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First time turkey hunting


scottb

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Went out to Jefferson ohio to go turkey hunting this Saturday. Kinda long post here. so if you dont to read all this, scroll to the end to see the result. This was my first time hunting anythng, ever. My friend Dave lives out that way. The whole exerience was great. Going back a few weeks, I started to shop for getting the camo related gear i would need. Dave let me borrow a barrel for the Remington 870, and his camo to fill in the gaps of what i did not purchase. I got my hunting license and the turkey tag.

So, getting up at 5 AM, walking in the woods in the dark with only a small flashlight for guidance started off our day. We got to our location by about 6:15 AM. So now, just waiting for sun rise. Dave had already scouted out the area and pick a few locations that he felt would be good spots to set up. We got a spot just inside the treeline and next to a large soybean field that was just harvested last week. The plan being to get them at morning feeding.

Sitting mostly still and being quite for hours is harder then it sounds. Your back starts to hurt, your feet go numb, my you take some really long blinks and you dose off alittle. Just hearing all the outdoor noises, acorns falling from trees, chipmunks running up branches, crows making noise was relaxing. In the fall turkeys dont make alot of noise like they do in the spring. Around 10 AM, we relocated about 100 yards into the woods.

A short time later, you can hear turkeys making noises in the area we just left. Frustrating!!

We found a spot that had 2 large trees about 10 feet apart. I picked the tree closest to the field and my line of sight was from 9 oclock to 3 oclock, assumng the turkeys would come from the field side. My friend was facing the 9 oclock position of the second tree, in case the turkeys came from the woods side. Dave started using his turkey calls. We hear a another turkey respond. I only know what a turkey call sounds like from watching hunting shows and a couple videos on youtube. The responding turkey call sounded too perfect. I assumed it was another hunter, even though we should have been the only people hunting on this 86 acres of land we were on.

So, dave calls back, and I actually see the turkey coming towards us, about 25 yards away.

The turkeys approach was about my 11 oclock postion. The better shooting would have been from the 12 oclock to 3 oclock, more open space and less samplings. My heart is racing, to actually see a turkey!! Slowly I raise my shotgun and line up the sights and I start tracking the turkey as he is moving to the left. Now, turkeys kinda bob their heads when they walk. As I am following the turkey, there are 4 little trees that were in the way. In the clear space between the tress, was when the turkeys head was down. The turkey keeps walking left and i realize i am about out of pivot room to take the shot.

So, I am thinking alot of thoughts all at the same time, " hey wow a turkey," and i MIGHT be able to get him, as i am panning with the barrel sighted on him, ok, i am bout to take a shot, then dang tree is in the way , dang, he ducked his head, ....I did not waste the morning by taking a sloppy shot. Since I could not pivot around anymore to continue tracking this bird, i whispered to Dave, "Take him, he is yours" and millisecond later BANG Dave takes the shot.........

It was a miss. Dave's line of fire had some vines and small tress too.

I will go back out and try again

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good, descriptive, story describing the noises and critters, stiff back, and feet falling asleep, that's what it's all about...you're in their house and it's amazing when the woods come alive..hopefully you caught the bug.

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I also got to shoot trap on Sunday morning. Same deal, borrowed gun, a Browning Citori (sp?) very nice over / under with a 32 inch barrel and a skeet choke tube. First time up, I hit 5 out of 25, and the second time up i hit 12 out of 25. I am definately hooked on trap.

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I will go back out and try again for turkey. I do have the hunting bug.

I would have to do the "gut check" if i wanted to go for deer. I am not sure I would be able to actually shoot a deer.

Hit one while on your bike and you won't have any problem spilling a little deer blood...

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you could do what I did last year....on my way to drop the lil one off at the sitters I hit a turkey with the front end of my truck. The frickin bastard caused about $1700 worth of damage.

they may be a bird but they are no joke when it comes to hitting one with a vehicle. i watched my dad peel one with his brand new durango. i learned some new vocabulary that day :lol:

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they may be a bird but they are no joke when it comes to hitting one with a vehicle. i watched my dad peel one with his brand new durango. i learned some new vocabulary that day :lol:

Yeah, the front was all messed up. It was right before thanksgiving and she didn't even pick it up for dinner. :(

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Correct, first you get your hunting license, then you also need to get a turkey tag. I used my 12 guage. Not sure what gauge would work best, I suspect the type of shell/load used?

What kind of shells did you and your buddy use???????? What #? Should be a 4 or lower number and the gun should have a tight choke.

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