Submitted and Written By First Bubba
With nearly a week of “Fall Turkey Gun” season over, a flock of toms is finally located and patterned.
Zeroing in on where they pause to gather before crossing a creek, it’s time to set up an ambush site.
It was awesome this morning! Hard frost, no wind!
It didn’t feel that cold until I jumped in the truck and turned the wipers on. They just bumped over the dew on the windshield! It was frozen solid!
Limping off down the road, I’m hunkered down in the seat to see the way through the one little clear spot.
A dense fog kept me from making much speed, and I wandered from ditch to ditch until the windshield thawed. That didn’t make a lot of difference because of the fog! LOL! Missed my turn in the gloom and had to back up about 30 yards!
I got in my “ambush, ” and set up well before daylight, and a deer began snorting and blowing behind me, guess it spotted me setting up. That’s okay; I’m after turkeys today.
Lying on the tripod with the stock on my lap is the Winchester Model 12 16ga I bought many moons back. I’ve wanted to turkey hunt with it for a LONG time.
I hear birds back to the east. One gobbled and 2 or 3 more yelps and cluck, and then they fall silent …and I wait!
It’s 7 am, and the fog-shrouded bottom is eerily quiet. Big, pecan fattened red squirrels rip from tree to tree, barking and quarreling. The whistle of duck wings overhead is a welcome sound from my past. Seven thirty! Where the heck are the turkeys? …and I wait!
Nothing moves.
Wrens flit in and out of the weeds and limbs I used for cover.
A sudden rushing sound like an approaching flight of ducks and about 15 turkeys sprint by me and stop at the creek crossing 20 yards away. I wait until the last bird passes. Selecting one of the larger birds, the Win M12 comes up out of its rest and mounts easily.
The selected bird sees the motion and takes a step, telescoping his neck in alarm–TOO LATE! The one-ounce charge of 7 1/2’s found their mark! The smooth oily action of the M12 quickly reloads, and the shotgun covers the flopping bird.
There is an explosion of wings at the shot as the remaining birds scatter, leaving one of their numbers behind!
Oklahoma Fall Gobbler by First Bubba
It’s 8 o’clock sharp.
18 pounds, 8-inch beard, 3/4 inch spurs
Not a “trophy” bird, but a really nice fall bird! …AND…with my 16ga M12 Win!! I love it!
