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Post by james243 on Mar 23, 2024 11:24:53 GMT -5
![]() I was successful today at with this gobbler and I realized that along with it being my first harvest from a WMA, it was also the first one that I have called in myself and shot, first time using the app for reporting, and the first time I have shot one lying prone. I can tell you that my shoulder wishes I could switch out the 12 gauge magnum for a 22 magnum. I have seen birds in this spot from the road many times, including yesterday. Today they weren’t there at the same time as yesterday and I had decided to call it quits. I walked about 75 yards and heard a gobble, probably 150 yards away. There was a wind row ahead of me with a good size oak on top of a mound about 18” high. I layed down next to the oak and made some noise with the old box call that my dad handed off to me probably 30 years ago. I was getting responses from him. I could see him coming through the freshly burned pines from about 60 yards away. I could tell he was not happy that there was no hen coming to meet him, but he kept coming straight towards where he last heard me. He got to about 20 yards and came to a clear spot, and it was all over. |
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Post by james243 on Mar 23, 2024 11:51:37 GMT -5
If only I could post a picture… not sure what’s failing me, I’ve been able to in the past.
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Post by 4ward on Mar 23, 2024 14:12:36 GMT -5
If only I could post a picture… not sure what’s failing me, I’ve been able to in the past. I have to hit the reply button at top of page(right) to make it work on my phone. |
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Post by james243 on Mar 23, 2024 17:11:08 GMT -5
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Post by james243 on Mar 23, 2024 17:21:25 GMT -5
Yesterday I hung out and helped get the kids off to school before I went over to hunt, it was raining pretty good anyway so I had planned to just chill until the rain let up. There has been a coyote coming around that made a couple swipes at the chickens and turkeys in the yard. Knowing that I got out my 20 gauge with #4 buck and set it by the back door while I ate breakfast. Not ten minutes later he messed up:  I toted him off and within 20 minutes one of the neighborhood hens came by for breakfast. This is not the first coyote killed from my living room. |
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Post by 4ward on Mar 23, 2024 17:45:18 GMT -5
Very nice!
Good stuff bud, all of it.
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Post by nuthinfancy on Mar 23, 2024 18:09:01 GMT -5
Eventful couple of days, love to see it
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Post by swampdog on Mar 23, 2024 21:33:38 GMT -5
You’re on a roll. I remember an uncle that kept a .22 magnum over the kitchen door for coyotes. He could get it very quickly which we usually need to do with coyotes.
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Post by drgibby on Mar 24, 2024 6:33:17 GMT -5
Great bird James! Congrats.
I've just about had my nose broke holding a fan in one hand and shooting a 12 ga. with the other. Switching to the .410 3 years ago solved that problem!
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Post by james243 on Mar 24, 2024 7:49:47 GMT -5
I think I need to pattern my 20 gauge 2-3/4 gun. I’m thinking that at 25 yards just about anything would work even with a fixed modified choke.
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Post by swampdog on Mar 24, 2024 8:42:29 GMT -5
Sounds like a plan. Not enough folks pattern their shotguns these days. I now tote a 20 gauge for most everything except when running hounds on deer. My old 12 likes slugs or #1 buck.
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Post by richm on Mar 24, 2024 8:47:16 GMT -5
It is amaxing how some loads shoot way off others pattern dense and others spread more. You gotta pattern.
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Post by cyclist on Mar 24, 2024 10:06:38 GMT -5
Congrats on your WMA bird James, and all of your firsts? Burned area....I think I know generally where you hunted, they are doing some good land management!
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Post by james243 on Mar 24, 2024 11:01:23 GMT -5
Congrats on your WMA bird James, and all of your firsts? Burned area....I think I know generally where you hunted, they are doing some good land management! I’m sure you can forensically determine the property by photo analysis, and probably already know where is open for quota here. Knowledge gained: it’s harder to hide a hunter in a burn, and turkeys wear burn camo.  |
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Post by james14 on Mar 24, 2024 18:01:21 GMT -5
Congrats!
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