What a deal! Had 4 gobbling south of me on the roost, and one way north.
Nothing came my way right after flydown.

I had a red tail hawk hit both my lay down and feeder decoys, scared the heck out of me both times lol!!

But, about 710 or so, a pair of hens were talking to me down in the timber to my north. As we were talking back and forth, this guy fired up to my SE!!! I gave him a dose of yelps from both my VECtor aluminum and slate calls, then layer them down.

He was behind me, where I could see him, but could finally hear him drumming as he worked closer!!

I could finally see a peek of him to my left, thru the side of the dark blind at about 20 yds.

He slowly strutted to the standing hen decoy, but his eyes were on the lay down hen!!

I slowly got the Flintlock Trade Gun up and stuck out the window, pulled back the hammer, and got down on the gun.

I let him get right next to the lay down hen, and couldn’t take it any longer, so I let er bark!! Everything worked as it should have, as this Gun had been loaded since the Tuesday evening of opening week!!!

Those that say, “can’t stop the flop”, should shoot their birds at 8 steps....
This Tom never twitched!!!!

For those that care, this is a replica Fur Trade Era Trade Gun, that would have gone west and were traded for Beaver Furs, and used by the Trappers and Traders. These were found on the Steamboat Arabia, and likely will be found on the Malta!!
I loaded it with 70 gr by volume of 2F real black powder, under 80 gr by volume of #5 lead shot.

The bird weighed 21.5# on the Berkeley fish scales. Spurs are 7/8” and 1”, beard is 9.25”.

This is my 3rd bird with a Flintlock, after 12-15 with a percussion 12 ga Double, but my first with the Trade Gun!!!
What a rush! Can’t wait to do it again!!!

https://imgur.com/gallery/K7eeVbM

Congrats OP.. You should post a pic of the rifle

This.  Need to see your meat!

Well, I tried the imgur thing, and all it did was attach a link to pics?

Hit the copy button where it shows the link between  img /img  and then right click/paste it in your post. 

If it doesn't show, you should consider buying a membership.

Yea, don’t see that option on the iPhone.

That's so cool! You build or buy that nice trade gun?

Awesome OP

OP's pic

I am the 2nd owner. It was originally bought back in the early 80’s. No makers mark anywhere on it, although it wears a Pedersoli Lott lock.

ccc, thanks for posting the pic!!!

I’m headed back out this weekend to try to fill my last tag!!!

Interesting. That trigger guard looks bigger then the Pedersoli trade gun. Also I'm digging that buffalo horn.

This gun had a brass trigger guard originally but I had my buddy Forge an iron one. It’s exactly the shape and size of the original.
The buffler horn was made by a good friend, rawhide patch and all.

It is a shame you wasted all that shot Brad.  At 8 steps the noise would have killed him!

Nice photograph, Trade Gun and bird!  Congratulations!

Ah that would make sense. Looks good.

Great picture and nice gun and horn. What's the bore on the trade gun?

20ga, cylinder bore. Patterns well for turkeys at 25yds.

He might have died from smoke inhalation!!!
I’ll find out though, I have dermestid beetles and will clean the skull and neck from both birds.

This old guy keeps getting smarter.  I had to look up the beetles.  I'd be a little afraid that when they ran out of meat on the turkeys they might turn their attention to me.  

So far, they’ve only eaten the dead stuff lol.