Tennessee opening morning longbeard

[catman529]

3rd year turkey hunting but my first time killing on opening morning. Had birds all morning just out of reach on private land in a field. I was on public land in the woods. Finally the birds drifted off to the left so I decided to sneak. They had worked their way ini the woods, and I walked up on them and was in shotgun range. Saw a longbeard, shot and missed. Walked up to make sure, saw 2 more running bsk and forth. Shot and missed again. Don't know why I messed up so bad. Rushed the shots I guess. Birds were plenty close but I guess they were moving too much.

Anyway I thought my opening morning was ruined. On the walk back to the truck, I heard one hammer somewhere in the woods toward the river. For all I knew he could have been on the other side. Walked in the woods just to check, hit the call a few times, he responded and was close than I thought. I set up and called sparingly, he gobbled often but hung up out of range and mostly out of sight (thick tree growth where hardwoods blended into cedars). I repositioned by just a few yards twice, just a couple more series of yelps, and let the curiosity get the better of him. Finally after a while he came back and slowly worked his way to 25 yards where he tasted some copper plated lead #5s. Woods were so thick you can barely see him on the video, but I got most of the whole hunt on video in clips. I will put the footage on YouTube within a couple days.

Called him in with a homemade bamboo tube call. Gun is a NEF pardner pump 12 gauge, xx full accu choke .670, Winchester supreme high velo. 3" #5s, 25 yd.

10.25 beard 1 & 7/8 spurs, 22 lb 3 oz.  public land middle TN



Have to thank The Lord for answering prayers and giving me a great hunt. Thanks for looking

[Onpoint]

Congrats on a nice bird. You wouldn't happen to be hunting some WMA ground would ya?

[M,Yingling]

Nice 

[catman529]

Congrats on a nice bird. You wouldn't happen to be hunting some WMA ground would ya?

yes it's a WMA, I have killed most of my turkeys there. Might be on a prime private land next weekend, where a gobbler is almost guaranteed. I like a little of both public and private... Relaxed dumb birds for a fun easy hunt, and pressured public land birds where you hope to have a spot to yourself and the rewarding feeling of killing one.

[RutnNStrutn]

Congrats on salvaging your hunt with a nice gobbler after the 2 misses!! Most people would have gotten frustrated and given up. Good deal!!!

[Casey Johnson]

Congrats!

[tomstopper]

Congrats.....

[30_06]

Congrats, way to stick with it!

[Wingboneman]

 

[alloutdoors]

Nice bird, congrats!

[Rio Fan]

That's a beautiful bird, congrats!

[boomer]

Congrats!!!

[kevin2]

how do you like that Pardner? Was looking at one the other day.

nice bird and story...

[chatterbox]

Great job, and congrats on a beautiful bird!

[captin_hook]

Congrats.