First Turkey...EVER!

[Bowhunter57]

I've seen my share of coyotes on the opening day and considered just hunting them and go after the turkeys on another day. However, I took the advice of you guys and stayed with the turkey hunting. 

I put out a jake and a strutting tom decoy (don't have a hen, yet) and sat down in a log jam, near a creek. The decoys were about 25 yards away, in a 4 wheeler path. I gave a few hen yelps (diaphram call), about 20 minutes after first light, but had no response.

Another 20 minutes passed and 2 deer came within 60 yards of the decoys, but didn't care for them and went in a southern direction. About 10 minutes afer the deer left, a lone tom went by at about 45 yards, that was traveling north. I gave a few short hen yelps, he looked my way, but kept on walking north.

I waited about 30 minutes and considered picking up the decoys and relocating. I looked behind me, thought I spotted something and looked back in front of me...straight into a tom turkey at 25 yards. Then another one and another one...3 toms with decent beards. Now, all I had to do was get my shotgun up to my shoulder without getting spotted.

The 3 toms were headed straight toward the decoys and seemed to be mad about their presence, as they were huffing and puffing, but otherwise made no sounds. As they passed by me, at 12 yards, I slowly raised the barrel and one of them spotted a movement. They all froze right in front of me...I aimed at the center tom's head and squeezed the trigger. BAM! At the shot, the other two toms were airborne and my first tom was on the ground.

I had him weighed at the taxidermist... 22 lbs. with an 11" beard and 3/4" spurs. I must confess...I'm hooked and will be going every year.  I want to get the next one with a bow. 

Where he fell:



The feathers:



The fan:



Bowhunter57

[streak]

Bowhunter57,
Good hunting and shooting!
 What type of "artillery" and loads were you using??

[luckydawg13]

that's a real nice turkey i'm gunna use a black powder shotgun next spring i  hope
to hunt with

[Bowhunter57]

What type of "artillery" and loads were you using??

streak,
The shotgun is a Mossberg 500 Turkey Special with a 20" barrel and a H.S. Strut extended non-ported choke tube in a .665" restriction. The ammo is Remington Nitro 3", #5s in 1 1/2 oz. load.
 
This combination produces a 47 pellet count, inside a 10" circle at 40 yards. I shot this bird at 12 yards, so I can't imagine what the pellet count was in his head.    Even so, the head wasn't ruined and the taxidermist asked if he could have it, for future mounts that might come in with the head damaged too bad for mounting. I let him take it.
 
I'm getting a fanned tail feather mount, on a walnut plaque with both feet and the beard, which came to $115. A full body mount was $500.    Even though this is my first bird, I couldn't quite choke down that much for a mount.
 
Bowhunter57

[streak]

Thanks BH57!
That ought to make a neat tail feather mount!!