36 NEBRASKAland • APRIL 2018
I
've never been more excited for a turkey
season than this year. I'm excited for turkey
season each year, of course, but this year
has a different level of anticipation because
I no longer have to suffer my turkey hunting
nightmares alone. Now our newly formed four-
person hunting crew shares these with me.
It was a crew formed during last winter's goose
hunting season, and contains hunting partner Bill
Heard, his 9-year-old son Jake, and my 5-year-old
son Eli.
So for the last month, as temperatures begin to
warm and birds begin to reappear from their large,
winter flocks, every person in the crew has been
getting ready.
While Bill is lining up hunting spots, Eli, who
doesn't even carry a gun, is watching any turkey
hunting video he can and spending his Saturday
afternoons in the front yard setting up decoys
and shooting them and duck decoys with his Nerf
guns.
At the same time, Jake and I had this
conversation yesterday.
"Jeff, how much longer?" he asked.
"Your season opens April 7th," I answered.
"Have you been practicing?"
"Yes, with the box call. And it sounds really
good."
"How about the slate?"
"Still working on it, but I'm getting better."
Not your typical conversation with a 9-year-old –
unless he is just as excited for the season to start as
Bill and Jake Heard of Gretna spring turkey hunt on private land outside of Lincoln. Last
season was the first turkey season for Jake, who has been spending his time leading up to
this year's opener by working on his calling.
