Species: Eastern Wild Turkey
Date of Harvest: 03/25/07
Time of Harvest: 4:40 PM
Temperature: 76°F
State of Harvest: Georgia, U.S.A.
Gun: 2004 NWTF 3.5" Browning Gold MOBU w/ 24" barrel
Sight: EOTech Model 552 Rev. F Holographic Sight
Choke: Rhino 2” Extended 0.670 Hevi Shot
Load: Nitro Company H51013 (2-1/4oz) 4x5x7 Hevi Shot
Yardage: 58 yards
Call: Widow Maker Black Scratcher Scratch box
Decoy: None Used
NWTF score on the Tom:
Left Spur = 1.00 inches
Right Spur = 1 3/8 (1.375) inches
Beard = 9 3/4 (9.75) inches
Weight = 19 lbs
NWTF Score equals [(10 x left spur) + (10 x right spur) + (2 x longest single beard strand) + (Weight)]
Sloppy's Tom scores: [(10 x 1.000) + (10 x 1.375) + (2 x 9.7500) + (19)] which equals:
62.2500 NWTF Points! Not my biggest bird but a
solid start for the 2007 Season !!! (Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana are next!)
The Story:
After a successful early afternoon calling in 2 Toms and my buddy Shawn harvesting one of these Toms (Sloppy blew a “double Tom” harvest by not having his gun ready), I headed back to camp with Shawn in his truck. We had just shared a joyous time after Shawn was able to get his Tom in the red dot sight at 27 yards. Not so strangely, I felt like an idiot because we did not “double” and take both Toms (I was looking at the wrong ridge for the Toms that were closing in on both of us). After celebrating Shawn’s 12:30 PM Tom harvest, I grabbed something to eat with Shawn and decided to go back in the woods for a late afternoon solo hunt (Shawn was too beat to go back into the heat).
I began to discuss my proposed hunting strategy with Shawn and decided that hunting the shade would be my best chance in the mid-80°F weather. Shawn agreed and suggested that I descend down the backside of the mountain, through the 7-acre non-prescribed burn area, and hang a right on the trail into the swampy area. Knowing that Shawn knew that mountain better than anyone, I took the suggestion to heart and proceeded to the area.
After parking the truck at the top of the mountain and walking 20 minutes into the area, I found a nice little rocky spot next to a good size blackjack oak tree and some broom sage. I confirmed that the Spectre Gunship (my Browning Gold shotgun) was ready with a full load of shot shell ammunition (Nitro Company H51013 Hevi Shot shot shells). A quick check of tightness on the choke tube and gun safety engagement was completed in short order.
As I looked up, I looked around at the 2 valleys that converged at my location. "As good as any other spot....maybe better...." I thought to myself.
Since the only birds that Shawn and I could get to talk to us had previously responded to my Widow Maker Black Scratcher scratch box, I began to play some excited clucks combined with yelping that varied in both cadence and volume. As before hunting with Shawn, a double gobble hammered back!
"Holy chit!....where the flock is my head net and hat?" I thought.
I quickly found them and covered myself and my glasses from any sunlight (to avoid reflections off my glasses). Another sequence of clucking and yelping was answered more loudly during my note playing. I guessed the Tom (or Toms; I didn't know positively at that point in time) were up the right valley about 100 yards or so.
I readied the Spectre Gunship in my lap and gave another short cluck (just one) and the gobbling sent another chill up my spine. I set the scratch box on the ground and lifted my gun to the ready position. My eyes were looking in the bottom of the valley in some sparse broom sage. I was just waiting for the Tom or Toms to round the sage and meet the sting of my Nitro Hevi Shot.
Well, the Toms showed up but instead of being in the bottom of the valley in the small, dried up drainage creek, the Toms were trying to flank me by walking across the face of the center ridge, approximately 30 yards up the ridge from the absolute bottom of the valley. I caught "the black blobs" in my peripheral vision, slowly moved my barrel on the lead Tom and began tracking them popping in and out of strut while studder-stepping on the hillside.
I contemplated waiting until the Toms heads were aligned behind one another for a shot at a double but ditched that idea quickly and decided to focus on the "lower Tom." Once he presented a shot through the small trees, the EOTech's red dot and circle found the base of the neck and the Spectre barked its payload.
Off flew the other Tom while my Tom performed another beautiful "reverse swan dive" and flapped the death rattle over and under a couple of logs before landing at the bottom of the hill at the converging point of the ridges.
I ran to my bird with the Spectre in low ready for a follow up if necessary. Still flapping, I stomped on his neck in order to expedite the Tom's expiration. I couldn't help but notice that I was being spurred quite heavily but didn't feel anything through the brand new pair of Redhead snake boots that Shawn had given me only the day before.
After the Tom expired, I knelt down to inspect the Tom. A nice, 2 to 3-year old with a "thin" beard. Somewhat unusual for a Tom with a 19-lb weight....or so I thought. H-mm-mm-mm....no shot pellets in the head, a few pellets in the waddles, and the majority of the hevi Shot just below the neck where the head meets the feathers. Low shot for some reason.
So....I left the Tom lay for a moment, returned to the exact spot I was sitting and walked off an honest
58 paces from where I had been calling and shot. I was sighted in for 40 yards with the Spectre and the distance provided a dann good reason that the shot was "low." No matter...the Tom was dead. 4:40 PM for time of death.
I loaded him into my Gobbler's Lounge vest carry pouch and made the blaze orange safety cover visible over the pouch for the walk out (or "up" I should say). 45 minutes later, I got back to camp with the "thumbs up" motioned to my host Shawnibal. We pulled the bird from the pouch, exchanged a hug and a "high 5," and I began to tell the story.
Happy? Yes I was. And dann happy to be with my friends Shawn, Gary, Larry and Wayne at the turkey Mecca, Windy Ridge Hunt Club.
The Pictures:
The Specifics:
Species: Meleagris gallopavo silvestris (Eastern Wild Turkey)
Date of Harvest: 05/10/07
Time of Harvest: 6:40
AM
Temperature: 64°F
County of Harvest: Jefferson County (Indiana)
Gun: 2004 NWTF 3.5" Browning Gold MOBU w/ 24" barrel
Sight: EOTech Model 552 Rev. F Holographic Sight
Choke: Rhino 2” Extended 0.670 Hevi Shot
Load: Nitro Company H51013 (2-1/4oz) 4x5x7 Hevi Shot
Yardage: 25 yards
Call: Head Hunter Anodized Aluminum Bubinga Pot Call / Purpleheart Striker
Decoy: Carry-Lite Pretty Boy (real tailfan) and Pretty Girl
Turkey's Weight: 22 lbs. 8 oz.
Left Spur: 0.905 inches (23mm straight measurement)
Right Spur: 0.945 inches (24mm straight measurement)
Beard Length: 10.1250 inches (another 1-inch thick paintbrush beard :-/ )
NWTF Score is 22.5 + 9.44 + 9.05 + 20.25 =
61.24 The Story:
I started very early on my last hunting day by waking up at 1:30 AM. The goal was to hit the road by 2:00AM and be
ready in my turkey vest’s seat by 4:30 AM.
At 4:15 AM, I loaded my person up with the usual calls, shotgun, turkey vest, beef jerky, binoculars, etc. But this time, I brought the over-priced Carry-lite Pretty Boy and Pretty girl decoys. I remember posting something in the past about “needing to see an adult Tom attack a decoy” and I thought that this Thursday morning just might be the day.
I walked quietly to the turned dirt and planted clover of a small field on the back of the 200-acre farm. This particular field was nothing but briars and weeds last year but the neighboring farmer cleared “the back 80” with a small bulldozer and turned the pastures with a large disc gang. The fields had about a 5-10 yards strip of weeds and grasses bordering the area.
I decided to set up in the taller weeds adjacent to a briar and old telephone pole. This spot was at the highest elevated section of the long field and I nestled into the spot along an old fence line. I grabbed the hand pruners and completed my shooting lanes.
Next up, I set up the Pretty Boy Tom and Pretty Girl hen 25 yards out from my location in a “high spot” for good visibility. I was convinced that
if this decoy were to stand a chance at working, an
adult Tom would need to see it. After staking in the Pretty Boy Tom and positioning the hen deek 2 feet in front of the tom deek, I pulled a large cardboard “envelope” from the decoy bag and removed the real tail fan from my 2003 Tom that I killed in the same area. I placed the tail fan in the decoy and positioned it slightly tilted to one side. I gave the deek a nudge to make sure that it was positioned properly and would “wobble” in any light winds.
Back to the ambush spot. I organized my turkey vest for a 120° shotgun barrel range freedom of movement check. My barrel hit a couple briars so I trimmed them out of the way and all was well. I activated the EOTech holographic weapon sight, checked my shotgun’s chamber for the nitOOz poison, and rechecked the “safe” position of my gun’s safety.
“I’m done. Now sit still,” I thought to myself.
But unfortunately, I forgot to get my calls out. I removed the Widow Maker Black Scratcher scratch box and the Head Hunter anodized aluminum pot and purple heart striker from my vest and positioned them to my side. Next, a quick check of the watch for time. 4:40 AM. Completed setup up 1 hour and 50 minutes before the 6:35AM sunrise.
Silence. Lots of silence until the forest began to wake up at 5:30 AM. At 5.37AM, I heard a gobble on the far side of the farm. I let out some yelps, purrs, and cuts on the Head Hunter pot call. No less than 5 different toms answered but in all directions. Every 10-15 minutes or so, I began to play a “pleading yelp” and the “contentment purrs” on the pot call. Every sequence was answered by toms from anywhere and everywhere.
“This sure is a good morning,” I thought again to myself.
The sun continued to illuminate the sky but sunrise was still another 20 minutes away. I performed a quick visual check of the decoys and everything appeared to be set properly. I began to call again but this time, I combined a sequence of cutts and yelps with varying cadence and volume.
Bang. Hammer gobbles from the drop-off to the creek at the far side of the dirt field. I placed the pot on the ground and readied the Spectre Gunship on my knee. I yelped some more with the purple heart striker and the Tom(s?) answered again. So then, I shut up and laid on the silent treatment at 6:15AM.
At 6:30AM, I observed 5 hens and a jake enter the field from the far corner (nearest the roost). The hens fanned out along the grass/dirt transition areas around the field. The jake, on the other hand, walked slowly to my decoys. He kept looking into the “deep” black eyes of the Tom while he circled the deeks a single time. Next, the jake jerked his body back. Evidently, he did not want to mess with this “Tom” and moved outward to find a hen friend.
“Great. Spend $90 and all I get is a jake magnet!” I muttered to myself.
All of the sudden, I spot 2 completely white Tom heads bobbing up and “periscoping” every 5 yards or so. The Toms were tailing a live hen on the field perimeter. One-handed, I yelped and clucked briefly with the pot call. The white headed duo turned, looked, and
ran to Pretty Boy. In all honesty, this was the most amazing action I have personally seen in the wild. These Toms acted just like the toms in the “How to Use Your Pretty Boy” video with Harold Knight and David Hale.
Once at the decoy, the subordinate Tom circled the decoy once and pecked at the eyes of the deek. Then, the subordinate Tom was muscled out of the way by the older Tom. In a flash, the dominant Tom began to flap his wings and jumped up on top of Pretty Boy. Spurs were flailing Pretty Boy as he fell over in the field continuing to be pummeled by the adult Tom. Once the dominant Tom was convinced that he “won” the fight, he turned in my direction in ½ strut. At 25 yards, the Spectre barked the Nitro Hevi Shot and ventilated the Tom’s head. Not a “DRT” (Dead Right There) situation but plenty of death rattle in the mud.
I moved quickly out for any flow-up shot but none was needed. I performed the ceremonial “Tom turkey head stomp” in order to assist his expiration. I grabbed the cell phone and called Shawnibal and told him the long and short of it. Thankful, I loaded up the decoy, deceased Tom, and equipment and headed for the car. Time of death for the Tom was 5 minutes after sunrise at 6:40AM. A quick hunt met by a quick drive to the check station and then work. Truly the most entertaining hunt I have personally ever experienced. I am still "hooked."
The Pictures:
