Finally got it done in SC!!

[RutnNStrutn]

Had to go up to SC after a tornado hit on Easter night in the town I hunt outside of. Fortunately our camp and hunting property were unscathed. Unfortunately there was lots of damage, 5 people were killed, and many were injured and left homeless. Prayers for them.
Spent the weekend working on the property, then spent a few days hunting.
Went out Tuesday morning and had an awesome hunt!! Saw 10 different birds, half of which were gobblers and heard 3 more gobblers that I didn't see.
Set up on a couple of roosted gobblers, but they skirted me and walked off. About 5 minutes later one of them gobbled at about 200 yards, heading away. I slowly followed, keeping track of them by crow calling to get shock gobbles.
Finally they went into a field for a while, and I stealthed towards them inside the woods. I stopped and crow called again, and the dominant bird gobbled to my call, and stepped out of the field into the woods in full strut at about 80 yards. I froze and leaned against a tree. Then several satellite gobblers, a couple of hens and a jake followed. The strutter wouldn't leave his group. I soft called and one of the satellites broke off. He came to about 40 yards. Popped into strut, looked around but saw no hen. Then he dropped back out of strut and turned to leave. I already had the green dot on his head, so I squeezed the trigger, and dropped him at 40 yards. I shot him off hand standing up. The first gobbler with my 20 gauge build!!
He weighed 17 pounds 2 ounces, with a 9-3/4" beard, and 7/8" & 15/16" spurs.

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[Greg Massey]

Awesome , glad your camp wasn't damage .. nice bird congrats

[Yoteduster]

Congrats on a really nice bird

[JeffC]

Congrats on the bird.

[Tom007]

In a big way, nice bird.......with the new gun...congrats......

[RutnNStrutn]

Thanks guys!!

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[Hobbes]

Congrats Strutn!  Good looking bird.

[NCL]

Very nice pictures, story and bird

[Harty]

Congrats.sounds pretty exciting with all the birds you had around you!!

[Swenny]

Nice bird, thanks for sharing.  Tell me more about your 20 ga build?

[greencop01]

Congrats, nice bird, nice shot!

[RutnNStrutn]

Congrats.sounds pretty exciting with all the birds you had around you!!

It was the most exciting hunt of the season for me.

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[SwampRooster17]

Sounds like a great hunt!


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[RutnNStrutn]

Nice bird, thanks for sharing.  Tell me more about your 20 ga build?

I bought a used single shot H & R Topper in 20 gauge. I had the barrel cut down to 22 inches, and tapped to take a choke. Then I had the barrel drilled and tapped for a scope rail. Next I replaced the old wood stock with an AR style stock. I topped it off with an Indian Creek choke with .562 constriction and a Trijicon dual illumination (tritium and fiber optic) RMR green dot scope.
She weighs in at only 4 pounds 12 ounces. I made her specifically for long walks in and hunting in the mountains.
I'm shooting Apex 3" TSS Small Town Hunting Blend, a duplex load of #7.5's and #9's through it. Gun patterned well at 40 yards, and OK at 60 yards. I'd say ethically it is a solid 50 yard gun, and that's fine by me.
Here she is.....

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[SteelerFan]

Fun hunt - congrats!