Hunter: Zach Playle
Animal: Turkey - 22 1/2 lbs, 10" Beard, 1 1/4" Spurs
Location: Missouri
Weapon: Shotgun

2010 was my last year to hunt the Missouri youth turkey season. The week before I was so pumped because we had everything coming together, Reconyx camera photos of gobblers, earlier encounters, and that Thursday and Friday grandpa when out and scouted and said there were gobblers EVERYWHERE!!!

Grandpa and I went out to the hunting cabin the night before. We had a good time as always and I had roosted at least 5 birds in our Turkey Point area. That next morning we were up early and got the Shady Lady hens and the new King Strut and headed to our blind where most of the birds were roosted. Just like clockwork at around 5:20 the birds I roosted started gobbling. A little while after that I tree called and the 2 close ones cut me off immediately. Then about 6 hens started flying into the field. The 2 gobblers got on the ridge in front of us and it was the most vocal hunt I have been able to experience. The hens and gobbler both were yelping, cackling, purring and did a little bit of cutting. A few more hens came into the field and finally the gobbler came off the ridge. The first gobbler entered the field, puffed into strut but then kinda seemed disinterested and veered off to the left but the 2nd gobbler didn’t like the King Strut and he came running. He checked out the Shady Lady and King Strut decoys and smelled a rat and was coming out the back side of the decoys when I let him have it with my favorite shotgun.

This was the best way I could think of spending my last youth turkey season. I was in the woods, hunting with my favorite hunting partner and killing a gobbling turkey. I think I wouldn’t have killed this bird if I wouldn’t have put out the Shady Ladys and King Strut. Also that day we had the Shrine Club Turkey Days and I won $300 in the calling contests and a gun in a raffle. I think it was a pretty good day. My next goal is to get grandpa a turkey (and it shouldn’t be that hard)!!!!
Good Luck,
Zach

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