Great season! Killed 2 dandies in OK, got 2 in AR and my boy killed his first. Blessed beyond measure.
Season started right on opening day in OK, April 6. This guy did exactly what you want. Let you know where he is and then come in off the limb, gobbling every 10 seconds or so. Took the shot at probably 7.
The next day was slower but at 1030, while sitting in the shade eating a snack, one gobbled at the NE Corner of my uncles place, in some gorgeous woods, on the edge of the pipeline. I closed the 1/4 mile and got set up and it was multiple Tom's. Ended up calling in 3 and smoking the rear bird. Total stud Rio. 1 1/4 spurs.
Then it was back to AR for youth season where me and my kids had fun chasing them for 2 days to no avail. Weather for the opener in AR was junk and I should've saved my days (especially now that I've got guys inviting me to KS and NE
). I hunted hard all week with no luck but was close a time or 2. Weather looked perfect for Good Friday and my boy was out of school so I took him where I'd got on one Wednesday. Nothing doin. Finally got some to gobble around 730 or 8 and we moved in. I told him he'd be the shooter and his eyes widened and his excitement level rose. 2 were gobbling but wouldn't commit when one in the distance started. I noted where it was on my map app in case those decided to stop playing. The 2 were in a dead end turn around of a gravel road and wouldn't leave it despite our calls, our silence, our leaves rustling etc when all of a sudden, one gobbled at 50 yds and things went into scramble mode. I had my phone on my little tripod but the ditch grass was too tall and I missed the shot but you can feel the tension in the video clip plus you get to see a kid and his Dad's emotions of their first successful turkey hunt. One of if not the greatest hunting day of my life to this point
https://youtu.be/jbJFwzQRKl8The next morning, I went solo. Passed 20 trucks on the way in. Didn't hear a peep. Went to a spot I had passed that didn't have a truck parked and went in. 8am. Late to the game. Morning a bit spoiled. Called hard and nothing. Commenced to snacking and playing on my phone. About to leave, 30 min later and one hammers at 50yds, just down the rise. No gloves. No face mask. I'm scrambling. Make 4 shaky yelps, hear the leaves, gotta turn. Get turned just as he's coming up the hill, full strut. I call to get him to raise his head and he does but keeps walking, I put the cross hairs on his head and squeeze right as he goes behind a tree. Oh crap! He's off and I send a hail Mary without aiming lol. 3rd and last shot, I'm cutting hard and he's still confused. Confused enough that at 45yds, walking away quickly, I cut down hard and he slows enough and looks and I shoot and he hits the ground. Without first of all my scope, I wouldn't have been able to see the bird good enough for a shot (near sighted and color blind) and without my Carlson's Longbeard Choke and LBXRs I wouldn't have been confident enough that he would die. Awesome public land bird by 830. And I had frozen my boys bird to tend to later and was able to get a side by side pic with me and my boy.
I was able to kill a field bird on the last day of AR season in 20mph winds with a 65yd shot. Belly crawled out to them and was busted at 65, dead to rights. I put the cross hairs at the top of the head instead of waddles and he went down in a heap. Again, a shot I wouldn't have and couldn't have made without my scope and choke/shell combo. I was truly amazed when the bird went down. And I'm amazed at these Winchester shells.
I asked a black smith friend of mine if he wanted to go hunting one morning and he shows up with a handmade Japanese poultry deboning knife he had made. Curly maple and buffalo horn handle. Stellar work and a treasure I'll cherish forever.
Bumper blue berry crop in the Ouachitas this year
Me and Drew finished off the year with a 2 day camping trip in SE OK where the wife and daughter came and stayed a night with us as we live right across the state line. Didn't fill our last tags but had a stellar time camping and are already planning next year's adventures. Great year. Thank you God for every blessing.
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