I'd never hunted this woods before...

[TRG3]

...at least for turkeys. I'd hunted it a couple of times for tree squirrels but found the woods almost impossible to hunt since it had been timbered a decade ago. While they left the big hickories, in the intervening years the paw-paw sprouts had filled the understory making it a tangle and impossible to see any grays cutting in the giant trees. For that woods, squirrel hunting was confined to the edge. So, when a gobbler sounded off at 5:30 this morning about 200 yards deep in the woods, there was no way that I could get to him.  In addition, the woods butted up against the Little Wabash River in Southern Illinois and recent rains had pushed backwater into the sloughs, so navigating even the wood's edge was difficult. I decided to set up in a picked soy bean field where it bordered the woods and hopefully lure him to my location. As I was making my way to my set up spot, a second gobbler sounded off and exactly were I was headed! I was less than 100 yards away and probably would have bumped him had I gone much further. I quickly set up my Funky Chicken over a hen in a breeding position, and about 10 yards away a feeder hen, all about 20 yards out in the field. While there were several scrubby trees at this location, the only suitable tree available was a big cotton wood in a slight depression with some brush in front of it. Not ideal, but sometimes you just gotta make do! I got comfortable in my ground lounger and let him gobble periodically for several minutes before answering with my Primos gobble tube. He immediately answered. I let him gobble several more times before cutting him off with my gobble tube. We "talked" back and forth for about 25 minutes and every now and then, I'd add a few soft hen yelps and clucks from my mouth diaphragm and slate, giving the impression that this new-boy-on-the block gobbler also had hens with him. At 5:55 a.m., he shut up and so did I. I heard him fly down, but wasn't sure where he landed. Then I saw it...a fan slowly revealing itself just over the rise in the field followed by a snowy white head. He looked over my Funky Chicken from about 50 yards away, then slowly approached, dashing the last ten yards toward him. Because of the brush between us, I had to time my shot when he passed an opening. The 4X6 shot combo dropped a wing and leg, but he dashed back the way he came before a load of #5 shot dropped him in mid-stride. It was all over and my watch showed "6:05" a.m. Fortunately, an adjoining grain field was dry enough to allow me to only have to pack him and my "stuff" a couple of hundred yards. The tom weighed 22.5#, had a 10" beard, and sported 1 3/8" spurs. I've now filled two of my three Illinois tags, leaving a fourth season Pope County which starts on April 21st. It's been 13 years since I've turkey hunted Pope County. We'll see how these old legs tackle the hills of the Shawnee Forest!

[g8rvet]

very nice.  Felt like I was there. 

[renegade19]

 

[hobbes]

Congrats!  Pope County Shawnee Forest is some of my favorite turkey country.  Good luck!

[mgm1955]

Congrats!!

[Happy]

Congratulations!

[Hookinembig]

Great job and great recap! Congrats!

[surehuntsalot]

congrats on a great season so far

[TRG3]

I've been reviewing my Shawnee National Forest maps from a decade ago, reviewing areas that are more accessible since I've broken my right ankle twice since then and steep ground is a no-no. Probably the best spot for my situation requires a 25-30 minute walk on the top of a ridge that, ten years ago, had a winding pathway between pine forests which were planted by the CCC during the Great Depression. I'll find out whether that pathway still exists early Thursday morning, the opening of the fourth turkey season for Southern Illinois. After needing two shots to bring down last Saturday morning's gobbler, I fired one from sandbags at 25 yards with my red dot centered on the turkey's neck which I had enhanced with a bright pink 1" dot. The pattern with #6 shot centered perfectly, so it was me and not the gun. How often that is true!! I'm leaving my Funky Chicken and other more solid decoys home and instead taking a folding foam jake and hen. I'm planning to go in as light as possible since I've totted a gobbler out from this location before and it's a workout! While a little cumbersome, I'll be taking my ground lounger since the season extends to 1:00 p.m. daily and I plan to stay the entire time if not successful early. Besides, getting up at 3:00 a.m. to make the drive and walk in by 5:30 a.m. will probably necessitate some shut-eye time, always an enjoyable part of any turkey hunt. 

[101st501]

Thanks for sharing the story.  Good job.

[CoachHunter]

Congrats!

[fountain2]

those 4x6 are sol really old shells...some cool old shells

[TRG3]

fountain2...You are right about those 4x6 combo shells being old. They are dark green in color with the brass portion being dark as well. I'm guessing those shells are at least a decade old. There was a time when sporting good stores would close out shells made for a specific season. I loaded up on them over the years for $2-$3 a box such that I've probably got 40-50 3" shells in 4,5, and 6 shot, enough to last a couple of lifetimes. In addition, I reload and have a bunch of Fiocchi 3" shells made up for turkey hunting. I'll have to shoot through all of these before tackling more modern loadings. 

[tomstopper]

Congrats