8 Gauge Success

[Wayne Owens]

Another memorable Arizona turkey hunt was successful thanks to the 130 year old Parker 8 gauge. The bird glided down hill over me sounding like a quiet jet plane. He landed 300 yards down the mountain from me. I wasn't sure if he was even a tom until I used my box call and immediately heard a gobble for an answer. After waiting a few minutes I called again, and again received a gobble from the same location.
This went on for several more times and finally his gobble's were getting closer. He moved up hill, crossed a small creek and finally appeared. Once he was 30 yards from me I took the shot and ended my 2024 turkey hunt. The loads i use are 3 1/4" RMC brass cartridges using 36 grains of Blue dot and a combination of number 4 and 7 1/2 lead shot weighing 1 5/8 ounces sitting in an Italian wad. These loads do not have a heavy recoil and have been successful in taking several birds.

[Keith Sirmans]

Absolutely awesome! Great job man

[David Livesay]

Sounds like a fun time. Congrats

[Mike Koneski]

Great hunt Wayne! Congrats!

[Garry L Gordon]

Congratulations, and thanks for the pictures. Did you have to make two trips out to carry each "trophy?":)

[Wayne Owens]

Garry, you are absolutely right about thinking on making two trips. I thought about it but decided to grunt it out and carry the 12 1/2 pound gun in one hand and the 17 pound bird in the other. Lucky the walk was only a quarter mile to the ATV.

[CraigThompson]

Garry, you are absolutely right about thinking on making two trips. I thought about it but decided to grunt it out and carry the 12 1/2 pound gun in one hand and the 17 pound bird in the other. Lucky the walk was only a quarter mile to the ATV.

I believe I’d have gone and gotten the ATV then ride it back to pickup the gun and bird . But I’m lazy like that LOL’s :whistle:

[Garry L Gordon]

Garry, you are absolutely right about thinking on making two trips. I thought about it but decided to grunt it out and carry the 12 1/2 pound gun in one hand and the 17 pound bird in the other. Lucky the walk was only a quarter mile to the ATV.

Well, you got your weight lifting and cardio workouts covered!:)

[CraigThompson]

All jokes aside if I’m somewhere chasing brown cloven hooved rats I park the ATV within 100 yards and dread carrying my 8 a rifle and my pack .

[David Case]

Garry, you are absolutely right about thinking on making two trips. I thought about it but decided to grunt it out and carry the 12 1/2 pound gun in one hand and the 17 pound bird in the other. Lucky the walk was only a quarter mile to the ATV.

Congratulations, it was worth the haul of success!

[Phillip Carr]

Congratulations Wayne.
14 years after my goal to get the 8 gauge legalized in Arizona I finally completed my goal. One was to get Arizona to allow the 8 gauge and the other to take a turkey with one of my 8 gauges.
It took 12 years after I got the word that my petition was approved, to draw a Arizona turkey tag.
It took this long as I wanted to shoot a Goulds turkey with the 8. This year I felt if I was going to shoot a turkey in AZ I had better settle on a Merriam's.
I drew a tag and thanks to my brother George who is an incredible caller I took a Jake this morning.
It was not a Long beard but se were only able to carve out a couple of days to hunt.
Yesterday we had some fun playing with a couple of Gobblers but could not close the deal.
This morning a hoot owl call in the dark was answered by Gobble about a half a mile away.
We took off as fast as I could while carrying the W C Scott 8 gauge loaded with 2 oz of 7 1/2 shot.
We set up about 150 yards from where the birds were roosting. By this time the sky was starting to lighten up.
George did a fly down cackle and he heard the birds fly down.
We had 3 Gobblers going off but one Gobbler was with a number of hens from what we could tell, and he was reluctant to leave his hens and clearly the hens did not want any competition.
10 minutes passed then loan hen started up towards us. She walked within 15 yards of us but she could not locate the hen she felt was there.
We waited about another 10 minutes having let the hen pass and George started making some light putts, purrs and a few yelps. This set off 3 Gobblers. Another 15 minutes later I heard a putt. Looking slightly behind me and to my right I watched as two Red heads appeared.
Slowly and cautiously the birds came through the trees looking for that seductive hen they were sure was there.
It was just too nice of a morning, having George calling and the birds talking, to let a perfect morning be interrupted simply because the birds did not support long beards.
At 20 yards I touched of the right barrel and for a moment I could not tell if the bird was down due to all of the smoke from the black powder load.
The dew was heavy because of the rain the night before. It seemed to hold the blanket of smoke forever.
In reality it was just a matter of seconds before the Gobbler bounced out of the smoke going head over heels.
The 8 gauge had done its job, another great memory was made and I finally completed a goal I had started on years ago.

Note: I believe Wayne was the first person the take a turkey legally in AZ in the past 100 years, I believe I am #2.
I may have been first to shoot quail, coyote, and Eurasian dove in AZ. With an 8.
Lots of other game to be taken legally in AZ with the 8 gauge as all big game can be taken with the exception of a Bison.
Here are a few pictures of George and the 8 gauge.
Wayne you may remember George from years ago.

[Phillip Carr]

Pictures along with the sunset last night near Prescott Valley AZ

[Phillip Carr]

Sunset last night near Prescott Valley AZ

[Stan Hoover]

Congratulations on your accomplishment with the 8 gauge Phil, thanks for sharing!

[Garry L Gordon]

Pictures along with the sunset last night near Prescott Valley AZ

Sweet!

[Wayne Owens]

Great going, Phil! I am glad you finally got drawn for turkey in Arizona. I thought you mentioned months ago about getting drawn for Goulds turkey in the Chiricahuas for this hunt? I guess I misunderstood. Anyway, it's a great story and I'm glad you got some exercise hunting with the 8 gauge. I will always appreciate you spending the time and effort meeting with the Game and Fish Department to get the 8 gauge approved for hunting in Arizona. I do remember your brother George. He is a great guy and quite the outdoorsman.

[Phillip Carr]

Yes I had tag #1 so I assumed I had drawn for Goulds. I had put down unit 19A as a 2nd choice as I wanted to hunt and was tired of waiting. Unfortunately I guess I got tag number 1 for my second choice.
Unfortunately a few months after I drew to tag I realized I drew 19A. Not the Goulds tag.
A great unit with I believe only 8 tags for this hunt and 30 minutes from Georges.
Hope to see you on the North Rim for Grouse this year.