# Not quite right, but I'll take it



## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Missed a turkey about twenty years ago.

Didn't try hard until a few years ago when my daughter and I hunted Allegan hard and got humbled. Buddy always gets his bird there. He has skills.

Two years ago had private land in Hopkins. Came out to hunt, tree fallen on my blind I'd brushed in. Just gave up.

Last year my oldest graduated and we were stupid busy.

This year had a Tom hanging out at my place. No pattern. One farm other farm different farm always with hens. We've had them before but they were almost like pets. Roosted in my woodlot but walked in and flew down randomly. Neighbor got him Sunday.

When the neighbor wasn't hunting I was cutting wood. Twice I had a Tom walk by in range, once while the saw was running.

Mowing and there's a Tom and two hens in the field. Hmm. More birds? Then a Tom walks by down the ditch, past me at thirty yards, sees the neighbors and turns around. That's it. Run to the barn slap on my coat stuff three rounds (oddly enough from a box I bought at Courtade's near Spider Lake over thirty years ago, $9.75 for 3" 20 gauge lead sixes I've never much had a use for) in my old Mossberg 20 pump.

Run to the back corner of my property and hunker in to wait. No bird. No bird. No bird. I don't dare creep up and look left to see where he's at. Finally lose my patience and stand up.

Tom in the field 300 yards away takes off running. Yeah. Guy with running chain saw no big deal, guy in camo 300 yards away full freak out. When he took off, the hens took off.

Then the original Tom just out of sight because of the hill between us took off down the ditch I assume because they took off. He could see them, I could see them, but even though he was right there we could not see each other.

Right past me.

First shot all flustered I blow a 4" hole in the ditch bank about 3" behind his head at ten yards..

He takes off and gets about 15' up in the air headed away and I rock him hard, breaking a wing. He runs back into the ditch and I topple him at 37 paces with my last shot.

9.75" / 1", 7/8" / 19.64#

And not one pellet in the meat.










All the driving, scouting, sitting, swatting, swearing, 3.5" mega full choke shoulder crushing loads in the BPS over the years and I finally connect 70 yards from my deck with my first gun.


----------



## LabtechLewis (Nov 20, 2008)

That's turkey hunting! Nice.


----------



## retired dundo (Jul 21, 2015)

Congrats nice bird


----------



## syonker (May 7, 2004)

One of the few people I personally know that has taken a turkey on the wing.

Crazy.

Nice bird FBD!


----------



## old graybeard (Jan 19, 2006)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Missed a turkey about twenty years ago.
> 
> Didn't try hard until a few years ago when my daughter and I hunted Allegan hard and got humbled. Buddy always gets his bird there. He has skills.
> 
> ...


Congrats! My first ever bird was shot as he flew away. When they come down they hit the ground hard.


----------



## Jerry Lamb (Aug 3, 2015)

You got one this year too! You will love eating it. We smoked mine.


----------



## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Cleaning it was nothing like a goose. I'm like "where's the keel to follow? What's all this stuff?'


----------



## sureshot006 (Sep 8, 2010)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Cleaning it was nothing like a goose. I'm like "where's the keel to follow? What's all this stuff?'


Tastes way better than goose too


----------



## Jerry Lamb (Aug 3, 2015)

sureshot006 said:


> Tastes way better than goose too


You're not cooking the Geese correctly.
Different, but just as delicious.


----------



## Jerry Lamb (Aug 3, 2015)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Cleaning it was nothing like a goose. I'm like "where's the keel to follow? What's all this stuff?'


Did you enjoy all the feathers?
I cleaned mine in my kitchen since it was a PM kill. What a mess.
Did you happen to check the crop? Mine was full of hard berries the size of a malted milk ball, with some seeds mixed in.


----------



## Playin' Hooky (Aug 29, 2002)

Far Beyond Driven said:


> Cleaning it was nothing like a goose. I'm like "where's the keel to follow? What's all this stuff?'


“Stuff” probably breeding sponge. Trim it away and you’ll get to the meat and keel is usually very prominent.


----------



## Far Beyond Driven (Jan 23, 2006)

Tom and hen in the same field this morning. Told my daughter and she said they earned a break. I agree.


----------

