Went this weekend and picked up the SBE ii. I had been using my Browning Gold but it didn't have the mounts for a sling and I was tired of carrying it around all day (remember this part). I usually take my kids to daycare in the mornings so I rarely get to hunt at prime time. My father in law took them for me today so that I could hunt my first morning of the season. I got there and before I could get my clothes on I heard a gobble on the other side of the property but it was to far to chase so I finished getting ready and headed out.

About 15 minutes into my hunt I had made it to within 100 yards of the spot I wanted to sit for a while and I hear a gobble about 200 yards ahead of me. It was awesome because we had a bunch of rain last night and I was able to move in silence. I stopped to make a quiet call so that I could pinpoint where the gobbler was and he fired off again. Now I knew where he was and where he should be going so I headed that way to get into position. 50 yards later he gobbles again but seems to be getting further away so he must be moving the other way. I walked about 150 yards and stopped to listen and did another soft call. He lit up again and was closer but still 150 yards away so I was going to a spot where I thought I could see better if he came. I took two slow steps and see something that looks like a turkey head in the high crp grass so I freeze. Sure enough it's the original gobbler I started after and he was strutting 40 yards ahead of me. What I thought was him moving the other way was actually a different turkey the next ridge over and now I was in a pickle. Remember one of the main reasons that I wanted a new gun was because I was tired of carrying a heavy gun all day with no sling. Of course I had the new gun slinged on my back and now I have a gobbler in full strut at 40 yards. My fear was that if he hadn't seen me already he would as soon as I moved. Even if he had seen me I had another bird 150 yards past him that was on fire and I didn't want to spook the bird closest to me and he scare off the one that was gobbling his head off. So I waited for him to turn around with the fan open so that I could sit down in the tall grass and bust him as soon as he got into the opening that was 10 feet from him. I made it to the ground without him screaming out of there so I thought it might work out. The further turkey gobbled for an hour and the close one never made it to the small opening so I called softly to the further one. He was getting closer to me and then I heard a hen call to him and I never heard either of them again.

As I walked back the way I came I saw fresh tracks and strut marks in the road right where I made my first call. Overall, I can't believe how light the SBE ii is compared to my Browning Gold and it will eventually become a turkey killer but I had to laugh about the fact that I would have gotten my first crack at a turkey if I would have been carrying my old gun.

Sounds like your in a good area, just a matter of time till one slips up and gets a facefull.

Only time I walk with my gun on my shoulder is if it is dark or I am toting a bird out.

or putting a dip in/running a pot cuz they won't gobble for nothing/etc.

I walk with mine across my back all the time with no problems. However, I don't sling my gun when I'm working a turkey.

Like Yek said only on long walks in to a spot before daylight and when I have one slung over the shoulder .I even take mine off and put it in my vest so it wont be getting caught up on every thing while hunting there are plenty of trees to prop it on if I need to use both hands for some thing .

I carry mine with the barrel facing down while slung over my shoulder.. So if i need to all i have to do is bring it up to my shoulder while twisting it upright at the same time. Very quick to shoulder the gun that way

It was over my shoulder because I the turkey was gobbling at a good distance and I was trying to sneak into a good spot to ambush him. Learned my lesson that time. Oh well, it was an awesome hunt anyway and that was the first time that I have had one strutting so close to me.