Post by sloppysnood on May 3, 2011 20:11:14 GMT -5
The Specifics:
Species: Meleagris gallopavo silvestris (Eastern Wild Turkey)
Date of Harvest: 05/01/11
Time of Harvest: 7:04 PM
Temperature: 71°F
County of Harvest: Jefferson County (Indiana)
Gun: 2004 NWTF 3.5" Browning Gold MOBU w/ 24" barrel
Sight: EOTech Model 552 Rev. F Holographic Sight
Choke: Indian Creek .655" Black Diamond Strike choke tube
Load: 3.5" Hevi-13 2 1/4 oz. #6s
Shot Distance: 48 yards (paced)
Call: none
Decoy: none
Turkey's Weight: 20 lbs. 0 oz.
Left Spur: 1 1/4 inches
Right Spur: 1 5/16 inches
Beard Length: 10 inches
NWTF Score is 20 + 13.125 + 13.125 + 20 = 66.25
The Story:
As anyone in the Midwest will attest, turkey hunting around all of the "monsoon rain" we have been having is tough. As such, on Sunday, I left for my turkey hunting honey hole about 2:00 PM in the afternoon to avoid the latest thunderstorms.
Upon arrival my 4:15 PM arrival at my spot, I spotted a typical scene for the area: late afternoon strutting of three adult Toms in the mustard weed-laden corn stubble field. No gobbling and only a few minor putts uttered by the Toms or the 14 hens with them. A few clucks went unanswered and I determined that the weather had plain shut these birds down from a gobbling standpoint. But strutting they were!
I started moving toward the location after parking 1/2 mile away at my designated parking area. I worked through the woods and hollers in order to stay out of sight. During the trek, I had to cross a narrow (60-70 yards?) wide field that extended into the hardwoods.
No sooner than I took my first step forward, I caught movement in my eye, west up the field (not the same field as the 3 Toms I saw on the drive in). Hens with a designated "looker hen" leading a group of 6 hens back to the roost with a Tom and jake in tow.
I hunkered down and waited nearly two hours for these darn hens to pass me and move toward the roost at the end of the field. As always, a stick was poking me in the back and I adjusted to move it. One of the hens caught me moving and began some putting. The hens began to walk toward the roost with purpose.
Thinking the high school "gang of six" girls( hens) were dumping them, the To and Jake began to follow with renewed interest in the hens. I was only able to see the heads and waddles when the Tom and jake began to pass my location at 40-50 yards distance away. I simply put the EOTech's red dot and circle on the lead turkey and fired.
Initially, I thought I plum missed when the Tom (the lucky guess turkey I shot at) began to fly airborne. About 30 feet in the air, the Tom notified Turkey NASA "Houston, we have a problem." The Tom was hurt and locked into a glide back into the field.
I ran out from my location to catch the Tom landing in the corn stubble about 30 yards from me. The Tom locked his head and neck straight forward (horizontally) and began to run as fast as its wounded body would allow (about 1/2 speed from my assessment). I placed the EOTech just slightly in front of the running Toms' head and discharged a 2nd 3.5" Hevi-13 2 1/4 oz. shot shell. Solid hit!
Mr. Hooks went down hard and only flopped 4-5 times before expiring. I collapsed the airway with my boot for a couple minutes and began to smile at the "big hooks" I saw.
"At least and 1 1/4" I was mumbling to myself. Cool."
Lopped old Tom over my shoulder (lighter than I thought he would be at 20 pounds) and headed out of the woods. Fun hunt where I was able to harvest a Tom that was no really even the bird I was after but heck!,.....I ain't complaining! Happy but sad the 1-bearded spring Indiana turkey season was over in a flash.
The Pictures
I'll add the story in a bit....stay tuned.
Species: Meleagris gallopavo silvestris (Eastern Wild Turkey)
Date of Harvest: 05/01/11
Time of Harvest: 7:04 PM
Temperature: 71°F
County of Harvest: Jefferson County (Indiana)
Gun: 2004 NWTF 3.5" Browning Gold MOBU w/ 24" barrel
Sight: EOTech Model 552 Rev. F Holographic Sight
Choke: Indian Creek .655" Black Diamond Strike choke tube
Load: 3.5" Hevi-13 2 1/4 oz. #6s
Shot Distance: 48 yards (paced)
Call: none
Decoy: none
Turkey's Weight: 20 lbs. 0 oz.
Left Spur: 1 1/4 inches
Right Spur: 1 5/16 inches
Beard Length: 10 inches
NWTF Score is 20 + 13.125 + 13.125 + 20 = 66.25
The Story:
As anyone in the Midwest will attest, turkey hunting around all of the "monsoon rain" we have been having is tough. As such, on Sunday, I left for my turkey hunting honey hole about 2:00 PM in the afternoon to avoid the latest thunderstorms.
Upon arrival my 4:15 PM arrival at my spot, I spotted a typical scene for the area: late afternoon strutting of three adult Toms in the mustard weed-laden corn stubble field. No gobbling and only a few minor putts uttered by the Toms or the 14 hens with them. A few clucks went unanswered and I determined that the weather had plain shut these birds down from a gobbling standpoint. But strutting they were!
I started moving toward the location after parking 1/2 mile away at my designated parking area. I worked through the woods and hollers in order to stay out of sight. During the trek, I had to cross a narrow (60-70 yards?) wide field that extended into the hardwoods.
No sooner than I took my first step forward, I caught movement in my eye, west up the field (not the same field as the 3 Toms I saw on the drive in). Hens with a designated "looker hen" leading a group of 6 hens back to the roost with a Tom and jake in tow.
I hunkered down and waited nearly two hours for these darn hens to pass me and move toward the roost at the end of the field. As always, a stick was poking me in the back and I adjusted to move it. One of the hens caught me moving and began some putting. The hens began to walk toward the roost with purpose.
Thinking the high school "gang of six" girls( hens) were dumping them, the To and Jake began to follow with renewed interest in the hens. I was only able to see the heads and waddles when the Tom and jake began to pass my location at 40-50 yards distance away. I simply put the EOTech's red dot and circle on the lead turkey and fired.
Initially, I thought I plum missed when the Tom (the lucky guess turkey I shot at) began to fly airborne. About 30 feet in the air, the Tom notified Turkey NASA "Houston, we have a problem." The Tom was hurt and locked into a glide back into the field.
I ran out from my location to catch the Tom landing in the corn stubble about 30 yards from me. The Tom locked his head and neck straight forward (horizontally) and began to run as fast as its wounded body would allow (about 1/2 speed from my assessment). I placed the EOTech just slightly in front of the running Toms' head and discharged a 2nd 3.5" Hevi-13 2 1/4 oz. shot shell. Solid hit!
Mr. Hooks went down hard and only flopped 4-5 times before expiring. I collapsed the airway with my boot for a couple minutes and began to smile at the "big hooks" I saw.
"At least and 1 1/4" I was mumbling to myself. Cool."
Lopped old Tom over my shoulder (lighter than I thought he would be at 20 pounds) and headed out of the woods. Fun hunt where I was able to harvest a Tom that was no really even the bird I was after but heck!,.....I ain't complaining! Happy but sad the 1-bearded spring Indiana turkey season was over in a flash.
The Pictures
I'll add the story in a bit....stay tuned.
It was fun! ;D