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FirstFreedom · April 19, 2005, 08:40 PM

Saturday morning, April 16th, I got my first turkey ever at around 8:30 a.m, and boy it's lotsa fun. Second turkey trip (first one was last weekend); first day out. (well I had bowhunted for turkey from a stand last fall, but no luck). Here's the brief story.... Okfuskee county, Oklahoma, near Okemah. Friend and I set up a tent blind on this one hill on 40 acres of land we were hunting...I had seen turkeys roosting not 100 yards from where we set up our blind back in deer season. Got out at 6am Sat, and they were already gobbling - we were late! We settled in and I started calling them in, as the more experienced caller of the two of us - neither had ever turkey hunted before this season, but I had practiced my calls; he hadn't. Sure enough, turkeys are heard gobbling all around us, and a few of them come in - my friend gets one at 6:30 am at about 20 yards with a Rem 870 with full choke and 2.75" shells. Then they pretty much quit gobbling between 7:30 and 8:00 am. But I kept calling, and sure enough, around 8:30, 2 jakes come in silently and walk up to my jake-mounting-hen decoy, and I smoke one of them with Mossy 935, with Kent brand shells, 3.5" 2 oz. loads. He didn't kick much. It was 24 yards approx. He was only about 14 lbs. field-dressed, 4 inch beard, and just 1/4" nub spurs, but he's my first turkey - I'm pretty pumped. I think I did a decent job of calling for my first time. I took pics, but with a regular cam instead of digicam, so I have to wait until I shoot the rest of the roll and scan one for posting here later on. I carefully butchered him and got quite a bit of meat - I think I got it all, but not 100% sure whether there was some back meat I missed. Gonna try again this weekend. Got a box call to go with my slate call since Sat evening and Sun morning were like night and day - NO turkeys come in, except hens - they must have been wise to my calls by then, or leery from the gunshots - no luck in getting a second one. Thinking I need to change up my calls to fool them. Seems like they had a pow-wow and the smart ones told the dumb ones to avoid that area - "ya know, where your two buddies got their fool heads blown off".

Thanks for all your help, LokMdwn and others.

Oh, these are Rios, I believe, from the tail feather markings and the high degree of vocality, if that's a word.

Oh, forgot to add, was using an "Ulti-full" choke on the 935, 2 steps up from the standard full that came with the shotgun.

April 19, 2005, 08:40 PM	#14
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	Good show boys! Saturday morning, April 16th, I got my first turkey ever at around 8:30 a.m, and boy it's lotsa fun. Second turkey trip (first one was last weekend); first day out. (well I had bowhunted for turkey from a stand last fall, but no luck). Here's the brief story.... Okfuskee county, Oklahoma, near Okemah. Friend and I set up a tent blind on this one hill on 40 acres of land we were hunting...I had seen turkeys roosting not 100 yards from where we set up our blind back in deer season. Got out at 6am Sat, and they were already gobbling - we were late! We settled in and I started calling them in, as the more experienced caller of the two of us - neither had ever turkey hunted before this season, but I had practiced my calls; he hadn't. Sure enough, turkeys are heard gobbling all around us, and a few of them come in - my friend gets one at 6:30 am at about 20 yards with a Rem 870 with full choke and 2.75" shells. Then they pretty much quit gobbling between 7:30 and 8:00 am. But I kept calling, and sure enough, around 8:30, 2 jakes come in silently and walk up to my jake-mounting-hen decoy, and I smoke one of them with Mossy 935, with Kent brand shells, 3.5" 2 oz. loads. He didn't kick much. It was 24 yards approx. He was only about 14 lbs. field-dressed, 4 inch beard, and just 1/4" nub spurs, but he's my first turkey - I'm pretty pumped. I think I did a decent job of calling for my first time. I took pics, but with a regular cam instead of digicam, so I have to wait until I shoot the rest of the roll and scan one for posting here later on. I carefully butchered him and got quite a bit of meat - I think I got it all, but not 100% sure whether there was some back meat I missed. Gonna try again this weekend. Got a box call to go with my slate call since Sat evening and Sun morning were like night and day - NO turkeys come in, except hens - they must have been wise to my calls by then, or leery from the gunshots - no luck in getting a second one. Thinking I need to change up my calls to fool them. Seems like they had a pow-wow and the smart ones told the dumb ones to avoid that area - "ya know, where your two buddies got their fool heads blown off". Thanks for all your help, LokMdwn and others. Oh, these are Rios, I believe, from the tail feather markings and the high degree of vocality, if that's a word. Oh, forgot to add, was using an "Ulti-full" choke on the 935, 2 steps up from the standard full that came with the shotgun. Last edited by FirstFreedom; April 20, 2005 at 11:09 AM.