Iowa Spring Turkey

[Iowa Rem1187]

Well I got in the woods around 530 the first day of season knowing there was a large group of birds in the area but had not seen they had been roosting. I made a few calls at sunup and was greeted by a small jake coming out of the wood line only 5 yds from me he moved in on my decoys and spent the next 30 min or so moving in and out of the treeline within 50 yds and then moved off into the distance and disappeared . I sat until 1100 as i had not heard any gobbling all morning but this is a heavy traffic area for traveling birds. After not hearing or seeing any sign of birds I decided to take a break and come back later in the afternoon. I went back into the field around 5pm and set up about 200 yards north of where i had been in the morning. I set the decoys out and found a tree about 5 yds in from the field edge and started calling. After about half an hour another young jake with no visible beard came in to check out the decoy and passed within 5 yds of me at the field edge. This bird had his feathers all ruffled like he had been in a recent fight. He turned and moved into the tree line and disappeared into the brush I thought he had seen me and that was going to be it. I called a few more times thinking i was going to have to move and caught a shadow out the corner of my eye and it was getting closer. This longbeard pictured was coming over the ridge in the field out in front of me at about 80 yds. He was moving in on my decoys never heard him gobble all the way in. He made it to 45 yards raised his head and gave me a clear shot with my Remington 11-87 using 3" Remington Nitro #4 shot. This longbeard tipped the scale at 25.5 pounds, 11.7/8 inch beard, and 1 3/8 inch spurs. What a beautiful bird. This my second bird in two years.

[Fargohunt]

Keith, good to hear you stayed with them today and remained still and quiet when that 2nd jake appeared. That is a spectacular gobbler and a beautiful picture to boot! He is so clean looking and darn right snazzy. Thanks so much for sharing and congratulations sir!

Say, I tried similar 3" Rem shells in my 11-87, but with 5's and they were decent at 40 yds, but not great. Did you pattern your gun at 40-45 yds with the Rem Nitro 4's? Just curious.

Scott

[Iowa Rem1187]

I set my pattern at 40 yds and have a nice pattern it is the same i used last year and am happy with it. My son is 12 and he used the nitro #5 in his Rem 870 20ga last year i had him practice at 35 yds with it and and was very happy with his pattern. He had a tom turn at about 43 yds on him last year and he dropped it with a good clean shot. This is his bird from last spring which was his first. Took a week to wipe that grin off his face. it was 21lbs, 10 3/8" beard and 7/8" spurs.

[Fargohunt]

Keith, I have to say again that is a fine looking bird..the colors in the picture are outstanding.
 
Hah, you say it took a week for the grin to disappear from your sons face--heck I think it took 5 months for my grin to dissolve from my first bird--all the way to opening day bow season for whitetails to distract me enough[:D]  The best part is the memory will be with him forever and the thought of sharing with his dad[:D][:D]
 
What choke and size do you use on the 11-87?

[Fan Club]

Congrats on a beautiful bird Keith.

Couldn't help but notice how your son's Woodland camo works so much better in the green of spring than the Mossy Oak Break Up you have on. Maybe we weren't so crazy wearing that stuff all of those years before the "Sticks and leaves" guys captured the market!

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[WillowRidgeCalls]

Good looking birds Keith. [:)]

[Cut N Run]

Real nice birds.  Congratulations to you both.  I'd be grinning like a mule eatin' briars if I took a gobbler like your son did at age 12.
 
Jim

[Iowa Rem1187]

Scott, funny you should mention your grin all the way to deer season. He did still grin every time we talked about the upcoming youth deer season. The last day of youth he managed to put down his first two deer within 2 minutes of each other. That grin lasted until this spring hunt. Between him and his twin brother I have to stay on my game or they may start schooling me.

To answer your question, I am using a Primos .660 choke.