn’t believe it. It was a total chip shot and missed.

All kinds of thoughts are flashing through my head “did I miss Nv him” “ Did I hit him” “How did I miss that bird” and then I remembered that I drop my gun yesterday and didn’t take much of it. I’m still able to see my bead below my rail, so I put the red dot on a rock about 80 yards and then looked where the bead was at, my red dot was a foot high to the left…

Couldn’t believe it finally had the bird walking into my lap and I have equipment failure. While all this is going on, I still have the bird gobbling above me, I put my shock to the side and realized I still have a chance to get the bird above me.

I wait until the Tom hits the ground and I give him a couple yelps and cuts. And he cuts me off and gobbles right at me. less than a minute later, he gobbles again, and he’s cutting the distance quick. This bird roosted right above a bluff, which was a bunch of rocks and boulders. The only way he could get to me, is if he cut to his left, which would be closer to me. That is what he did. He then gobbles right in my face, but I just can’t see him. He’s on a little bench above me. Placed the camera on the left side of the tree and angle it up get my cheek rested on my gun stock, waiting for Tom’s head to pop up. he popped his head up and looks down for me. I cock back the hammer and he moves two steps to my left, his head was in between what I thought was a dirt pile and I put the bead on his neck and pull the trigger. To my amazement a big Puff cloud of dirt shot up in the air, and then I heard my favorite sound. A bird flopping. I run up to get him only to chase him tumbling down the other side of the finger ridge.

I step on his head and catch my breath. Walk back to where i had everything and sat there for a bit. i was still in shock thinking about what happened on the first bird.
This is the day when I had to get back home to take my son to the school bus, so I had to rush things. Took a quick picture and made a mark where I was at and hit the Road.
I had a little break in the morning and watched the video of the Bird several times. From the looks of the shot it was high left. With Tom looking up that would mean that I probably hit at least a couple times. I end up going back to where I shot. And slowly go through the scene. I find two broken feathers which means he was hit. I slowly walk down where I marked the tom fly down to. I grid searched the area with no luck.
At this point, I feel like the bird is fine then out of know where the tom gets up and flies into the swamp... Yep not good.... The only good things is that he's still alive 6 hrs later and his legs and wings are working. Just hope and pray he makes it through the summer....
A bitter sweat ending

God is good!!

After meeting the objective of taking a bird, a trophy at that, during my 60th Spring Season I was pumped to get back after it this morning. After just finishing Chemo Session #10 the alarm at 3am was not welcome and my fatigued body said no way. I reset it at 5:30am to have time for some nourishment and get out for a mid morning hunt. I arrived at 9:15 am to see a bearded hen leading a strutter across a newly planted soybean field. I settled in where I thought I should be, sent a yelp out to let them know where I was and got comfortable. After an hour of watching them 300-400 yards away, the hen crossed the field ditch and led him in my direction. I remember saying “this could happen”.

I dropped my range finder when the strutter hit 50 yards and pulled my 20 gauge tight to my shoulder. In full strut, the sun reflected off his back as his head towered up and my finger tightened against the trigger. The recoil punched my bony shoulder as the gobbler fell to the ground. By the time I got to him the flop diminished to stillness. What just happened? Did the Lord just Bless me one more time. The emotion swept over me for the second time in three days as I limited out in my home state. My cancer journey took a couple most welcome turns and for that I am Blessed.

Doug Wigfield

The Redemption Bird

“Last week after getting a beautiful bird in Virginia I headed back north and was in Delaware hunting Thursday morning. Delaware is a tough state to turkey hunt because the public is all permit only. Fortunately a great buddy of mine has access to some private and was able to get me out in it for the second year now. Thursday morning the bird gave us a great show out of the limb gobbling probably over 300 times before we even saw him but he had hens and would not break from them. We let the bird fade away and around 930am we got back on him….worked him in and I missed. Shot my gun later that evening and it was shooting 8 inches high. Not sure what happened but I guess between Virginia and Delaware it got bumped. I decided to take the scope off and we gave the bird a few days break. Well yesterday afternoon he showed back up strutting where he was Thursday morning and I knew we had a good chance thismorming to get another crack at him. It all happened very fast which made for little video but luckily we were still able to get the shot on camera! He gobbled on the limb maybe 10 times today and a few other birds were gobbling in deeper. When they flew down the further birds kept gobbling but he went diligent so we had figured he faded off. Dylan Finkbiner was sleeping when I heard the drumming on a strutting turkey behind us and he was close! I hit him on the shoulder and said do not move! I peaked out the side window and saw 3 hens about 4 yards away and could hear him coming behind the blind. We were not ready at all and the hens came out infront kind of on edge but he strutted right past the blind and into the decoys. Dylan got the camera turned on right in time to catch the ending on the show. Second year hunting Delaware and we were able to get it done again on another gorgeous bird and this time on film! Thankful to get another opportunity at this bird. Huge thanks again to my boy Dylan without you none of this would have been able to happen brotha and letting me sit behind the gun knowing how much it means to me.

Truly one I will never forget!”

Sean Kirk Russel

Chasing Va Birds

“Virginia started out with a bang! Got in late last night with just enough time for a few hours of sleep. Got in tight on some birds this morning and they were fired up! Unfortunately, the hens took them away and we couldn’t get in front of them. Went to another spot and got two fired up right away and coming fast. Set up quick and within 5 minutes could hear them drumming just inside the woods. First bird came out strutting but had no beard second bird had a rope but came in cautious. Let them work out in front of us about 15 yards and they put on a hell of a show for a couple minutes. Landon Mitchell and I got lined up and absolutely smoked em! Got my first Virginia turkey and got to be behind the gun on my first true double! Blessed to meet so many amazing people and the opportunities that have come along the way…no better way to spend a cold crisp spring morning! Thanks David Scott Mitchell for having me out with you and the boys!”

Sean Kirk Russel

Living it up "Down South"

“This spring I set out to guide all spring for (March-April) turkeys and that’s exactly what I made happen. The first chapter of my spring turkey tour is now coming to an end florida was an experience like no other. Swamps, Snakes, Spiders, Gators, Panthers, Hogs and some of the thickest woods you could ever imagine. Don’t forget about that hot florida sun either! The Osceola turkey has a bad attitude which made for some of the most fun and action packed hunts I’ve ever experienced with birds absolutely destroying the decoys. Got to meet many great people and made many memories that will never be forgotten. Already looking forward to next year in the sunshine state but for now it’s time for the next leg of the tour. Headed back north to get on some hard gobbling easterns and first stop is Virginia hopefully to knock off a new state on the list! Blessed to live the life I live and thankful for everyone who’s made it possible along the way.”

Sean Kirk Russel

ULTIMATECAMO-logo.png