After two years and four seasons I finally got my tom! It had been close to ten years since I've shot a turkey (a fall hen taken with dogs) but a couple of years ago I got the itch again. I would like to tell you that I called him in from a distance but it was pure luck & being at the right place at the right time with this one.
I got out late, about mid morning & the wind was blowing HARD! Anticipating less than stellar action, I set up where I found some recent sign and sat down to call. As usual when I sit down, I fell asleep and had a nice nap for around a 1/2 hour. Trees rubbing woke me up and I decided to continue into a ravine called "boulder alley." This terrain is all river bluff and you need to be part billy-goat to navigate it. After stumbling around a bit, I heard some scratching in the leaves not too far from me. Slowly working my way around a 20' boulder I caught a glimpse of turkeys working the bluff. I ducked back behind the boulder, unslung the shotgun, snicked the safety forward and stepped around the boulder again. The tom was the closest bird too me and as soon as I saw the beard I let one fly! After the crashing and flopping I walked up to my 1st fall tom. I thanked the hunting gods for the luck and the bird for his life...
The bird weighed 19.4 lbs, has 11.25" beard and 1-1/8" spurs. The gun is a Mossberg 20 ga turkey model (22" barrel) with X-factor choke. Winchester Double X 3" magnums, 1-1/4 oz. #4s. Once again I am happy happy happy!
