First day turkey with a flintlock

The last few fall turkey hunts for me have gone to the last day before I got a turkey. This year, I resolved to sit still in a spot that I knew would eventually get me a chance at a gobbler. About 10:00 this morning, the first day of fall turkey season in Illinois, three nice gobblers decided to walk right up to my spot. I aimed at the closest one, at about 15 yards. The 12 gauge flintlock went off fast and the bird was down and out. Young gobbler, 9” beard. May try smoking him.

Looks like some good eating. Nice

Beautiful. Turkey is good anyway you cook em. Clean up and freeze for thanksgiving or
enjoy now. Very nice fowler. Thanks for sharing.

Nice looking bird.

Smoked turkey, yumm! What time are we eatin'?

Thanks okawbow for sharing. Isn't it great when you outsmart 'em?

Very nice all around.

Nicely done!! Man I sure miss our Fall season, I sure hope our numbers get back up to be able to hunt them some day!!

Every body to his own but not for me
Feltwad

Don’t like fall turkey hunting? After all; our pioneer ancestors hunted turkeys in the fall. More so, I would think than in the spring. I believe it’s a greater challenge to take a fall gobbler than a spring gobbler. The season is also much shorter.
Maybe you are jealous that we can hunt these magnificent birds here in the US? Lots more challenge than shooting driven pheasants.

Well done!! You must have been sitting really still for them to get that close!! I am contemplating a Carolina trade gun to hunt turkey with as well as deer!!

Nicely done! I’ve killed a couple spring gobblers with the smokepole. It’s great fun. Congrats on the nice fall bird.

Feltwad said:

Every body to his own but not for me
Feltwad

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okawbow said:

Don’t like fall turkey hunting? After all; our pioneer ancestors hunted turkeys in the fall. More so, I would think than in the spring. I believe it’s a greater challenge to take a fall gobbler than a spring gobbler. The season is also much shorter.
Maybe you are jealous that we can hunt these magnificent birds here in the US? Lots more challenge than shooting driven pheasants.

Click to expand...

Though he has never tried it. Our pompous judge of all things sporting deems our turkey hunting methods unsportsmanlike and beneath a sporting gentleman.
This has come up with nearly every turkey hunting post on here. He's never tried it, has no idea what he's talking about, and yet,,,,, can't seem to keep from commenting negatively on it.

A true gentleman would have just said congratulations and let it be... or, said nothing at all.

Brokennock said:

Though he has never tried it. Our pompous judge of all things sporting deems our turkey hunting methods unsportsmanlike and beneath a sporting gentleman.
This has come up with nearly every turkey hunting post on here. He's never tried it, has no idea what he's talking about, and yet,,,,, can't seem to keep from commenting negatively on it.

A true gentleman would have just said congratulations and let it be... or, said nothing at all.

Click to expand...

Every body to his own .
Feltwad

Brokennock said:

Though he has never tried it. Our pompous judge of all things sporting deems our turkey hunting methods unsportsmanlike and beneath a sporting gentleman.
This has come up with nearly every turkey hunting post on here. He's never tried it, has no idea what he's talking about, and yet,,,,, can't seem to keep from commenting negatively on it.

A true gentleman would have just said congratulations and let it be... or, said nothing at all.

Click to expand...

I shot a turkey on the wing once does that count as sporting.....

Ricochet said:

Nicely done!! Man I sure miss our Fall season, I sure hope our numbers get back up to be able to hunt them some day!!

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PA restocked with captured wild birds from elsewhere. Worked very, very well. I am 12 miles south of Lancaster, PA and had to jam on the brakes to let 6 cross the road recently.

Nice one, I wish I could shoot one.

we have turkeys here in Arizona but they are on the north side of the grand canyon. I live on the Mexican border and it's at least a days drive to get there. You have to get drawn first too.

mushka said:

we have turkeys here in Arizona but they are on the north side of the grand canyon. I live on the Mexican border and it's at least a days drive to get there. You have to get drawn first too.

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Oh my friend, this is not true, there are the Gould’s sub-species very near you at the Mexican border. Tags are near impossible to get, but I have seen turkeys all along the Mogollon Rim. Also, in New Mexico, an hour East of Safford is good turkey country. Turkey hunting talk gets me all butterflies in my stomach. There’s nothing else like it.

By the way to the OP. That bird is a monster or your gun is tiny. How many pounds was that beast?