Between blown opportunities, a wounded bird, and an insane work schedule I had posting a zilch for turkeys. Finally broke the ice today with a jake that I took with the Texan at around 130 yards. I worked late today and when I approached my house in the truck I saw some birds about 300 yards up the hill. I parked the rig, threw on my camo jacket, grabbed the Texan and headed out of the door. The gun had @ 2600psi so I put one bullet in and called it good. No back up shot.
I stayed low to use the terrain and a tree line to shield me. I didn't bring the range finder and I had decided with one shot only I was going to make it a high percentage one or nothing. I needed to get to around 100 yards to be comfortable, so the last 100 yards of distance-closing was a butt-scoot. After ten hours of tiling a floor today, crawling on my knees wasn't happening. I waited for them to emerge from where they were walking. I had seen around 8 to 10 birds, but the only thing I could see now were two jakes. They saw me and while not spooked, started to to slowly walk away. I thought that the other birds had bailed; I couldn't see them and this was my only chance. I picked the back bird and figured it to be about 130 yards and let fly offhand. I was surprised at the quietness of the gun...I actually thought something wasn't right. Between being in the open and the wind the moderated Texan just goes pffft! I didn't hear an impact, but the bird started running all awkward (sort of 'jerky', lol) and had a wing hanging. I've seen this act before with the bird escaping, but as the other bird ran up the hill this one started to veer off until he fell in a heap. It was just like a deer.
As soon as he went down, the birds I hadn't been able to see (including a mature tom) came running from a draw and started whupping on the poor jake. I didn't want to push them around too much as I might get another chance before the season ends at more birds, so I waited until they were satisfied and walked off before retrieving my bird. This is the first bird I've taken using the Lachmiller 110 gr. hollowpoint mold I bought last year. I bought that mold specifically for turkeys and it shoots just as (if not more) straight and true as my Arsenal 110 flat nose. The exit hole was impressive. Entered lower/neck/back and exited by the thigh. Punched a nice hole going out, exactly what I wanted. By the looks of the hole the bullet stayed together.
Time to break out the dehydrator for some turkey jerky.
I stayed low to use the terrain and a tree line to shield me. I didn't bring the range finder and I had decided with one shot only I was going to make it a high percentage one or nothing. I needed to get to around 100 yards to be comfortable, so the last 100 yards of distance-closing was a butt-scoot. After ten hours of tiling a floor today, crawling on my knees wasn't happening. I waited for them to emerge from where they were walking. I had seen around 8 to 10 birds, but the only thing I could see now were two jakes. They saw me and while not spooked, started to to slowly walk away. I thought that the other birds had bailed; I couldn't see them and this was my only chance. I picked the back bird and figured it to be about 130 yards and let fly offhand. I was surprised at the quietness of the gun...I actually thought something wasn't right. Between being in the open and the wind the moderated Texan just goes pffft! I didn't hear an impact, but the bird started running all awkward (sort of 'jerky', lol) and had a wing hanging. I've seen this act before with the bird escaping, but as the other bird ran up the hill this one started to veer off until he fell in a heap. It was just like a deer.
As soon as he went down, the birds I hadn't been able to see (including a mature tom) came running from a draw and started whupping on the poor jake. I didn't want to push them around too much as I might get another chance before the season ends at more birds, so I waited until they were satisfied and walked off before retrieving my bird. This is the first bird I've taken using the Lachmiller 110 gr. hollowpoint mold I bought last year. I bought that mold specifically for turkeys and it shoots just as (if not more) straight and true as my Arsenal 110 flat nose. The exit hole was impressive. Entered lower/neck/back and exited by the thigh. Punched a nice hole going out, exactly what I wanted. By the looks of the hole the bullet stayed together.
Time to break out the dehydrator for some turkey jerky.
