A little kindness can go a long way. Case in point is a recent turkey hunt enjoyed by Steve Daulton of Irrigon and Kent Melton of Umatilla.

Terry and Debby Anderson, owners of Anderson Land and Cowcamp near Pilot Rock, donated a turkey hunt for two on their private ranch. The donation was made to the National Wild Turkey Federation, which auctioned the hunt to the highest bidder during its annual banquet held in Pendleton last January.

Daulton was the successful bidder and proceeded with eager anticipation to get ready for his first turkey hunt. He recruited Melton to join him and the two set about rounding up the wherewithal to get after turkeys. You name it and they got it, from camo clothing to guns, ammo, bird calls, and research into the habits and characteristics of this elusive prey, a cross between Rio Grande and Merriam’s species known as superturkeys.

Finally, on April 14, the big day arrived.

They loaded their gear into Melton’s camp trailer and headed for the ranch. The weather was beautiful and they had little difficulty finding turkeys using a box call. Corey Anderson had already given them a guided tour of the ranch the week prior so they would know what to expect. Confident of a successful hunt, they bedded down for the night.

The morning of the hunt they awoke to rain, snow, mud and 42 degree weather. Nevertheless, they headed out before dawn to scout for turkeys. The Lohman Box Call they had used the prior day wouldn’t work in wet weather, so they switched to an H.S. Strut Mouth Call, which proved successful at finding turkeys still roosted in pine trees.

Later that morning they called birds out into a pasture, but they were too far away for a good shot. By then they were both wet, cold and miserable, so they headed into Sampson’s Saloon in Pilot Rock for some breakfast.

Returning to the ranch at about 10 a.m. they met owner Terry Anderson, who gave them some pointers about where to locate birds. They hiked in about two miles to get to a pasture surrounded by pines. They saw turkeys feeding in the pasture and then moving back into the pines.

Using the mouth calls, the hunters drew three toms into the open and Daulton took his shot at about 11 a.m. at 40 yards. That shot brought forth an eruption of calls from birds still in the pines.

Melton then hiked farther up the canyon, calling along the way. Gobblers kept coming closer and he got his shot at about 12:30 that afternoon, with the tom in full strut at 25 yards.

Both birds were handsome specimens, weighing 19 pounds with 7-inch beards. Both hunters plan to mount their trophies using wall-mount kits they will assemble themselves.

Mossberg Model 835 12-Gauge Pump Actions did the job in both cases, loaded with 3 1/2 inch shells and number six lead shot.

Turkeys were first noted on the Anderson ranch in 1984 and have multiplied rapidly over the years. They like to share in the feed that the ranchers put out for cattle and have managed to thrive on the property. The ranch is a veritable wildlife preserve. In addition to turkeys, the two hunters observed elk, deer, rabbits, geese, ducks, quail and pheasants during their brief visit to this ranch on Upper McKay Creek in the foothills of the Blue Mountains.

That one act of kindness on the part of the Anderson’s set in motion an adventure of a lifetime that will stay forever in the memories of these lucky hunters.

The Oregon statewide 2004 Spring Turkey season remains open through May 31. Be sure to study the regulations before heading into the field.

For more information about the National Wild Turkey Federation check their Web site at: http://www.nwtf.org.

Arnold J. Theisen is a freelance writer living in Irrigon. His email address is macjet@eoni.com.