Arizona Fall turkey falls to MZ shotgun
10-07-2013, 10:38 PM
#1
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Arizona
Posts: 202
Arizona Fall turkey falls to MZ shotgun
It was the second evening of our first Fall hunt ever, and I hadn't expected much luck--we hadn't seen any sign around water tanks and no tracks. But as my partner and I walked down a mountain to a small bench that lay adjacent to a very steep drop off, my buddy pointed and whispered "TURKEYS"! They were maybe 35 yards to our left approaching the bench. They saw us as well and headed down from the bench a little and I lost sight of them.
I walked a few yards more toward where I thought they had gone and stopped to look. I saw what looked like a long stick sticking up straight that moved suddenly--it was a turkey holding its neck up high, looking right at me. There were several others with it. I aimed at its outstretched neck and pulled the trigger of my shotgun barrel-clad CVA Optima Pro. But the bird ran down the steep drop off and the other birds scattered. I ran over to where they had been and looked everywhere for feathers or the bird but found none. I just missed! My buddy joined me and helped look and when we couldn't find anything, I decided to reload and go after one of the other birds. I began the laborious task of unscrewing my choke and fumbling with the powder, shot, and other components.
There was a Jake that went up the hill and was alternating continuously, "kee kee kee kee yelp yelp yelp". We could also hear some of the hens answering with yelps from the bottom of the cliff. I decided to go after the jake and headed up the mountain a little ways. Suddenly, the jake stopped calling and ran up the mountain. So I decided to sit down on the bench and take his place calling. I pulled out my HS Strut Triple Beard glass call and did my best assembly yelps. After my second long string of yelps, I saw two hens appear suddenly from below the cliff, running right at me no more than 15 or 20 yards away. I dropped the call and grabbed my Optima, pulled back the hammer, and aimed quickly at the right bird. It was more like shooting quail than turkeys--it was so fast. At the shot, the left bird flew down the valley and I heard flop flop flop as my bird rolled down several feet. I almost couldn't believe that I hit it, as it all happened so fast. This was my first turkey ever.
CVA Optima Pro with 12ga MZ barrel
1-3/4 oz #5 magnum lead shot
75 grains 777
It was about a half mile back to the ATVs.
I walked a few yards more toward where I thought they had gone and stopped to look. I saw what looked like a long stick sticking up straight that moved suddenly--it was a turkey holding its neck up high, looking right at me. There were several others with it. I aimed at its outstretched neck and pulled the trigger of my shotgun barrel-clad CVA Optima Pro. But the bird ran down the steep drop off and the other birds scattered. I ran over to where they had been and looked everywhere for feathers or the bird but found none. I just missed! My buddy joined me and helped look and when we couldn't find anything, I decided to reload and go after one of the other birds. I began the laborious task of unscrewing my choke and fumbling with the powder, shot, and other components.
There was a Jake that went up the hill and was alternating continuously, "kee kee kee kee yelp yelp yelp". We could also hear some of the hens answering with yelps from the bottom of the cliff. I decided to go after the jake and headed up the mountain a little ways. Suddenly, the jake stopped calling and ran up the mountain. So I decided to sit down on the bench and take his place calling. I pulled out my HS Strut Triple Beard glass call and did my best assembly yelps. After my second long string of yelps, I saw two hens appear suddenly from below the cliff, running right at me no more than 15 or 20 yards away. I dropped the call and grabbed my Optima, pulled back the hammer, and aimed quickly at the right bird. It was more like shooting quail than turkeys--it was so fast. At the shot, the left bird flew down the valley and I heard flop flop flop as my bird rolled down several feet. I almost couldn't believe that I hit it, as it all happened so fast. This was my first turkey ever.
CVA Optima Pro with 12ga MZ barrel
1-3/4 oz #5 magnum lead shot
75 grains 777
It was about a half mile back to the ATVs.
10-10-2013, 07:49 AM
#4
Fork Horn
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Arizona
Posts: 202
Thanks Cayugad.
Thanks Robert. We were off the Rim road (about mid way down it) on the Mogollon Rim. The Mogollon Rim is one of my favorite areas in Arizona, with all the green "parks" and little streams flowing through them, surrounded by rugged mountains. Perfect for elk and turkey. Speaking of which, we heard all kinds of elk bugling going on--right behind camp!
I can believe the snow, as we're getting rain right now in the Valley. It got down in the high 20's when we were there.
Thanks Robert. We were off the Rim road (about mid way down it) on the Mogollon Rim. The Mogollon Rim is one of my favorite areas in Arizona, with all the green "parks" and little streams flowing through them, surrounded by rugged mountains. Perfect for elk and turkey. Speaking of which, we heard all kinds of elk bugling going on--right behind camp!
I can believe the snow, as we're getting rain right now in the Valley. It got down in the high 20's when we were there.
10-10-2013, 02:08 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 3,813
I can believe the snow, as we're getting rain right now in the Valley. It got down in the high 20's when we were there.
Congrats again on the bird.
