Making Turkey Hunting Look Good!

Is one sign of becoming a seasoned turkey hunter that you start ending up with fewer and fewer pictures of your victories? My first turkey back in 2005 necessitated that my hunting mentor, Randy, shoot a whole roll of 35mm film in a post-kill photo shoot. Yesterday, which was Indiana’s opening day, I was hunting solo and I took three pictures using the self-timer on my camera…the third one was good enough and then I put the camera away.  (Read on...)

I shot my bird (24 pounds, 22mm spurs, 10-inch beard, at least a 2-year old) about 12:40 EST in a scenic pasture surrounded by a few different woodlots. It was absolutely a beautiful spring day which started out very cool (around 40 degrees) and warmed up quite nicely. Actually, I was starting to get very hot in my blind by the time I was able to pull the trigger and emerge from that sweat box!!

I use and recommend Thrill Kill Decoys, which are “real” decoys. My tom decoy was created from my 2007 Indiana bird by Mr. Thrill Kill himself, Randy Dickson. The hen decoy was on loan from corporate headquarters. During my hunt yesterday I was able to capture a few minutes of video of this gobbler picking on my tom decoy, which I may eventually share here.  These decoys really draw in the birds and they have what it takes to keep the bird there so you can capture video or until your patience runs out and you pull the trigger (which is what I did after collecting nearly three minutes of footage of the tom bullying my decoy).

Someday I’ll get a more complete journal of this turkey season written up and posted here, but for now, enjoy the couple of pictures that I took…

This cow didn't know quite what to think of that Thrill Kill hen decoy!

 

Camera self-timer...Take 1

Camera self-timer...Take 2...I look good, but the turkey's not how I want him.

And finally...Take 3...the turkey is still not quite how I'd like him, but dang, do I make hunting look good or what??