Florida hunt - 2026

Where do we even begin with this first hunt of the 2026 turkey season… It was finally time for our Florida Osceola hunt. We arrived a few days early to scout, hunt a few predators, and get settled in. Our excitement kicked up when we pulled down the driveway of the property and saw six hens feeding their way back to roost.

That first evening we were able to tag a couple predators and varmints, helping the longevity of the local turkey population. Friday morning started with an early wake up and sitting in the woods listening for that Osceola gobble.
It wasn’t long before we heard one echo through the palm trees. We slipped into a makeshift palmetto blind thinking it might be a quick hunt, but as turkey hunters know all too well, things rarely go to plan. We sat all day seeing nothing but hens and only hearing a few gobbles on the roost.

That led to a plan change, so we scouted a new spot in the dark with hopes for the next morning. When we slipped into the new spot the next morning the birds were much more vocal. Throughout the morning we kept getting pinned down by hen after hen, but none of them brought their men with them.

Feeling a little discouraged we started talking about heading back for a snack, still torn about leaving. Mr. Fatbaby (Nick Metcalf) decided to throw a Hail Mary and walked down a trail letting out a series of cuts and yelps toward the direction of the early morning gobblers, calling his way back. No more than five minutes later, without making a peep or snapping a twig, three longbeards appeared at seven yards.

After a quick “you ready?” and a 3-2-1 countdown, two perfectly placed shots rang out. We jumped up to retrieve our birds, thankful for the opportunity and the ability to chase these incredible creatures. All thanks to the good Lord above.