Easter Turkey

[Marc]

This past weekend was our opener, and had family obligations on Saturday, and a rainy weekend.  I was able to drive up and hunt for about 30 minutes and scout Saturday (in the rain).  Had a bird answer, and noted the location/

Next day was church, and lunch with the family, but I was able to get up to the hills at about 2 pm...  It is steep country, and I am hunting a canyon/gorge.  I take a quad down (usually powered off and cruise with the power off riding the brakes in neutral) for about 1.5 miles.  Rain had let up, so I packed my gear into a shoulder satchel and headed down a steep grade for about 1/2 mile on foot.  Started a series of calls, and got a response...

I start to set up, and realize I did NOT have my shotgun (felt the strap from my clothes bag and guess I thought it was the gun).  

Headed back up the grade (double time and heart attack speed), pulled my gun off the quad, at which time I could hear the bird gobbling where I had originally set up.

Headed back down, and then took a ridge above where I though he would be, and did another series of calls to work him back up...  Either he moved, or I struck a different bird, but he gobbled back on the other side from where I thought he would be...  As I found a good spot (in front of a tree and behind a good rock), he continued to gobble on his own and was coming to me fast...

He shut up for about 5 minutes, so I tried calling, and nearly soiled myself from the startling sound of the loud/close gobble (I had Tetra's in so it sounded like he was in my lap).  Even with the moist ground I could hear his footsteps, and was 100% prepared and pointed in the correct direction, which I can never, ever remember happening.

He came in, in full strut, got to about 25 yards, and I believe he got nervous not seeing a hen, and his head periscoped up, and I took the shot...  Looked good, and heard the flop.

He had just crested a ridge when I shot falling back, and I walked to where I though he was (as he disappeared after the shot).  He was not there, or anywhere reasonably close.  I saw his head fold back when I shot, and could not contemplate that I missed...  Finally found the feather pile where he was hit, and followed the feather trail to a piled up bird....

Started hunting at 2 pm, and finished at 3 pm...  Fulfilled family obligations, kept the wife happy, went to church, broke bread with the family (on both sides), and had a great hunt...  Wish I had not left my gun behind, but figured it makes for a better story anyways...

About 3/4 inch spurs with a thick 9.5" beard...  Nothing to brag about, but nothing I would pass either:

[Happy]

Very nice. Well done and congrats!

Good-looking and Platinum level member of the Elitist club

[Turkeybutt]

Great bird and thanks for sharing the story. Sometimes things just fall into place. Congrats!

[YoungGobbler]

Nice bird,  happy for you 

[Tom007]

Very nice..

[King Cobra]

Congratulations, beautiful bird!

[Badger]

Great Story and Congrats.

[JeffC]

Congrats, awesome story and pictures, sometimes it just works out just right! Thanks for sharing.

[bbcoach]

BLESSED would be a GREAT word for the day Marc.  Worshiping God on Easter morning, spending time at lunch with your Family and a 1 hour afternoon Turkey hunt that ended in a dead bird.  WOW, what more can you say??  CONGRATS!!!!   

[Zobo]

Beautiful bird,congrats!

[RutnNStrutn]

Congrats on your Easter gobbler.

Sent from my moto z4 using Tapatalk

[Vintage]

Great Hunt. Nice bird.

[Marc]

BLESSED would be a GREAT word for the day Marc.  Worshiping God on Easter morning, spending time at lunch with your Family and a 1 hour afternoon Turkey hunt that ended in a dead bird.  WOW, what more can you say??  CONGRATS!!!!   

Yeah...  I have not genrally posted my birds unless something unusual happens...

Facing opening weekend with a storm, and a family event on Saturday that got pushed from 6 pm to noon, and Easter on Sunday, I was a bit depressed about my hunting prospects...  Then leaving my gun behind, my prospects did not seem super great.

As it turns out, got the best of both worlds with some great family time, and a wonderful and surprising afternoon hunt...  With a bird that cooperated perfectly.  Oddly, last year I also did not get to hunt the Opening Saturday and made an afternoon hunt on Sunday, and also had a "surpise success."

[Muzzy61]

Congrats on a good bird and story.

[crow]

Very nice picture, congrats on your hunt and gobbler.