- Joined
- Nov 19, 2012
- Messages
- 646
- Reaction score
- 398
Illinois has a 9 day fall turkey season in some counties. I took my Grandson out last weekend, and he got a nice young turkey on the last evening. I let him shoot first, but wasn't able to get a shot at one of the flock with my flintlock.
I was able to go the last 2 days of the season. Saturday morning I had turkeys all around, but not close enough. Same thing Saturday evening. I hunted deer with my longbow Sunday morning and killed a fine doe. Sunday afternoon, I was back after the turkeys with the 12 gauge flintlock.
I set up just inside the woods a couple hundred yards from a known roosting area, hoping the turkeys would come my way. About 5:30, I spotted a flock coming across a field, heading toward me. As they came into the woods, the flock scattered, and began working toward me. Just before they came in range, they moved to my left, where I couldn't see them. I had to raise up to shoot, and of course they spotted me. I had just a second or two to pick out a bird and shoot at about 25 yards.
I could only see about 20 heads over the edge of the hill, so I picked out one and fired. At the shot, the flock scattered, and then silence. I couldn't see if I had hit a bird and thought maybe I had missed until I heard some flapping. Turned out to be a nice fat hen that will be very appreciated on Thanksgiving.
I used 80 grains 2f and an equal measure of #6 shot. I use 2 card wads over powder and 1 card wad over shot. I built my 12 gauge using a 30" barrel off a single shot modern gun.
2017 fall by okawbow, on Flickr
2017 fall by okawbow, on Flickr
I was able to go the last 2 days of the season. Saturday morning I had turkeys all around, but not close enough. Same thing Saturday evening. I hunted deer with my longbow Sunday morning and killed a fine doe. Sunday afternoon, I was back after the turkeys with the 12 gauge flintlock.
I set up just inside the woods a couple hundred yards from a known roosting area, hoping the turkeys would come my way. About 5:30, I spotted a flock coming across a field, heading toward me. As they came into the woods, the flock scattered, and began working toward me. Just before they came in range, they moved to my left, where I couldn't see them. I had to raise up to shoot, and of course they spotted me. I had just a second or two to pick out a bird and shoot at about 25 yards.
I could only see about 20 heads over the edge of the hill, so I picked out one and fired. At the shot, the flock scattered, and then silence. I couldn't see if I had hit a bird and thought maybe I had missed until I heard some flapping. Turned out to be a nice fat hen that will be very appreciated on Thanksgiving.
I used 80 grains 2f and an equal measure of #6 shot. I use 2 card wads over powder and 1 card wad over shot. I built my 12 gauge using a 30" barrel off a single shot modern gun.
2017 fall by okawbow, on Flickr
2017 fall by okawbow, on Flickr