Not a Parker, but my grandson scored this AM!!
 

To conclude my spring turkey saga, after I tagged my second bird I was focused on having my 8 year old grandson tag a bird. We sat twice in the last week with nothing to see. The week before they were all over. The last 5 days there were 4 gobblers hanging in the fields by Chuck Central but no opportunity to get him out as we were all very occupied. I brought Rex home last evening for a sleep over and a AM sit hoping to catch one of those birds cruising again. We're set up at 5:00 and listening as the sun rose. No gobbling at all. Around 7:10 we saw a turkey fly down from up the hill and flew down into the short course about 300 yards from us. I'm thinking "Game on!" I call and no reply. OK, we'll wait him out. A few minutes go by and I let out a few clucks and yelps. Maybe 50 yards behind the blind and to our left I get a reply. Now the bird is coming closer, I call, it replies. Now it's directly behind the blind and Rex eyes are bugging out of his head. The bird walks right next to the blind into the field. I see it's a hen BUT it has a long beard! Definitely "Game on!" I whispered to Rex "Don't move." His eyes almost fell out of his head!! She walked 10 yards out and turned away from us. I moved the sticks and he rested the single shot .410 on the yoke. Told him to take his time and when she stood still with her head up to put the dot on her head and let it rip. She was 12 yards and he shot. Stoned her where she stood. Bird hit the ground and never twitched. There was much rejoicing!! Congrats to Rex for his first hunting success. Now he's hooked!

The bird had an 8 1/4" beard and weighed 16 lbs. The gun was a single shot .410 with a red dot and he used 3" shells with 13/16 oz #9 TSS shot.

Thats fantastic. Way to go grandpa. A wonderful memory he will carry with him for the rest of his life.

I wish I could be around in 50 years to hear Rex recount this hunt. I'm sure he'll remember it well.

Good job, Grandpa! Bringing a new hunter along is important for the future of hunting.

I was surprised to see, however, that the young hunter did not have a Hawaiian shirt on for his debut hunter photo.:)

So you got the Tranny problem too in the NEPA? :) Damn liberal game commission.:) Tell Rex nice shot and with a .410. I've only done it with the 28 so he's got one up on me. That bird will always be special to him and you should do some kind of mount for him. No other bird will ever top that one.

Do they sell a grin remover? LOL
Congrats to the both of you.

It’s not Hawaiian Shirt Friday!

Congratulations young man ! But next year take the 4 off the front and let him use a nice EH or NH :cool::whistle:

i know what you are feeling as a grand dad. good for him and really good for you!

Mike, we talked about that blind at Chuck Central when I was at the Rock on Sunday and maybe that was a lucky charm? Congrats to Rex and Pa, and as others have written it was a day, bird and kinship you'll both remember. Well done! If I don't see Rex before then maybe you or Tad will have him at Hausmann's and I'll give him a hearty handshake there.

Craig, he’s just barely big enough to handle that little .410.

Make sure Tad brings him to either Ernie's or your shoot in July. It would be my honor to have my picture taken with such a celebrated outdoorsman.

What a great morning, congratulations to Rex and Gramps! Nice turkey, even a bit unique. This will be at the top of his life stories forever!

Tad doesn't work for us anymore so if he comes to Ernie's it would just be Saturday and he's not even sure he can make that day.

Daryl, we have at least 3 more bearded hens running the property this year. About 5-6 years ago we had three of them in one flock. My second bird that spring was a bearded hen and she's mounted in the lodge.

Bummer:banghead: Tad was the main reason we come there:crying: I guess it's up to Pop-pop to bring him in July.:)

Maybe Saturday if he doesn't have a ball game. Thursday and Friday will be long days and I'll be shooting, not tending herd.

That’s a great story. How do you like that TSS shot?

I use strictly TSS in my modern steel barrels for turkey. I've stoned gobblers dead out to 65 yards so far with the TSS. I also use some for the little bit of waterfowl I hunt. If I'm hunting waterfowl with a vintage gun I'll use ITX shot.

Great story, lots of memories and that grin in the pics seals the deal. Congratulations to you both.

So is the young Turkey slayer coming to Hausemann’s on Saturday ?

I don’t know? Doubt Tad is going.

Spoke with Tad at the youngest grandson's birthday party on Monday, he will be shooting the Main Event at Ernie's to try and win some BLING and shoot for Team Parker in the Manufacturer's Cup. He will be bringing Rex so you guys looking to give him a congrats on his first turkey will indeed have that opportunity.