Ok Fella's,
April 9th I had an opportunity to go turkey hunting on a private ranch with my partner Tim & his kids.
Because of my upcoming shoulder surgery I left my bow @ home & took my new Benjamin Trail NP.
The kids Gino 13 & Jeff 14 yrs old took 12g shotguns. Tim brought his bow & his daughter Gianna.
The temp was about 42 deg. 1 hour before sunup & clear not bad. We had the boys set up about 200 yards
down a dirt road from us. They had 2 dec's & no blind. We sat up in a blind with his 11 year old daughter & a couple dec's.
We called lightly as the sun began to rise we could hear gobbling all around us. About 6:30 we hear a CABOOM!
Tim & I look @ each other & smile. About a half hour later we hear CABOOM! again now it is hard to stay in the blind
we want to see what is up with the 2 boys so we exit the blind & make our way towards Gino & Jeff seeing them in the distance it was hard to tell what they were carrying.They both harvested a Jake, their first turkeys & they did it on their own, we were so proud of them
they have been hunting almost since they were in dippers & now I can call both of them hunters.They finally made journeyman!! This was awesome it made my day!
Now about the Benji NP, everyone got to shoot it except Gianna she did not care to.
I am so impressed with this riffle off hand I took 2 starlings one @ 42yards & another @ 44 yards in some old oak trees
it folded them like a sandwich I brought my range finder because I wanted to find out what ranges my mill dots were @.
Anyhow I took a few ground squirrels 1 @ 25 yards the pellet went in one ear & out the other, I found out you have to aim for the melon because they are tough critters I have had them runaway with arrows sticking out of them.The boys & Tim took some great shots Jeff took a ground squirrel in the melon I ranged it @ 52 yards the pellet went in the side of his skull & came out the top & was resting under the skin, I cut it out & was surprised that the JSB 18.1gr.did not change much very little change just a scare on the head of the pellet, Jeff was in the prone position when he took his shot.
The best shot of the day was out of the truck Tim used the door as a rest as I ranged Mr. Gray out to 65 yards I had him put the 3rd mil dot on it's control station, it was looking away & smack the pellet found its mark right in the back of the head it knocked him over like a tin can flat on its face it did a short wiggle then expired. I was so impressed.
I wanted a air riffle that would take a squirrel or rabbit @ 50 yards & now I know it is possible just place your shot in the head
if you miss lucky critter if you connect lucky you. I really love this riffle.
Sorry I did not get any pictures of the critters I only got Jeff & Geno with their Jakes.
I feel I have a real air riffle now.
I can't wait until I can get back out to the ranch.
Matthew
