2016 Turkey Season - Twin Killing at High Noon

These twin toms came to my calling at High Noon

Tagged Two Toms with Two Shots

The 2016 Wild Turkey Season began on March 20 in 2016, a new date after a lifetime of March 15th openers. With an opening morning rain and thunderstorm it just wasn't in the cards for opening day success. A turkey hunter must be persistent though and on the 21st I was invited to hunt in the afternoon with a fishing friend. Though he saw two toms and heard them gobbling, I heard and saw nothing and so another day of the real March Madness passed. The morning of the 22nd I was back in the woods and hearing some gobbling, though not much, and decided to wait and listen and then wait some more. Patience paid off because by noon on Day Three of the season I had used two of my three turkey tags for 2016!

The day started with a cold snap of 33-degrees, and I had to layer my camp clothing for the morning hunt. The few gobbles I had heard by 9 a.m. told me that the toms weren't all that fired up. Soon I saw my first hen, with a longboard gobbler trailing right behind her. Neither of them made any sound and I knew that I'd have to wait until late in the morning for any chance at these birds. I moved around, and remained calling actively from different spots, but essentially became frustrated.

Finally, at 11:30 and after peeling off my layers, a turkey gobble with the vigor that I recognized. What's more, it was in a corner of the property that I had already been to this day, scouting the perfect place to sit. I hurried back to that spot and began calling. GOBBLE! The March Madness dance had begun, and despite having a couple of hens with him, the ol' boss gobbler and his Lt. came towards my position. Armed with a good understanding of when these two were within range of my 12-gauge shotgun, my heart began pounding and each step closer seemed to make me more nervous.

I am a Field Expert for 'Ol Tom and Drake Waterfowl

The subordinate tom was in a satellite position around the boss, so I never had a clean look at killing them both with one shot. (The only time I killed two with one shot was back in 2006). They both had snowball-white heads as they closed ground and I shot the boss at 19-paces and the Lt. at 25 paces. It was High Noon.

To view past blog entries from the start of Turkey Season click 2015 - 2014 - 2013 - 2012 - 2010 - 2009