Ladies Tag Team Brooks County Gobbler

By Scott Barwick

Susan Barwick and Heidi Rhodes co-own Kaleidoscope, a consignment shop for women in Thomasville. They have become best friends and have helped each other through life’s difficult situations. Their friendship is truly genuine.

One day at the shop the topic of turkey hunting came up. Susan mentioned that she has hunted them before but with her husband always by her side. Heidi said, “You know, my husband Byron and I have turkeys on our place, and we should go together. Just you and me.”

Susan’s eyes lit up with excitement, and she said, “I agree. I’ll borrow some things from my husband Scott, and we’ll go. Just you and me.”

Days before their first hunt, I showed Susan a few tips on calls, how to load her gun and what to expect in different scenarios of hunting. The night before she excitedly gathered her arsenal of calls, camo, blind and her favorite piece of equipment, her dad’s Beretta 12-gauge shotgun. She inspected the beautiful wood grain and blue steel barrel. She glanced under the action and admired her dad’s name “Dean” printed underneath as she thought back to all the fond memories with him.

Mr. Dean passed away more than 10 years ago due to cancer, and Susan’s mother left this world earlier this year. Heidi was by Susan’s side for emotional support the whole way through, as Susan was for her when her mom passed away a year earlier. From the early detection of dementia to both the viewings and funerals, no one called more or brought more food than Susan’s best friend Heidi.

The morning of the first of many hunts went unsuccessful with no bird in hand. Heidi’s feet got soaking wet through her shoes from the morning dew. They heard a few birds close by but couldn’t persuade them into getting closer.

After the first hunt, Heidi decided to change her footwear into something that would keep her toes dry. She showed up with a pair of bright-pink water boots that went up to her knees. Byron laughed at her, but she was comfortable, and they were going to be behind a mobile ground blind anyway.

One day Byron surprised them with breakfast and announced that he spoke with his neighbors, who gave the women more nearby fields to hunt.

On Mother’s Day, Byron and their son Blake gave Heidi some turkey calls and new camouflage for the upcoming hunt. Every hunt showed different scenarios. The birds just seemed to be on the opposite side of the field or on someone else’s land.

On the final day that they would be able to hunt together this season, they had no idea their luck would change. Susan crawled out of bed at 5 a.m. and mumbled that they needed to pick another hobby that didn’t require them to wake up so early.

That morning the birds were numerous and seemed to be gobbling more than previous hunts. The ladies set up in a corner of a field 10 yards back from the edge with a fire-break trail right beside them. Susan would call every so often and a bird would occasionally answer, but nothing seemed to go as they wanted it to.

Hours passed, and they were now whispering and giggling at each other’s antics. Heidi couldn’t sit still because she refused to carry a seat, and she took pictures of Susan as she dozed off. They were growing bored and were going to call one more time to the distant and uninterested birds. Susan scanned the field before doing so. She spotted a white object and stared closer and realized it was a gobbler. She quickly sat down. Heidi also looked and reported that there were actually two birds, and they were quickly coming their way.

Susan slowly moved into position calmed her nerves as Heidi put her fingers in her own ears anticipating the blast. Susan raised her barrel, clicked off the safety and waited for the perfect shot. All she could think was, “I hope I don’t miss.”

She picked out a spot in the brush that was open to shoot through, but she quickly changed her mind to a different place to point her gun barrel and wait for the turkeys pass through. Finally, the moment came. She pulled the trigger and fearfully lost sight of the turkey due to the recoil from the 12 gauge knocking her back. She sat back up to see the flapping of a bird on the ground.

The joy the women felt was unimaginable. All season lead up to this glorious moment. They laughed, cheered, hugged and took pictures. They proudly took turns carrying their trophy. The bird had a 12-inch beard and 1 1/4-inch spurs. They went home to display to Byron and Blake their trophy. After more pictures, they harvested the meat. Susan cut one side of the bird’s breast out and Heidi did the other.

Who knows what kind of adventures these ladies have in their futures?