3seasons

That's crazy with all the snow. Been a cold spring, figure they shot that groundhog he kinda missed this year. That's a nice one. You can see his spurs at that distance, real nice.

Congrats Way to XT. Congrats on a heck of a bird. Just because they are silent doesn't mean you can't kill'em. Sounds like a good hunt too.

Thanks Al Yes they have more energy at 40yds than the hevi shot #7's in the Nitro shells I use in my 12. The HW#7 is 15g/cc The HS#7 is 12g/cc

I bought a youth 870 21" 20ga, took it to the shop and polished the heck out of the barrel(mirror finish). Then I drilled and tapped my receiver and put my base and Burris FF3 on top. I also bought the SSX choke and a few boxes of the Federal HW#7's and the Remington SF choke for a few Hand loaded TSS#9's that I was able to get. I’ve got a ATI tactical stock ordered, and I did my usual trigger job to it. At the range, I shoot from my porch so its convenient to shoot whenever the weather is nice. I’ve got a measured 40yd target holder set up and I shoot from a sitting position like I would if I was hunting. I shot the SSX and the HW#7's first. Two shot average was 243 in the 10" circle. I couldn’t wait to try the TSS's out. I cleaned my barrel and loaded up the first TSS shell. Now with these "cheap" shells I didn’t want to mess up any with them so I pulled out my bench and set up on it. Now by setting up my bench this cut me down to 38yds. First shot is out of the SSX choke. I saw the paper rock and when i walked up to it i was amazed. 379\10". So then i changed chokes and went to the Rem SF and sent another TSS load down range. I just laughed and shook my head, I said to myself, your gonna get bashed for this one. But here it is. (Add 3 to the total because i missed 3 in the upper left quadrant, to many holes i guess) When I get my stock in and get her all painted up Ill post some pics of the project. I plan on hunting with the SSX but ive got to try to get one with this SF.

Rem Youth model 870 20ga 21" barrel. Wish i had done this years ago. Its unreal Federal Heavy Weight 1.5oz #7's with the TruGlo SSX choke. real good TSS #9s Rem SF or SSX unreal!! my 12ga 9lbs. my new 20ga 6lbs Ill post a thread on my build that way I dont hijack your's, lol

Thats awesome Al, congrats

Congrats, nice bird

congrats

Anyone else had a chance to hunt? They still arent acting right down here yet.

Congrats on a fine bird Dean. Great story too

Congrats on the slams.

Tru-Glo makes a good scope. They make a few different ones that I like also. I like the tru brite open and the gobble stopper especially with the 2.5/3moa center dot. The outer circle should be close to your pattern size at most distances. I personally have a bushnell trophy on my 12ga with the center dot reticle and I'm putting a Burris FastFire 3(I wish it had the center dot reticle) on the 20ga I'm building. Gonna have to put my hands one of those tru-Glo opens. I like the polymer mount for weight and sleekness only thing that is iffy about it is that it flexes easily. I'm sure it's spring back is solid but it still moves easier than the aluminum B-square mount. I drill and tap all of mine and put a weaver base on them. Solid as a rock. I've had a b-square and I really didn't like it. When I tried it, it would hit your hand with heavy loads. Shot it once Then drilled my gun. I'd go with the polymer mount if that's the rout you want to go.

Open it and use it, kill a bird with it then put it up on your trophy case. Then you will have a story to go along with it. Just my opinion.

Thanks guys. Al I can't explain it but its been an awesome run. Last year I was working an outage and only had 5 days to hunt. 4 birds in 4 days (called up one for a friend) was unbelievable. This past year I had a change in my life and with that change I lost all my turkey hunting land. So all I was looking at was a season on public land hunting. As I told someone at work I was "anxiously depressed" about the upcoming season. It's been a blessing to be able to hunt public land 2 times and to take 2 birds like I've taken.

Way to stick with him, congrats on a fine bird.

Thanks yeah would be nice to upgrade but that kinda makes it an even contest since some people travel multiple places. Plus if your serious about wanting to win it will make you think hard on that first bird.(not me, if is beard swings its gonna get shot) I entered my Osceola. Make sure it's all right. My photobucket was jacked up and I couldn't get the pics to do right. But they should all be right.

Been working mids all week and they have been kicking my butt so I haven’t got to hunt any in the mornings like I had planned to. I finally got a little sleep yesterday and decided I’d go walk over a couple new spots that I had found on some public land. The first spot was a bust, after walking over 1\2mile in and not seeing the first lick of sign I decided to head somewhere else. I pull up at my next spot only to see 3 out of state trucks parked up the road on some private land. I’m about a mile from them so I figured Id walk into the strip of public land and look around. This was around 7:15, I walked in a good ways not making a call or sound just looking the woods over. Still no sign, I decided I would walk another couple hundred yards past a fallen down log and if things didn’t pick up I would make another move. About 50yds past that log I started seeing some scratching so I felt a little better. I make a couple soft purrs and clucks then a light yelp on my Madhatter 4-track slate and he gobbled. I slipped over to a tree and called softly with my mouth call as I was sitting down and he gobbled again. I raked the leaves and he gobbled, at this point I’m looking off into a fresh select\clear cut pine ridge and the unmistakable paint of the border and posted signs about 35yds in front of me. I figured if I could get him to the line I was in good shape( I wont cross the line been there done that had it done to me and I don’t like it so as hard as it is I’ll stay on my side of the line) After a couple minutes I see a head poke up and look around up in the bunching ground about 90yds off. I call as needed but not too much and real soft, he would cut me off every time. This went on for 30min, I finally got him to move up the ridge to about 70yds when a truck drives down the road (in the distance) he hears it and eases down into the hollow in a thicket. I called a few times and he answers me then starts easing back up the ridge. When he gets half way up I give him a couple series of soft yelps and a half cut, he drums and turns my way. It took another 15-20min for him to close the 30yds needed to cross the line. As soon as he stepped beside the painted tree/posted sign I cut at him, he double gobbled and I squeezed the trigger. I was hyperventilating and shaking like a leaf when he was closing the distance. After the shot he rolled back and started flopping towards a tree top, I pumped my gun and sat it down where I was sitting and I ran to get my bird. (didn’t want there to be any question if someone walked up) He flopped in that tree top and plucked out feathers on both sides of his neck.(took a mount out of the question) I finally worked my way through all the vines and grabbed him by the head and was amazed when the beards starting hanging down, holly cow 3 beards this is awesome I thought then he brought one foot up from between his wings and I saw those hooks, I was in awe. That’s when the back spasms and dry heaving began, lol I know its pitiful but I kinda get worked up, lol. Everyone who hunts with me be it deer or turkeys gets a kick out of watching me after the shot. He strutted and drummed and gobbled for close to 45min. He prob gobbled 75-100 times. Its been a long time since Ive been on a bird that hot. I always say every old bird has his one day that you can kill him you just hope that your in the right spot on that day. Well this was his morning. There is no telling how many people have chased after this old bird and what all he has heard. IT was an awesome hunt and I said my prayer to the Good Lord above thanking him for the experience.

#2 what a hunt, what a bird. 20lbs. 9.5" 6.5" 3.5" beards 1 3/8" hooks

The good Lord blessed me with my biggest bird to date. Ill post the story after I get some sleep. 20lbs. 9.5" 6.5" 3.5" beards 1 3/8" hooks

I was waiting for that to happen. That's how the majority hunt out there. They see a truck and figure there must be a bird there and they will flank you and set up between you and the bird. Had it happen to many times. Never understood why some folks are like that. If I see a truck I go at least a half mile before I stop and listen. As long as the bird isn't back towards the other truck ill go after it.

Congrats Al, sounds like a heck of a show.

My MS bird is a good bit bigger than my FL bird but as the rules state I have to enter my first bird taken, can't upgrade.

Plan on being back on that ridge in the morning.

Been working evenings all week so I've been getting up listening every morning and not hearing much. Had my spots all lined out for opening day and was prepared for a little extra company. So I had a few options. I work off evenings Thursday night at 11:30 and I decide to drive by my spots to see if I've got any hunters camped out on them. One spot had 7 guys camped out one had 4 another had 2 and my #1 was empty. I decide to get there real early but someone already beat me there so now I'm in trouble with all my other spots close enough to drive to wrapped up so I decided to go blind to a place I ha never been before. I park my truck off the road a little and get about 150yds away and hear a truck slow down and start blowing their horn. Then another slows down and starts yelling that I won't kill anything. I just shake my head and keep walking. I walk in about a mile and find an old logging road and sit down on the highest ridge. It was a quiet morning, all I could hear was 2 other hunters as far as I could hear in two directions. Finally around. 7:15 a crow hollers and a bird gobbles in the distance. So I call a little louder with my madhatter 4 track slate. Now I'm set up in some cane and I have a big dirt mound behind me. So about 20min later an a little more calling I hear drumming. Well I couldn't figure out where the drumming was coming from so I ease my safety off and I hear a putt. I turn my head real slow ad I'm looking eye to eye with a gobbler at 6 steps just behind the mound. All I can see is his head looking at me. The two gobbler know something isn't right and hurry down the hill and then over to the next ridge. I let things settle down and I make my move. I go about 300yds down the log road and drop off into the hollow and climb up onto the next ridge. I set up and call twice not expecting much, when all of a sudden a hear a stick break and see a huge white head coming my way. I let them get to 30yds when I was able to see a bird with about an 8" beard and a strutting bird. I settled on the strutter and did some soft purrs and when he cleared a couple more trees I let my Nitro's eat. It was a true Blessing and a great hunt after all was said and done. Once I got back to my truck I found where someone walked up to my truck, thankfully it wasn't messed with. Guess they were looking at my dog box. Sorry for the long read but wanted to share my hunt.

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