LAST EDITED ON May-12-08 AT 02:50PM (MST)[p]The weather was very cool, crisp and windy on the Blue Mountains of Monticello, Utah. So cool that I ran an entire 7 gal propane take out keeping my camp trailer warm. We had a great time regardless. My parents pulled their trailer down with us. Everyone in my family came. We only shot one turkey for the three tags and that was a serious commando effort to get him. Not as many turkeys around as we had a couple of years back.
Now the story behind the one we shot. Friday morning my dad was setup by a pond at the top of the big open park where my oldest son and his cousin shot their turkeys two years ago. I was setup a little further to the west on the edge of the park in the oak brush. My wife was set up between my 5 year old twin boys in our camp trailer bed. Anyway, no sign or sound of turkeys in the area all morning until about 9:00 am when I heard gobbling from what sounded like a long distance away further to the west. After listening for a few minutes I could tell they were moving but not towards our park. So, I went after them. I climbed to the top of a small ridge to the west so I could get a better feel for where they might be. Using my box call I was able to get them to respond. I couldn't see them but I could tell they were coming up the bottom of the small canyon about 200 yards east from the asphalt road.
I got myself low into the oak brush and quietly moved toward the road and down at a clearing in the bottom of the little canyon. I used the box call and they immediately called back. It sounded like there were three of them and still a little ways off. I waited a few minutes and hit the box call again at the same time two of the tom's appeared at the edge of the oak brush about 20 yards away. Here's the picture. Kneeling in the oak brush, my box call was in my hand, my shotgun was on the ground and two huge turkeys were alert and looking for a hot hen within a stones throw. I got away with putting the box call on the ground but was busted when trying to bring my shotgun up. I almost went into a state of panic but didn't. I slowly kept bringing my shotgun to my shoulder while the toms paced nervously, but stayed in the same general area. I pointed the sight bead to the top of the head of the bird on the left and unleashed 1 7/8 oz of Remington copper plated 4's in it's direction. LIGHTS OUT BABY! He's about as big as miriam turkeys get 3/4" inch spurs and a nice beard. Not a feather out of place. He'll make a good mount. This is my second Miriam. Now it's time to see about getting tags to go after Rio Grande's.
We saw more birds that evening and Saturday morning but weren't able to get onto them.
Now the story behind the one we shot. Friday morning my dad was setup by a pond at the top of the big open park where my oldest son and his cousin shot their turkeys two years ago. I was setup a little further to the west on the edge of the park in the oak brush. My wife was set up between my 5 year old twin boys in our camp trailer bed. Anyway, no sign or sound of turkeys in the area all morning until about 9:00 am when I heard gobbling from what sounded like a long distance away further to the west. After listening for a few minutes I could tell they were moving but not towards our park. So, I went after them. I climbed to the top of a small ridge to the west so I could get a better feel for where they might be. Using my box call I was able to get them to respond. I couldn't see them but I could tell they were coming up the bottom of the small canyon about 200 yards east from the asphalt road.
I got myself low into the oak brush and quietly moved toward the road and down at a clearing in the bottom of the little canyon. I used the box call and they immediately called back. It sounded like there were three of them and still a little ways off. I waited a few minutes and hit the box call again at the same time two of the tom's appeared at the edge of the oak brush about 20 yards away. Here's the picture. Kneeling in the oak brush, my box call was in my hand, my shotgun was on the ground and two huge turkeys were alert and looking for a hot hen within a stones throw. I got away with putting the box call on the ground but was busted when trying to bring my shotgun up. I almost went into a state of panic but didn't. I slowly kept bringing my shotgun to my shoulder while the toms paced nervously, but stayed in the same general area. I pointed the sight bead to the top of the head of the bird on the left and unleashed 1 7/8 oz of Remington copper plated 4's in it's direction. LIGHTS OUT BABY! He's about as big as miriam turkeys get 3/4" inch spurs and a nice beard. Not a feather out of place. He'll make a good mount. This is my second Miriam. Now it's time to see about getting tags to go after Rio Grande's.
We saw more birds that evening and Saturday morning but weren't able to get onto them.
