This past spring a goose hunting buddy asked me what I was going to do for turkey season? He said if I had no plans he would like me to consider hunting with someone he had met. What was so special I asked. He said this guy was a Veteran who wanted to start guiding for turkeys and waterfowl. I asked for the guys name and number and called him. After a few minutes on the phone with Jeremy Cramer I was in
for opening day turkey here in Ohio.
I drove down to southern Ohio almost to West Virginia the night before opening day to meet Jeremy.
Big, rugged, and overly polite were my first impressions of Jeremy. Jeremy was born and raised in Woodsfield, OH. At 19 He joined the Army as a Cavalry Scout and served for 12 yrs. He served tours in Korea 1999-2000, Operation Enduring Freedom Apr 02-Oct 02; Operation Iraqi Freedom, Sadr City, Baghdad Apr 03-Jul 04; Operation Enduring Freedom Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, May 06-Aug 06; Operation Iraqi Freedom, Camp Q-West, Mosul Iraq Feb 07-Jul 07. He was retired in 2009 for injuries received in combat t.



As we had dinner Jeremy told me we would be hunting public land next to some property his family has owned since 1831! As he were finishing dinner Jeremy committed it would be great if we could get a double on turkeys in the morning.
Early next morning Jeremy picked me up at the motel and we headed out. His family property is called The Hill. A half mile driveway requiring 4x4 to ascend is a dead giveaway for the name.
At the top of the drive we parked and crossed a fence onto public ground. A short 200 yrd walk in the dark brought us to the blind setup. We got settled in chairs and waited for shooting light. Well before legal shooting time we started hearing turkeys. funniest thing was when down in the valley a donkey cut loose braying. We could hear turkeys everywhere answering. As it is getting light I can hear toms in four different directions around us, close.
Next thing we can hear gobbling right behind our blind. Two toms that we can hear but still not legal time. Finally 7:02 legal shooting time and Jeremy starts calling. We get answers from two different directions. I catch a glimpse of movement and see two toms coming in from the right front towards us. As they spot our decoys they go into full strut. I ask Jeremy which is bigger as I raise my gun. He has to lean left to see them as they were out of his line of sight. Whichever one is in your wheel house he replies and I fire. At 25 yrds
My tom goes down with wings flapping. The second tom runs forward to my downed tom and stands there. I try to hand my gun to Jeremy as he is trying to grab his gun, which is behind him. He leans forward and the second tom turns and runs away. After about a 30 yrd dash the tom turns around and comes running straight back at us. Boom and down goes the tom about five feet from my bird.
We look at each other and start laughing. I state that is the first time I have ever seen a turkey charge. As I'm getting out of the blind I look at my watch 7:06. Four minuets after season opened with a double.





We didn't weigh either bird but mine has an
11 1/2 beard and Jeremy's had a 9 3/4 inch beard.

Jeremy is looking for hunters this spring
Jeremy Cramer
740 421-0394
Jeremy_cramer@yahoo.com
fowlhillbilly@hillbillyhollar.net


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