The shotgun just doesn’t look right as I place it in the safe.

Minutes earlier, I’d swabbed the barrel, cleaned the choke tube and even removed some dried grass from the chamber. That was it. The gun was clean, and the Spring 2010 turkey season was really finished.

I can’t complain. The season had been good. True, there had been ups and downs, but that’s turkey hunting. If it weren’t so frustrating and difficult at times, it wouldn’t be as enjoyable or gratifying. Likewise, if it didn’t end, we wouldn’t anxiously anticipate its beginning.

But let’s face it, the end is tough. It’s always difficult to transition to a regular schedule when you’re accustomed to 2:30 a.m. wake-up calls and the constant chess match against Mr. Gobbler.

Still, the end is necessary. It’s time to pay attention to the chores and relationships we’ve ignored these past few weeks. It’s also time to start dreaming of fall seasons and next spring.

Here’s to the end — and to beginnings yet to come.