Nice bird, 40yds, .20ga Flintlock

04/14/07 AM, chilly, overcast, sprinkling now and then at the small green field I went to, set up a Jake + 3 Hen decoys in the dark at 5:45am...the 3 hens ”˜feeding’ towards the woods edge 10yds away just to the right of my line of fire towards the Jake set out at 40yds facing me.
No response to crow call or box call, never heard a gobble. Then at 8:30 three Jakes came out of the woods across the field and made a single file bee-line towards the Jake decoy...didn’t even bother with the hens...I guess they were going to kick his butt...the front Jake was a big bird, and the two behind were smaller.
And also at that moment the clouds opened a bit letting sunlight stream into the field and their feathers were absolutely gorgeous...knowing I had 2 tags, and never having taken a Turkey before, I wasn’t going to look a gift horse in the mouth when I had a beard 40yds from the Flintlock’s muzzle.
When the lead Jake got a yard from the decoy he stopped abruptly realizing it wasn’t alive I guess. He / they straightened up tall and started looking around, I sat his head on the front bead and touched the set trigger, collapsed where he stood.
Weighed 15lbs, 5" beard, spurs were just showing less than ½ inch.

Well, a Hearty Congratulations to you. :hatsoff: Glad you finally got the first one behind you. Hope you fill that second tag soon. My season starts tomorrow.

great looking bird, congrats!! great pic's too. are you going to make a wingbone call from him?

adkmountainken said:

great looking bird, congrats!! great pic's too. are you going to make a wingbone call from him?

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Good gracious no...I don't know how to use the store bought ones I've got and THEY come with instructions!
:rotf:

roundball,
CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!
snake-eyes :bow: :applause: :hatsoff:

i would be more than happy to make one from the wing of your turkey if you would like one. it is really nice to be able to use something from the game you took on a future hunt and hopefully call anothet one in. they are really easy to make, hardest thing is cleaning the 3 bones up, boiling and sanding. they are a very effective call as not to many people use them and the turkeys rarly hear them used.

Well congrats RB Fine looking bird.
I knew if you talked real sweet to them that you had a real good chance with the pattern you had your gun shooting. Great job and good luck in the future.

congrates roundball on yer first bird....i never thought ya wouldn't get one toady, as yer a good one in the woods from just this last deer season :bow: :bow: :hatsoff: :v ..........bob

Right on! You schooled that one. Congratulations!
Ron

Congrats on the Turkey Roundball! :hatsoff:
Good luck with number 2.

Roundball,

Nice bird. Nice pics. Thanks for sharing. GW

adkmountainken said:

i would be more than happy to make one from the wing of your turkey if you would like one. it is really nice to be able to use something from the game you took on a future hunt and hopefully call anothet one in. they are really easy to make, hardest thing is cleaning the 3 bones up, boiling and sanding. they are a very effective call as not to many people use them and the turkeys rarly hear them used.

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Nice hunting RB ... I have never hunted turkeys either. :thumbsup:

Does anybody hav e apicture of an turkey wingbone call? Just curious what they look like and how they are used! :hmm:

Davy

Good luck to everybody whose season is about to open...I was very impressed by the pulling power of that Jake decoy...Flambeau Master series sells a "flock" set which is a Jake, an upright hen, and a feeding hen...very realistic looking decoys and particularly the Jake with bright accurate head colors, glass eyes, etc...drew those 3 Jakes out of the woods 100yds away...wish I'd bought them a few years ago.

Tom's usually strut in the same places so if you can find a place like that, set up the Jake so he's facing you at near max range...when the Tom shows up mid morning to strut, he'll go to the Jake decoy to run him off (like these 3 Jakes did) and the Tom won't be looking at you, he'll be looking at the Jake decoy.

Good luck all...

Congratulations RoundBall, you give a feller encouragement! Now the only question is baked, fried, or fajita'ed(don't knock the last one till ya try it).

Congratulations


Anytime you get a turkey with a beard within range and take him with a finter, you have done something. Monday night I am heading up to VA where I have some acreage. I am a CPA and don't get to hunt until tax season is over so maybe I'll have some luck. (it is not officially over until Tuesday, but I am going to let my junior partners finish it for me)

Mommicked said:

Congratulations RoundBall, you give a feller encouragement! Now the only question is baked, fried, or fajita'ed(don't knock the last one till ya try it).

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:grin: my Wife of 40 years and I have an "agreement":
If I don't bring dead animals into the house she won't cook them... :rotf:...Now, that's her way of stating OUR "agreement"...but, it's about the only concession I've had to make for 40 years so "if it ain't broke don't fix it"...I just give away any game I take...

Just what county did you say you live in? :grin:

That stuff is better than store bought! 'Specially if'n ye teach it to speak Tex-Mex! :haha:

My wife was a card carrying member of the animal group "PITA" when we met....she now helps grind deer burger, and gets worried about having to buy beef when I have a poor season!

Congratulations again, and if you head to the beach look me up.

Congrats, 40yards is a dang long ways for a flinter pattern. NICE!!!!!

Wess

KyFlintlock said:

Congrats, 40yards is a dang long ways for a flinter pattern. NICE!!!!!
Wess

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The Lowell Tennyson Jug Choke and Bob Spencer .62cal turkey load in this GM .62cal Flint smoothbore barrel is a turkey hunter's dream.

Shooting tuna cans at 40yds is well and good...gave me a lot of confidence for the 40yd shot at the Jake's head...but nothing to date beat the actual reality of setting that Jake's head on the front bead and having him collapse where he stood at 40yds.

Have one more tag and three Saturdays left...
:grin:

Was he 40yds when you shot him? How far can you shoot a turkey with shot in that 20ga?