I started the morning with some gobbles from my tube call. I also used some gobbler clucks and a few yelps about every thirty minutes. At 10:30 a.m. I heard movement coming from behind me on the right side. I tilted my head to the right to check it out. When I did that I saw two red heads moving my way on the other side of the creek. I watched them and waited until they went behind a tree so I could shift my position. Once they were behind the tree I turned around and kneeled on my chair. I turned on my Tru-Glo Gobbler Stopper red dot scope and flipped the safety off on my Mossberg 535 12 gauge. As soon as I saw the head of the lead tom in my scope I pulled the trigger. That sent a load of #6 shot from a 3" Federal Mag-Shok with Flight Control Wad through my Primos Tight Wad choke and into the tom's head and neck. He dropped off the edge of the creek bank and fell down into the dry creek bed. The other tom took that opportunity to alarm put and run out of the area the way he came.
I quickly collected the tom and estimated the shot distance to be 20 yards. His beard was 8", spurs were 3/4" and he weighed 21 pounds.
This is only my second year turkey hunting. Like most of you, I am addicted. I didn't get a bird in 2009. I got my first bird, a tom, this spring. It was out of a pop up blind on the second day of the season. That shot was only 11 yards. I feel more satisfaction taking this bird from a ground blind setup and in the fall.
I can't imagine a better year of turkey hunting. I can only pray that my luck continues for many more seasons to come.
Here is a picture of the tom and my turkey gun. Man do I love that gun, choke and shell combination!!!
Good luck on your fall turkey and deer seasons.
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