24 Pound Turkey taken by 12 year old Missouri girl

Lake of the Ozarks, MO: This video features my niece, Lexi and her Dad on their first solo turkey hunt on the first day of Youth Turkey Season in Missouri. The following is his account of the hunt;

I have never hunted personally until last year when I killed a small hen, and Lexi and I went out last year because she won a contest to hunt with the conservation agents. We did not have much luck, even though we had a good time learning from the old pros. Well this year, we decided to just go out alone, and WOW, what an amazing experience, as you will see by the video. We were in our spot in the woods, at the edge of a field by around 6:30am, which is a little late I think in hunting, but I learned today that if sunrise is 6:58, your better be in your spot at least an hour before because it was already pretty light out by 6am. But nonetheless, we were out there and ready. Well we both said a prayer and I set a decoy up maybe 20 yards out in front of us because Lexi had never shot a gun before and I wanted the elusive gobbler to come in close for a better chance at a good clean kill. I began calling with my new turkey calls I bought from Walmart, relying on what I learned a year ago when we hunted with the conservation agents. Next thing you know, we where hearing a few gobbles in the distance. Then, 2 hens came running across the field, but then dashed off into the woods. Not 10 seconds later, this huge Tom comes running after them, but stopped out in the middle of the field when he heard my best attempt at an amateur turkey call, and stopped to check out our decoy. At this point he began to spread his tail feathers, and strut and drum and spit and man I tell ya, we could have left the woods satisfied right then and there, even though he was too far out to shoot. But he came in a little closer, but was quickly losing interest in our inanimate decoy and was starting to head towards the real hens in the nearby woods. I told Lexi to go ahead and take the shot, having faith in her steady hand. Well, as you can see in the picture, she dropped this majestic bird from 60 yards out, in a once in a lifetime opportunity for both her and I. Like Mel Gibson said in the movie Lethal Weapon..4, maybe 5 guys in the world could have made that shot!!!! If you know anything about hunting, 60 yards away with a small youth size 20 gauge shotgun would be considered a nearly impossible shot. After words, we took the monster bird to the taxidermist, arriving at around 9am, she was amazed we were out of the woods already, as her husband would spend all day out there in search of a turkey not even as big as what we took. The bird was 24 pounds on the scale, and had a 10 and half inch beard, this is a HUGE bird! The taxidermist said that grown men who have hunted all their lives would give anything for just one time to kill a turkey like this. She said most of the time they would destroy the meat and ruin the feathers because they were not that great a shot, she couldnt believe Lexis bird was in tip-top shape, and shot perfectly in the head and neck, as to not injure the meat or feathers. I just smiled and thought about the amazing 60 yard shot of a lifetime! Shooting this bird in the head from that distance is like trying to hit a dime with a pebble from across the lake, a turkeys head is very small compared to his body. Well anyway.you get the point! Thanks for reading this, we are pretty excited and wanted to share this experience with everyone, we give glory to God and thank him for an answered prayer.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• Missouri
• Lake of the Ozarks
• Turkey
• Turkey Season
• Turkey Hunting
• Youth Hunting Season
• Banelli 20 Guage Shotgun
• Lexi Cooney
• Michael Cooney

[2hangler]

good job i killed my first one 2 weeks ago on openin day. 18 pounds 10 inch beard i have a lil video of him if you wanna see

[DwayneCooney]

Send a link!

[Roostman75]

Are you crazy 20 yards is not a long or hard shot even for a kid

[xXXKisaHiroshiXx]

nice turkey

[outdooresman75]

great job i got my first 2 this year.... at the same tym!!!!! they were juvenile jakes but ur first is always a trophy. am i right!!! once again great jobbb!!!!!!!!!!!!! and thats a reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaa­aaaallllllllllllllllllllllllll­l far shot!!!!

[mileycyrushugefan123]

wow!!!

[polkadotsandstripes2]

RIP Turkey!! :( :( This is sick!! THIS crap is why I'm a vegetarian. Poor animals :( You guys think this is cool?? It's murder...

[anavidhunter]

Way to go Lexi and congrats on a beautiful hunt and harvest.

So kule you have this memorable moment captured on video not only for us all to enjoy in your awesome adventure but for you to look back on for years to come.

Lexi and Dad you will both enter each future excursion with this fantastic joint experience in what was no doubt a fine and defining day in your lives.

Nice work Uncle, Aunt, Mum and all who was involved.

Thumbs up post!

[pyroperson624]

I just shot a 21 pound 11 inch beard gobbler today :D

[TheSkoalboy09]

good job girl dont 4 get what huntins all about keep up the good work

[YCreek]

Awesome! I hunt in West Tenn. and I've never seen a 24 lb. gobbler. That is unbelievable. You'll never forget it.

[monkey6321]

Nice!