My first turkey.

[Morel_Hunter]

Well I got my very first turkey this morning at my Uncle's farm in Lanark county. It was quite an exciting hunt!!! Talk about buck fever, turkey fever is 10 times worst. I saw lots of turkey's yesterday, including a big strutter that my aunt asked me NOT to kill. Anyway, I roosted the birds last night, setup near them @ 5:00am. Hear the boss tom gobbling at first light. It just sent shivers down my spine! Heard the birds flydown. Heart was already starting to pound. Gave a few soft tree yelps to let the birds know where I was. 3 hens approched my decoys then they all disappeared over the hill. I sat for another 1/2 hour waiting for them to reappear. Still no luck, then when I was going to give up, I hear a soft cluck & there is a hen 10 ft away from me. She stared at me for a while then continued towards my decoys. I then heard the strangest noise, a sort of low bass drumming sound. I looked to my right & the boss tom was 20 ft away moving right towards my decoys. I could hardly hold the gun from shaking!!! Then a nice jake appeared 30 ft in front of me & moving from my right towards the decoys, I didn't hesitate, as soon as the reddot was on his neck I pulled the trigger on the Mossberg. BOOOOOOOOM the shotgun roared & the jake hit the grass. The other turkeys sqwaked but stayed put. I jacked another round into the Mossberg & the turkeys didn't seem to notice. The boss tom ran over to the fallen jake & kicked it. A minute later he was back to strutting in front of me. It was all I could do not to take that magnificent longbeard, but my Aunt's wish's must be headed. His beard was so long it almost seemed to drag on the ground! I sat & watched the birds for another 45 minutes or so. They were never more than 100ft away. I also saw him breed 2 of the 10 hens he had with him. It is a hunt I will NOT soon forget!

The jake was a beautiful bird that weighed 16lbs & had a 3.5" beard. Spurs were only about 1/8" long. I am one happy hunter! Good luck to everyone.

http://i149.photobucket.com/albums/s68/glang1/Turkeyjakewithwingsspread4-26-07120.jpg

[BuckNBeard Hunter]

Congrats on your first bird!! You should have shot the longbeard and told your aunt it was a different one..lol. But either way congrats.