The Baron
45 Cal.
- Joined
- May 10, 2004
- Messages
- 927
- Reaction score
- 15
It's been a while (too long!) since I was milling about in here. Busy with kids, work/money worries... blah, blah, blah.
I wasn't able to hunt turkeys in 2012 or 2013 as things were just too stressful/busy through the season. I always thought the only reason I would ever miss a turkey season would be to attend my own funeral and I'm still bitter about losing those years.
I was finally back at it last year and ended up filling my first tag with a "modern" shotgun, which I regretted as it was a 12 yard shot and I had only taken the shotgun for convenience. I smartened up and took my second tom last year with the flintlock so all was getting better in the universe.
This year I'm using the flintlock only. I was out briefly opening morning (April 27th) then got a 7am call to go to work (I do emergency spill response). I couldn't get back out again until this past Friday, and I did have two jakes right at my decoy (10 yards) but wanted to hold out for a mature tom. I was out again yesterday and after a couple hours calling off an on with a decoy set in the field in front of me, I heard an unsolicited gobble up on the ridge beside/behind me. I yelped back and the tom immediately answered, sounding closer already in just the several seconds that had passed. I guessed he'd just come over the top of the ridge and was coming to investigate my calls. I judged him to be 100-150 away so I just cocked the hammer, covered the decoy and did my impression of an armed stump. A minute or three later I started to make out the sound of the tom drumming. The sound slowly grew closer (behind me) and then I could here his wings dragging in the dry leaves. He gobbled again only about 30 yards behind me and my heart missed a beat! I could hear him walking/strutting up behind me and then I knew he was right behind my tree! I stayed steady and he walked around behind me and then came past me on my left only 3 yards away (!) on his way to challenge DJ (my aggressive posture jake decoy). As he got to DJ he went into strut and when his tail fan came up I made my final, tiny adjustments. As he turned my way I saw a decent beard in profile so I made a tiny clicking sound with my tongue and he raised his head just enough for a sure shot. I dropped the hammer on my .62 Caywood Type "C" at 10 yards (80gr. 3f and 1 1/8oz. #6). Funny thing was I had inadvertently pressed my thumb into my nose so when the smoked cleared, both the tom and I were bleeding from the face. My trouble cleaned up easily with a rag - him, not so much. LOL
He was a 21lb. 2-year old and has the honour of being #12 for the Caywood. Still one tag and about 2 weeks left. I'm happy to say life has finally leveled out a bit and I'm back in the game. I used to get down into the States every other year for gobblers and will be adding a road trip again next year to NY, and maybe more. I've got a new job with paid vacation and some lost turkey time to make up for. :thumbsup:
I wasn't able to hunt turkeys in 2012 or 2013 as things were just too stressful/busy through the season. I always thought the only reason I would ever miss a turkey season would be to attend my own funeral and I'm still bitter about losing those years.
I was finally back at it last year and ended up filling my first tag with a "modern" shotgun, which I regretted as it was a 12 yard shot and I had only taken the shotgun for convenience. I smartened up and took my second tom last year with the flintlock so all was getting better in the universe.This year I'm using the flintlock only. I was out briefly opening morning (April 27th) then got a 7am call to go to work (I do emergency spill response). I couldn't get back out again until this past Friday, and I did have two jakes right at my decoy (10 yards) but wanted to hold out for a mature tom. I was out again yesterday and after a couple hours calling off an on with a decoy set in the field in front of me, I heard an unsolicited gobble up on the ridge beside/behind me. I yelped back and the tom immediately answered, sounding closer already in just the several seconds that had passed. I guessed he'd just come over the top of the ridge and was coming to investigate my calls. I judged him to be 100-150 away so I just cocked the hammer, covered the decoy and did my impression of an armed stump. A minute or three later I started to make out the sound of the tom drumming. The sound slowly grew closer (behind me) and then I could here his wings dragging in the dry leaves. He gobbled again only about 30 yards behind me and my heart missed a beat! I could hear him walking/strutting up behind me and then I knew he was right behind my tree! I stayed steady and he walked around behind me and then came past me on my left only 3 yards away (!) on his way to challenge DJ (my aggressive posture jake decoy). As he got to DJ he went into strut and when his tail fan came up I made my final, tiny adjustments. As he turned my way I saw a decent beard in profile so I made a tiny clicking sound with my tongue and he raised his head just enough for a sure shot. I dropped the hammer on my .62 Caywood Type "C" at 10 yards (80gr. 3f and 1 1/8oz. #6). Funny thing was I had inadvertently pressed my thumb into my nose so when the smoked cleared, both the tom and I were bleeding from the face. My trouble cleaned up easily with a rag - him, not so much. LOL
He was a 21lb. 2-year old and has the honour of being #12 for the Caywood. Still one tag and about 2 weeks left. I'm happy to say life has finally leveled out a bit and I'm back in the game. I used to get down into the States every other year for gobblers and will be adding a road trip again next year to NY, and maybe more. I've got a new job with paid vacation and some lost turkey time to make up for. :thumbsup:
