Nothing!!!!

From now on, this turkey will be referred to as the “nothing” bird...

I got to my blind extra early this morning, got the decoys set, and got settled in to the sound of that snap Whippoorwill that entertains this hills.

The early morning light finally started to brighten the pasture I was watching, but guess what I heard?

Nothing.

Finally, several minutes after shooting time, I heard a bird gobble, almost to the edge of my hearing. Then 2 more chimed in, but all of them were spread far apart, and the last 2 I was sure were on other farms.

I scratched on my VECtor aluminum pot call, but you guessed it....

Nothing.

After about 30 minutes, I thought it sounded like the middle bird had come to a pond in the valley below me to the north. He had gobbled about every 6 seconds, since he flew down, but when I’d call...

Nothing.

After a bit longer, I tried that aluminum call again, and immediately followed it with some sweet yelps from my VECtor slate call, and yea...

Nothing.

But, much to my surprise, when he did gobble again, he was closer!!!
So, I played his game, I gave him...

Nothing.

That bird just kept gobbling at my nothing, and kept coming up the trail to my corner of the pasture. Finally he gobbled again, and I could hear him drumming. I peeked to the trail and there he was in full strut.

He gobbled several more times while putting on a show for the feeder and breeder hen decoys. He finally got to the breeder, and I figured it was time to get my Flintlock Trade Gun up on the shooting stick.

I got the gun up and ready, got myself ready while the Tom was on top of my decoy, doing what Tom Turkeys like to do, so I figured I’d cock my hammer too!! I let him stretch his head up a little then squeezed the trigger....

Yup, nothing.

No spark, no flash in the pan, no big boom, just,

Nothing!!!!

So, at this point, as rattled as I was, and as busy as the turkey still was, I wiped off the frizzen face and the flint, got back on the gun to try again!!

This time, it went klatchBANG!
And the shaking is still going!!!!

My 20 ga Trade Gun shoots 70 gr by volume of 2F real black powder under 80 gr BY VOLUME of #5 lead. Both my birds this year, the load was following the Skychief Special!!
The shot was at 8 steps.
The bird was 21#13oz with 1” spurs and a 10 3/8” beard.

#tradlife
https://imgur.com/gallery/0NmgZlj

Way to go, Brad! You put the hurt on them this year!

Darren

Thank ya kindly! Been awhile since I’ve filled both tags!!
And congrats to you as well!!

:thumbsup:

did you determine the cause of the first FTF?

I wiped the frizzen face and the edge of the flint, with a gloved finger, then it went bang!
Had the frizzen hardened last summer which helped it considerably.
Wish Davis would start making that replacement lock again!!!

Nothing my eye! You told a wonderful tale with nice photos. A nice bird and nice toys. Keep yer powder dry..........robin :bow:

I thought it was going to be a sad tale but no, the opposite :hatsoff:
Great photos :thumbsup:

B.

Congratulations Brad :thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup: !!!!

Reading your account made me think of another reason I love turkey hunting so much....From season to season, bird to bird, one can never predict what may happen, what the birds want to hear, and so on. You had me on the edge of my seat as that speechless Ol Boy was getting closer!

Really enjoyed all the photos, but, that first picture is outstanding. Looks like Techumseh himself could have taken the gobbler almost a couple centurys ago.

Thanks for sharing and enjoy the silly grin you'll be wearing for awhile, Skychief.

Up until the point where you scored on 'ol Tom, I'd thought maybe you were telling MY story. But you got him and congratulations.

Thank you Sir!!

Great story and results, Brad.
Congrats!!

Richard.

Great bird and excellent accounting of the hunt. Good job. You did the right thing by stopping your yelp call when you did, something a lot of hunters struggle to do. But, how often do you spend time close to a bunch of hens, they a rarely silent. When I practice calling I mostly practice very soft purring and clucking, like very pleased and contented feeding hens. But then again, probably not needed in this case.

Might try keeping a hammer stall with you, then you can cock the gun sooner, before the bird is within hearing range, and keep stuff off the frizzen face.

Brokennock said:

Might try keeping a hammer stall with you, then you can cock the gun sooner, before the bird is within hearing range, and keep stuff off the frizzen face.

Click to expand...

Good tip. :thumbsup:

I never thought of this, a hammer stall keeping the face clean! :hatsoff:

B.

Good story an pic :thumbsup:

He died with his spurs on! :hatsoff:

:rotf:

Lol true!!!

Excellent !!
great bird, great story, and great photos !!

Way to go Brad! :thumbsup:
:hatsoff: