Jump to content

  • Member Statistics

    17,611
    Total Members
    7,904
    Most Online
    NH8550
    Newest Member
    NH8550
    Joined

Central PA Late Spring 2012

MAG5035

By MAG5035,
in Upstate New York/Pennsylvania

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 1k
  • Created
  • Last Reply
hckyplayer8

hckyplayer8

Posted
Posted

Thoroughly depressing morning.

Struck up a hot bird at 6. A whole hour this bird was going non stop, drifting back and forth at 150-175 yards to my calls every 15 mins or so. At 7 he went silent. I waited about 20 mins and starting some soft yelping and he gobbled again and I could tell he was on the move down the ridge away from me.

I let him go another 15 mins and started a series of cutting and he thundered now to my left, inside 100 yards. I went silent and he started going crazy. 75 yds, 50 yrds and at 35ish yds he popped out onto the trail.

Lined him up and let the 20 guage scream. Bird did a barrel roll and I did a fist pump. Then to my shock and dis-spare the bird got up, too k3-4 strides and took off.

WTF

So now I sit here, looking at 12 guage ultra mags because if that happens again, the 20 guage would be wrapped around a tree.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sauss06

sauss06

Posted
Posted

Thoroughly depressing morning.

Struck up a hot bird at 6. A whole hour this bird was going non stop, drifting back and forth at 150-175 yards to my calls every 15 mins or so. At 7 he went silent. I waited about 20 mins and starting some soft yelping and he gobbled again and I could tell he was on the move down the ridge away from me.

I let him go another 15 mins and started a series of cutting and he thundered now to my left, inside 100 yards. I went silent and he started going crazy. 75 yds, 50 yrds and at 35ish yds he popped out onto the trail.

Lined him up and let the 20 guage scream. Bird did a barrel roll and I did a fist pump. Then to my shock and dis-spare the bird got up, too k3-4 strides and took off.

WTF

So now I sit here, looking at 12 guage ultra mags because if that happens again, the 20 guage would be wrapped around a tree.

835 ulti-mag 3 1/2 mags.ftw........even with that 20 gauge, at 35 yards, you should have had him. When was the last time you patterned it? Did you change shells? And, maybe you just missed, but because it barel rolled, i'd say your shot was low and you hit it in the body.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
EasternUSWX

EasternUSWX

Posted
Posted

Thoroughly depressing morning.

Struck up a hot bird at 6. A whole hour this bird was going non stop, drifting back and forth at 150-175 yards to my calls every 15 mins or so. At 7 he went silent. I waited about 20 mins and starting some soft yelping and he gobbled again and I could tell he was on the move down the ridge away from me.

I let him go another 15 mins and started a series of cutting and he thundered now to my left, inside 100 yards. I went silent and he started going crazy. 75 yds, 50 yrds and at 35ish yds he popped out onto the trail.

Lined him up and let the 20 guage scream. Bird did a barrel roll and I did a fist pump. Then to my shock and dis-spare the bird got up, too k3-4 strides and took off.

WTF

So now I sit here, looking at 12 guage ultra mags because if that happens again, the 20 guage would be wrapped around a tree.

Hunters. :P

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hckyplayer8

hckyplayer8

Posted
Posted

835 ulti-mag 3 1/2 mags.ftw........even with that 20 gauge, at 35 yards, you should have had him. When was the last time you patterned it? Did you change shells? And, maybe you just missed, but because it barel rolled, i'd say your shot was low and you hit it in the body.

Haven't patterned it in a couple years. I'm not even sure you can. Its a factory open barrel with no threads for a choke (family hand me down).

I've killed a bird with it before, but it was inside 20 yards.

Pisses me off. Did a 150 yard search and end it mission to no avail.

From so much joy to so much agony.

Unloaded a shell into the ground out of frustration.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sauss06

sauss06

Posted
Posted

Haven't patterned it in a couple years. I'm not even sure you can. Its a factory open barrel with no threads for a choke (family hand me down).

I've killed a bird with it before, but it was inside 20 yards.

Pisses me off. Did a 150 yard search and end it mission to no avail.

From so much joy to so much agony.

Unloaded a shell into the ground out of frustration.

hope the bird is healthy and you didn't injure it, so it can be hunted again.

Remember, a bad day in the woods is better then a good day at work..

I think Harrisburg is about to get rocked.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hckyplayer8

hckyplayer8

Posted
Posted

My dad is the same way hckyplayer...lol. Trying to go racing this after, but stuff is popping up.

He hunts Frankenstein birds too?

hope the bird is healthy and you didn't injure it, so it can be hunted again.

Remember, a bad day in the woods is better then a good day at work..

I think Harrisburg is about to get rocked.

I hunt the spot regularly, so I'll prolly let it sit a week or so and see if anything is going on.

I also told several guys about what happened so if it is dead, hopefully its found so it doesn't go to waste.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
pasnownut

pasnownut

Posted
Posted

He hunts Frankenstein birds too?

I hunt the spot regularly, so I'll prolly let it sit a week or so and see if anything is going on.

I also told several guys about what happened so if it is dead, hopefully its found so it doesn't go to waste.

If your barrel is not choked, you probably have the equivalent to a modified choke in that 20. in saying that, you should consider 30 to 35 max distance at thunderchickens as the pattern is not dense enought to get it done w/ a 20guage. Id consider trading on either a choked 20 or the 12. 3.5" shells are not a must at all. 3" will do the trick for sure. Pattern your gun and find the right shot for it. I tried 4's and 5's and got varied results, then went to #6's with a little less shot in it and had GREAT results out to 50yds.

On Friday a shot an 18 lb, w/ a 10.125" beard, 1" spurs at 37yds. Dropped on the spot w/ an Franchi 12 w/ extra full Undertaker and a payload of 3"-#6's.

Best of luck to all and I hope the wild swings in this spring calm down to a normal. I was soked hunting both Thurs/Friday in Tioga, and Saturday finally felt like spring again.

Nut

Link to comment
Share on other sites
hckyplayer8

hckyplayer8

Posted
Posted

If your barrel is not choked, you probably have the equivalent to a modified choke in that 20. in saying that, you should consider 30 to 35 max distance at thunderchickens as the pattern is not dense enought to get it done w/ a 20guage. Id consider trading on either a choked 20 or the 12. 3.5" shells are not a must at all. 3" will do the trick for sure. Pattern your gun and find the right shot for it. I tried 4's and 5's and got varied results, then went to #6's with a little less shot in it and had GREAT results out to 50yds.

On Friday a shot an 18 lb, w/ a 10.125" beard, 1" spurs at 37yds. Dropped on the spot w/ an Franchi 12 w/ extra full Undertaker and a payload of 3"-#6's.

Best of luck to all and I hope the wild swings in this spring calm down to a normal. I was soked hunting both Thurs/Friday in Tioga, and Saturday finally felt like spring again.

Nut

Thanks for the tips!

I wanna trade in on a Rem 870 Super Mag.

Odd fact, the turkey I shot and the one that should be dead, were both active and came in on wet, foggy mornings. So much for only having birds talk in fair weather.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...