Just a few days ago, the Alabama Governor’s One-Shot Turkey Hunt crowned a new turkey-hunting hero, Linda Powell. The Governor’s Hunt is every bit as exclusive as it sounds, with a mere 64 hunters participating in the invitation-only 2022 event. The event benefits the many projects of the Alabama Conservation & Natural Resources Foundation, such as scholarships at the University of Alabama and Auburn University. Present were CEOs, corporate presidents, outdoor and entertainment celebrities, media representatives, sponsors … and Mossberg’s Director of Media Relations, Powell.
Linda Powell may seem to have been an underdog in comparison to her star-studded competition, but that would only be to those who don’t know her as well as we do here on NRA Women. She’s the recipient of our inaugural Golden Bullseye Firearm Industry Woman of the Year, has spent much of her career lifting up her fellow women shooters, and has been present with NRA Publications editors on many a turkey hunt. So it was little surprise to us when Powell bagged the largest bird during the event, earning her the title of Grand Champion with a combined score of 71.13.
The fact that it wasn’t unexpected doesn’t mean that the hunt wasn’t uneventful. Powell and her guide, Justin Rock of Riverview Farms, needed every bit of their combined turkey-hunting wisdom to harvest the enormous bird—calling and ultimately repositioning three times to get in position to take him. It paid off big: Powell’s 25-plus pound gobbler boasted an 11 3/4-inch beard and 1 1/8-inch spurs!
What gear did Powell use to down her winning turkey? Naturally the gun was a Mossberg 940 Pro Turkey autoloading shotgun. As for ammunition, Powell trusted her APEX Turkey Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) # 9s.
“I’ve used the APEX Tungsten Super Shot on all of my turkey hunts this spring and have been so impressed with how well it patterns in my 940 and how effective it is in the field.” Powell continued, “Everywhere that I’ve hunted, the guides, landowners and other hunters have all asked what I am shooting and where can I buy that gun and ammo.”
“We couldn’t be happier for Linda and tip our hats to her on not only bagging such a huge bird, but truly enjoying the process and experience of the hunt,” said Jason Lonsberry, CEO, APEX Ammunition. “Well done and congratulations!”
