Ol' Reliable - Turkey Down

[TScottW99]

My good friend Dale and I hit Craig County, VA again April 22. Our plan was to go after a particular bird we have come to know as Ol' Reliable. Ol' Reliable has gobbled on one certain peak on this one mountain for the last three years.

We left our trucks at 5:00 a.m. and after a hour and fifteen minute hike, we sat down to catch our breaths when Ol' Reliable sounded off. He was down from us on the adjoining ridge. We climbed straight down and then straight back up to get above the gobbler.

Dale was to be the caller and sat 20 yards behind me while I was set up about 100 - 125 yards away from Ol' Reliable. He was gobbling at some crows so getting a fix on him was easy. Dale started to call and did several fantastic fly downs with his Hat. I finally heard the gobbler fly down and my heart went into overdrive. That's when at least two hens started to talk to our boy. Dale and I (i joined in) both started to get a little more agressive and luckily the hens shut up, but Ol' Reliable had also gotten quite.

Finally Ol' Reliable let a gobble go and we knew we were still in the game. Dale gave him some sweet talk and I began to shake. The ol' boy was getting closer but it sure felt like he was taking his time. Several minutes passed when a gobble ripped from about 60 yards in front of me. I could not see him but moved to the postion I thought the shot was going to be. I finally saw him at 40 yards and watched for at least another five minutes as he bobbed between laurels looking for the hen.

I had this great shooting lane on my right and knew that was where the shot was. As soon as Ol' Reliable stepped into the lane I let loose the sickest sounding putt you have ever heard. Ol' Reliable took two steps across the lane and stopped dead behind a tree.

By now I'm doing breathing exercises and trying to find a window in the underbrush. Dale is behind me keeping up with the sweet talk but is unable to see a thing and the gobbler is keeping quite. The gobbler finally steps out and I have a very small window in which to make the shot, BOOM!!! Ol' Reliable went down for the count.

14.9 Pounds
9 3/8" Beard
1 1/1 6" Spurs
Distance 23 yards
Remington 3" Hevi-Shot #6
Mossberg 500 24" bbl ported
Tru-Glo Xtreme choke

Ol' Reliable and myself

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/TScottW99/meol.jpg

Ol' Reliable and a shed found on his point

http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y177/TScottW99/OlandShed.jpg

[f1b32oPTic]

great story and an even better bird!

;Y

[noway]

Nice story, but man that's a very light bird.;)

A Typical eastern ( assuming you hunted a eastern ) are in the high teens and 20 or so pounds are about the norm.

[Roger C]

Good job!

[TScottW99]

Yeah he was light, especially for a three year old. Where he lives there has been no mast for three years staright. Plus that darn climb he does to chase hens is steep!!! ;f That 12 pointer who lost that shed has no worries about hunters unless he chases a doe off of that peak ;g

[duncan]

Excellent story!

[VonFatman]

TScottw99,
Great adventure. Great story. Thanks for sharing. Congratulations. I had a small adult bird this season myself. He was 18.5lbs. But his problem must have been that he'd been hit/shot at by a trespasser.

He had gangrene in his wing joint and on one of his drumsticks! The leg wound could have been a "spurring accident" or a close call with a cat of some kind...this was some tough bird (not the meat).

The horny bugger still fanned and strut in to range!

I just left the one leg/thigh and we ate the rest. My second bird also had been shot. (but was 21 lbs) Found #4's mixed around my #6's when I cleaned the bird. Can you believe all the jerks who will come on your farm and take a crap potshot at these wonderful birds. I hope he/she sprained his/her leg on the way out.

Bob