Elinor Arato bagged her first turkey during Illinois’ second youth hunt weekend. It was a 25-pound gobbler with a 10.5-inch beard and 1.25-inch spurs, taken near Milford.
It’s a pretty good way to start Turkey of the Week for another spring.
“[She was] using a 20-gauge shotgun and at 14 yards [made] a perfect head shot,” her father Giuseppe emailed.
TOTW, the celebration of turkey hunting stories and photos around Chicago outdoors, runs Wednesdays as warranted on the Sun-Times’ outdoors page. Submit nominations on Facebook (Dale Bowman), on Twitter (@BowmanOutside) or email (BowmanOutside@gmail.com).

Full-length photo of the first turkey by Elinor Arato.
Provided