Well I headed to northern NH for my annual spring turkey hunt...weather forecast looked grim...got up at 0400 on opening morning and looked outside and it was pouring hard...windy and about 42 degrees...rough start already...I had a coffee and hung around till 0500 and finally said gotta do it...opener and all...so I headed out wrapped in my camo rain suit and set up on a tree line that separates 2 hay fields..I sat and let things settle for about 15 minutes then did a few yelps on my box call....a few minutes later a tom poked his head up on the edge of the field just out of range...looked things over, I had 1 hen decoy out..he didn't like something and went back in the woods...about an hour later I caught a flicker of movement to my far right...3 toms about 25 yards popped out of the woods right beside me...so close I couldn't move and swap the gun around to shoot lefty...my only choice was to let them go bye a bit then try and call them back..which I did..they stopped and fiddled around for an hour but would not come back then finally wandered off....wind was blowing hard and it was COLD...I checked my watch at 11:20...only can hunt till noon in NH...did some loud long calling...wayyyyy up the field I see some movement....here comes 7 toms out into the field...stopped and looked around a bit...then started slowly walking and feeding down the field towards my lone decoy....they went out of sight in a dip..up came the turkey cannon...off come the LOUD Mossberg safety....the birds came up over the dip...the one in the lead stopped about 30 yards and was looking at the decoy...I put the green bead right under his head and squeezed the trigger...he hit the ground like a truck run him over...the other ones stood there clucking and looking around...I waved my hands and they ran into the woods...got the ole heart pounding....picked him up...17 pound jake....my spring season was over....on to bbq and bassin...and the heater in the truck!
(http://i47.tinypic.com/2hyb91.jpg)
:yoyo: Way to hang in there Gunz! Perseverance bird right there!
Setting on the grill!! :alscalls: :alscalls:
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhh my gawd I love it :yoyo:
I need a bigger grill :innocentwhistle:
What kind of grillin' sauce do you use on them feathers? :confused: :eyebrownod:
Nice story, Gunz! :congrats:
Hackle Lemon Zest :eyebrow:
Fire it up. Nice bird.
Great picture!! :laf: :laf:
And I saw this beast the very next day !
(http://i50.tinypic.com/6tk0tw.jpg)
Looks like his tail is messed up:
(http://i46.tinypic.com/15wxov9.jpg)
Congratulations nasty!!! :yoyo: :yoyo:
Way to hang in there! You earned that one.