5 yards away and no shot

[Fox]

Well we made it out after work yesterday and only had about 2 hours of legal hunting time. We setup and called, I was given a few tips for the afternoon hunt so I thought I would start in a strutting area and go from there.

We we say at least 6 birds a couple hundred yards away, through the binoculars I could see red on one of the heads but they did not come much closer.

I decided to get my fiancee to move up a bit and see if they would come down the fence row the to bush but that was not happening.

With only about 20 minutes to go I suggested we go for a walk to where we last saw the birds as I know that sometimes they move just on the other side of cover and hunker down.

Well we get to the spot but I forgot to tell her to get the gun to her shoulder and have her finger on the safety just in case, she took 2 steps in to the long grass and there he flushes, a tom about 20lbs with a nice long beard, only 5 yards away. It flew from right to left, across in front of us and was not moving too fast as it flew. This made me think of the absolute best situation to shoot at a flying grouse, but then again she was not ready. If I would have been hunting I would have been able to take a shot and it was not a difficult one to make but she is new to this game and new to this gun so still in the cradle carry it sat.

I am not sure who was more startled, us or the turkey, but I know that she is going to be hunting for a good long time after today.

3 days hunting for her so far, 4 toms within 40 yards but too close together to shoot, 1 tom at 50 yards, just outside the range of her gun and today another 6 birds with one up close and personal.

[Pijetro]

Hey Fox, I love reading your posts..
Especially the advice you give...

Always correct, and to the point..
Have you ever shot something extremely close with a full choke?

[punkrockerpj]

they look awful funny when they fly all puffed out, eh?
maybe for the best. like pijetro said, might be like shooting a pillow being thrown into the air at that close range :P

[Fox]

Hey Fox, I love reading your posts..
Especially the advice you give...

Always correct, and to the point..
Have you ever shot something extremely close with a full choke?

Lets just say I am happy she did not shoot, if she hit the breast it would have been a mess, we discussed it after the event.

It was just too perfect, the thing took off at 5 yards, started up into the air, passed from right to left at the perfect gun swing and would have been in the clear for about 15 yards. I know I would not have shot right away, but with the head and neck fully extended it was just something out of a textbook on shooting upland game, just happened to be giant upland game.
I would not have shot right away, but at 15 yards the pattern on this particular gun has opened up enough that you would have been going just for the head but not tight enough to be shooting something the size of a fist at it. I was actually disappointed with the pattern on this 20ga but out ammo selection was minimal so we patterned what we had this year and will keep our shots short to make sure of a clean kill (30 yards max, Winchester 20ga 3" 1 1/4oz shot, I want to get some federal flight control wad #6 to try out next year).

As for the full choke, my 16ga double is choked full and modified, but when I measured the bore it worked out to a super full choke. I did not measure it before this turkey hunting season so I was unaware that for a number of years hunting pigeons, rabbits and grouse that I was using a super Full as my second shot. Yes I have hit moving rabbits and flying birds with that gun, I love it.

That being said my comfort level with my 16ga double (had for about 10 years now) and my 870 (had for 14 years now) is much higher than my fiancee who has shot probably 20 rounds from this Winny 1300 20ga, and only about 15 through it once I chopped the stock down to fit her 5'1" frame. She is doing very well, she knows where the safety is, loads and unloads with no problem, but the snap shot will still be a few years down the road.

I think back to being 15-16 and walking with my dad in the woods, rabbits and grouse from under foot and you just stand there not knowing what to do, it all comes with practice and it will come for her. She was very excited though with the hunt, she is in that stage where she really wants to get something, so I am happy we started with turkey rather then deer so at least she sees something on her trips out.

[TurkeyRookie]

Great story, next time!