Illinois gobbler

Mortenson

5 year old buck +
Yesterday was the opener. Didn't see nor hear a gobbler. Today was a different story with turkeys in abundance. Average weight (low 20s) with a nice fat 10.5" beard. Good luck to the spring turkey hunters.

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Nice! What gauge do you use?

When I was 17 back in the 80's I wanted the biggest, baddest turkey gun. Used an Ithaca Mag-10 for some reason? The thing outweighed me.

Now at 53 I want the lightest kicking gun. 20 gauge with the right load and the right choke is more than adequate to 25 yards...which is all I ever need.
 
Thanks Natty. In late 90s my dad and I bought a Mossberg 12 gauge and have taken turns with it since. I'm invested into a box of hevi-shot 5-6-7 for 3 more birds, then we'll see. Hoping my son has luck this season. He's using my old 20 gauge Mossberg with a Carlson's choke on it. We bought a box of tss 9 last year and used one on paper to see what it looked like at 25 yards. Might have a chance to sneak out with him tomorrow morn.

That's crazy you were using a 10 with turkey loads, haha. These 3.5" kick but my adrenaline is always high enough to not feel anything. I'll admit I'm anxious to see the kid connect to witness how the 20 works. My dad is 75 and fresh off a total reverse shoulder replacement, so I'm hoping he can try the 20 this spring as well. I recall your boy got a nice bird last year with a 20 (or was it 410?). When does your season start?
 
Thanks Natty. In late 90s my dad and I bought a Mossberg 12 gauge and have taken turns with it since. I'm invested into a box of hevi-shot 5-6-7 for 3 more birds, then we'll see. Hoping my son has luck this season. He's using my old 20 gauge Mossberg with a Carlson's choke on it. We bought a box of tss 9 last year and used one on paper to see what it looked like at 25 yards. Might have a chance to sneak out with him tomorrow morn.

That's crazy you were using a 10 with turkey loads, haha. These 3.5" kick but my adrenaline is always high enough to not feel anything. I'll admit I'm anxious to see the kid connect to witness how the 20 works. My dad is 75 and fresh off a total reverse shoulder replacement, so I'm hoping he can try the 20 this spring as well. I recall your boy got a nice bird last year with a 20 (or was it 410?). When does your season start?

Yeah that Ithaca Mag-10 was just stupid! LOL.

And yes...good memory. My son got his first last year with a little .410 and some heavy field loads. We bought him a Mossberg 500 in 20 gauge this year with that same Carlson choke. He's solid out to 25 yards. He could do 30 if it was a very calm and still tom. Season opens April 24th here. But there is a special youth hunt on the 22nd. That will be neat, as we can hunt all of my favorite public land places and have the woods to ourselves.

Good luck to your son and your dad!

And again...nice tom!
 
Chris bagged his 1st wild turkey this morn. He had been saying all along he'd take the 1st legal bird that presented a shot. We got set up early yesterday but had to leave by sunrise because he didn't feel well. Today we didn't hear any gobbles 'til a while after daylight. None of those birds showed, but eventually 3 jakes strolled into view a few hundred yards up the hill. Chris hit the call and turned them our way. Watched them mingle in the decoys for a couple of minutes before he took the shot. He made a good head shot and didn't damage any meat. Proud of that. He showed good restraint last year and turned down a marginal shot on a long beard. On a scale to 10 he said he's feeling an 11 today.

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Congratulations to the both of you! I'll bet you're a 12 if he's an 11 today! Nice job!
 
Great job Chris, congrats dad!
 
Awesome job to both of you, that is amazing!!

Put me in the deer woods 15' up a tree and I feel like I understand everything that happens. Back against a tree and decoys out and I swear my calling tells turkeys to go away lol
 
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