Third Year is the Charm

After 3 years of hard hunting and scaring or boring a lot of turkeys, I finally killed one. He came in just like they say they should and met a load of #6 Heavyshot at 22 yards. He weighed in at 17 1/2 lbs, had a 9 inch beard and a wing span of 4 feet. I don't think I'll figure up how much time and money went into this, but I do know it was worth every penny! It felt especially good doing it on my own, on public land and after a lot of effort.
While carrying him out I watched an osprey dove bombing an immature bald eagle. Throw in a pair of northern orioles and a lot of goose music and you've got a memorable day.
In 1972 when I was a warden trainee with Bill LaCount, we made the first turkey case in Vermont when a guy from New York state shot one in a field with a rifle. They had only been stocked 2 years before in Pawlet. Now we have turkeys everywhere plus nesting osprey and eagles. Who says modern wildlife management doesn't work?