HuntingNet.com Forums - First Turkey of the Season

Yesterday was a successful opening day to the Alabama Youth turkey season. I took my wife's 13 year old cousin, Jackson, and his dad on their first turkey hunt ever and called this big mature tom within 22 yds of our setup using a couple of my own handmade calls. We got on him right at sun up when he gobbled twice at an owl hootin' near his location. We set up and I started with some soft calling, then led into a fly-down cackle with hat flaps and a smooth leaf landing. He gobbled once after he flew down, then was silent for nearly an hour as I worked him. With two new turkey hunters getting bored from no action, I had to make a move to keep them in it. We backed up the hill to the road and I gave some excited yelps on my Beard Bandit mouth call. The bird cut me off from about 100 yards before I could make the last note. He had been slowly and silently cruising our way the whole time. I hit him with another series of yelps and threw in some hard cuts. He gobbled again and I could tell he was picking up his pace in our direction. We backed up another small hill about 40 yards off the road and set up. After a couple more series of excited yelping and no response, I began to worry that the bird may be trying to circle us. I gave some soft purrs and leaf scratches, then a few minutes later I turned and gave a hard series of yelps in the direct opposite direction from the bird. It wasn't 2 minutes later the bird walked straight into the line of fire and I heard Jackson say "I see him." Not a second later he had laid that tom out with a new NWTF Edition Browning 12 gauge his grandpa bought him. Seeing the smile on both he and his dad's face and knowing that I may have created a couple more turkey hunting addicts made me feel great. Using nothing but my own handmade calls really added to the level of satisfaction as well. It was one of the best hunts I've ever been on and one that none of us will ever forget.

22 lbs, 10.5" beard, 1" spurs

Father and Son's first turkey experience

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Tools of the Trade