I shot my very first turkey EVER!!!!

[FSU_Seminole]

Guys I'm running on about 3 hours sleep. I'm going to hit the sack after I write this but I wanted to share my first ever turkey killed with you all. Special thanks to you Leo & the others of you that have answered my simple yet some times silly questions of a turkey novice. What made this hunt so exciting is that it did NOT happen in the traditional decoy call method but I actually stalked & killed my first bird.

My girlfriend & I got up this morning at 5 am & drove out to my hunting location we set up using B mobile & 2 hen decoys and calls in a recently plowed corn field. We sat there for 2 hours calling & we had 1 hen show up and walk by. We kept hearing a turkey gobble on the other side of the woods. So by 11:30 am we moved to another location, we sat down & I called called and called for another 2 hours. NOTHING We were both sleepy and tired & wanted to go home. We decided to call it a day and as we are going back to my truck I decided to take a short cut through an old field thats grown up with weeds. We turned the corner & their is a huge gobbler standing there about 40 yards from us. We startled him he scared us, he hauls butt about 50yards to the back of the field but about 30 yards from going into the woods. I was carrying my shotgun and my decoys in my other hand. I dropped my decoys & I immediately got on all 4s and froze my girlfriend ran back & sat next to the base of a tree. These weeds were about knee high. The turkey at this point was about 100 yards from me at the back of the field I told her to hang tight & lets see what would happen. I could still see his head over the weeds. I froze on all 4 for about 20 minutes watching him because he was scanning the field to see what happened to us. He finally let his guard down and started milling around. He was still about 100 yards from me. I thought to myself, I would never sneak my fat butt up on him because he'd see & hear me. I had no choice so I started crawling on all 4s with my gun in 1 hand. I crawled about 20 yards and he was looking in the other direction. I slowly started crawling again, it seemed like it was taking forever because I was trying to crawl like a lion in tall grass & I was trying to be super quiet. I'd crawl a little look over the weeds and amazingly he was still standing in the same spot looking in the opposite direction. I crawled some more and I was shocked to see I had crawled within 60 yards or so. He was still standing in the same spot but now he was looking in my direction. I knew he was going to bolt any second so I froze again & slowly looked over the weeds. He walked to my right about 10 yards but he didn't seem alarmed. I started getting a little nervous at this point because I never really believed I'd get this close at all & he had no idea I was there. So I started crawling again keeping my eyes on him. I must have crawled to within 50 yards & the turkey was looking right in my direction. Again I froze & now I'm starting to shake a little bit. I slowly looked over the weeds and he's still looking in my direction. I'm thinking I'm busted he's gone but oh well this stalk was fun. But no, he starts back to his left. I got down on my belly almost as low as I could and I guess I crawled 10 yards. I look over the weeds & he's looking back in my direction. I wait for several minutes & he keeps walking back to the left. By this point he's 50-60 yards I guess. I said, Lord please distract him long enough to just let me get 10-15 more yards. So I started crawling & when I stop this turkey still has no idea I'm there. I said its now or never. I slowly raised up got on 1 knee & I slowly raised my shotgun, when I did this the turkey froze, his head went up like a periscope. I knew I was busted and sure enough he turned to run off, I aimed my sight right on his neck & pulled the trigger sending a load of heavy shot down the barrell. BOOM!!!!!!! The shot connected with his head & he dropped in the weeds like a sack of bricks. I was so excited I wanted to pinch myself. I just sat there in the middle of this field asking myself did I really just shoot this turkey. I stood up at must have walked 40-45 yards and their he was dead as a door nail!!!!!! I still can't believe I stalked to withing 50 yards of this great animal & got my first turkey this way. I'll remember it for the rest of my life & I have a witness also. Well here he is I was so excited I almost forgot to tag him. I didn't weigh him & I'm not sure how long his spurs are but he's got a 10 inch beard & I'm getting his fan, spurs & beard mounted. Its safe to say I'm a life long turkey hunter.

[beagleboy]

Awesome first bird. Congrats

[The Kid]

look at those hooks,, ya it only takes one and then your a goner!!!

[Strut10]

CONGRATS on your first!!!

And a 4-year old to boot!! Nice first effort!!!

[WHISKEYSWAMP]

that's an awesome first bird... congrats!

[csod08]

Congrats on your first bird. You'll definitely never forget it. I know I'll never forget the first bird I shot.

[maddhunter]

That's a very fine bird!!!!!!!!!!
Congratulations on your first bird !!!!!!

[dogdoc]

great story and shot!
todd

[13littleones]

Congrats on your first turkey .... I remember my first bird as if it way yesterday..... that was some 28 years ago!

[HuntnMa]

congrats on your first, thats an awesome hunt.....and bird !!!

[the one]

Nice bird great story congrates

[turkeybuster]

Congrats on your first bird and nice pictures.

[rhine16]

Congrats on your first bird!! Great story also!

[huntinguide]

ataboy

[toddyboman]

Great story!! Congrats on your first of many

Yeah he is an older bird....just look at those hooks!!! Way to go