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ADK Bigfoot

54 Cal.
Joined
May 29, 2016
Messages
1,555
Reaction score
1,946
Location
Lake George, NY
Why is it when you go to bed early and set an alarm to get into the woods before dawn that you wake up every hour? By 4:00 AM I had enough and got on my camo. My Tulle fowler had been loaded the night before, and my gear was at the door.

With a full moon, it was easy enough to climb the hill and find a spot to wait for dawn. As the light began to improve, I realized I was in the wrong spot! I gently pulled my decoy and went further up the hill to a better spot. At 5:04 I heard the first gobble. Three hundred yards away and down hill. Then I heard another gobble and the sound of a jake pack on the ground. A few strikes on my box call got the game going.

Over the next half hour, I would answer a gobble with a little hen music, and then shut up. It sounded like they were all coming up to meet the new girl next door. Then I realized that their approach was going to keep me from seeing them until they were in my lap. I gently moved back away from the approaching birds so I had more room. Being left handed, I set up so I had a perfect line on where I just knew they would appear.

Any time you think you know what a turkey is going to do, you will be wrong. Their flanking move brought them in from my left. The first bird to show himself was a jake with a small beard and a bright red head. He looked around and then jumped up like he had been poked. Right behind him was a long-beard with a bright white head and blue and red wattles who was not going to be last to the party! When he stepped out from behind a tree at 35 yards I held for his head and fired. All hell broke loose. There were two long-beards and three jakes in the pack, and when the big bird hit the ground the others jumped, ran in circles gobbling, or flew off. It was a circus.

The big tom had an eight inch beard, one inch spurs, and a full fan. As the sun rose, his feathers glistened in the first shafts of light to hit the forest floor. It was a great morning with lots of excitement, and a fine bird headed for the freezer. And I was headed for the couch for a nap!

(technical data: Left hand Tulle trade gun, jug choked 20 gauge loaded with 70 grains of 3F Swiss under two card wads, one lubed felt wad, one ounce of #5 plated shot and an over shot wad.)

ADK Bigfoot
Turkey Gold Feathers.jpeg
May 6 Turkey.jpeg
 
Why is it when you go to bed early and set an alarm to get into the woods before dawn that you wake up every hour? By 4:00 AM I had enough and got on my camo. My Tulle fowler had been loaded the night before, and my gear was at the door.

With a full moon, it was easy enough to climb the hill and find a spot to wait for dawn. As the light began to improve, I realized I was in the wrong spot! I gently pulled my decoy and went further up the hill to a better spot. At 5:04 I heard the first gobble. Three hundred yards away and down hill. Then I heard another gobble and the sound of a jake pack on the ground. A few strikes on my box call got the game going.

Over the next half hour, I would answer a gobble with a little hen music, and then shut up. It sounded like they were all coming up to meet the new girl next door. Then I realized that their approach was going to keep me from seeing them until they were in my lap. I gently moved back away from the approaching birds so I had more room. Being left handed, I set up so I had a perfect line on where I just knew they would appear.

Any time you think you know what a turkey is going to do, you will be wrong. Their flanking move brought them in from my left. The first bird to show himself was a jake with a small beard and a bright red head. He looked around and then jumped up like he had been poked. Right behind him was a long-beard with a bright white head and blue and red wattles who was not going to be last to the party! When he stepped out from behind a tree at 35 yards I held for his head and fired. All hell broke loose. There were two long-beards and three jakes in the pack, and when the big bird hit the ground the others jumped, ran in circles gobbling, or flew off. It was a circus.

The big tom had an eight inch beard, one inch spurs, and a full fan. As the sun rose, his feathers glistened in the first shafts of light to hit the forest floor. It was a great morning with lots of excitement, and a fine bird headed for the freezer. And I was headed for the couch for a nap!

(technical data: Left hand Tulle trade gun, jug choked 20 gauge loaded with 70 grains of 3F Swiss under two card wads, one lubed felt wad, one ounce of #5 plated shot and an over shot wad.)

ADK BigfootView attachment 220503View attachment 220504
Very nice Sir I really like the colours of the bird in the first picture neat.
 
Anticipation will interrupt sleep, make one shake a little and even hinder breathing! :cool:

That is a trophy bird and a great hunt. Your gun is a very nice looking treasure, IMHO. Congratulations, ADK Bigfoot!
 
Turkey hunting is the best. Wake up super early, get into the woods before wake up, listen to the woods come to life and bag a turkey to boot! Does it get any better? Great story, great bird, great gun!
 
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