#1 ND Turkey

[wswat]

Not that many people register birds here but I am trying to get my slam so I did. This is the biggest bird I have ever shot weight wise.
25lb 2 oz
9 3/4 beard
1 3/8
1/4/8 spurs

Set up on the birds in a foggy mist filled morning. 1/2 hour before sun up my buddy made a soft cough by accident and the birds just erupted. Ended up being 5 toms and 2 jakes in the group. After a 1/2 hour of them strutting and gobbleing there heads off while i called they followed the lead hen into to 30 yards. She had a 4" beard which was pretty neat also. I was going to try to shoot one with my bow again but they started to walk away and I decided to take out the gun and let him have it. 1 shot kill all on video. My hunting partner also ended up with a nice tom but after the first 2 shots missed and a bad shot on the 3rd he ended up haveing to chace him down through the deep snow with no ammo left. Was a pretty funny site to see him make the gobbler tap out . Well on to SD next.

 

[grizzly5028]

Congrats on the birds and good luck on your slam!

 

[mdunc8]

That's awesome. Congrats. I can't wait to get out myself. I think I'll wait for a little more of the snow to melt though.

 

[Sytes]

that is awesome! The pic overlooking is worth a frame for the office wall!

 

[Big luke1981]

Thats awesome, good luck on the slam!!

 

[pointingdogsrule]

congrats!!!! nice birds.

good luck to all
the dog

 

[wingman1]

Wow! Sounds like a whopper. Do they have a pope and young category for turkeys ? Just curious.

 

[JCS]

Good job. Are you using box, slate or diaphram? I use all three just to mix things up.

 

[montanadogs]

Nice and congrats, ND is where I shot my 1st bird.

 

[Bucnutz.wis]

Nice Birds - Congrats !!

 

[hardscrabble]

Congrats again on the gobbler Dubs! Keep your eye on those birds for this weekend.

 

[Summitthunting]

Great job on the birds, I'm heading to Kansas tomorrow, can't wait.

 

[DaveHawk]

congratulations on the slam ! I'd like to see the video of your buddy wrestling his bird.

 

[highmountian]

Way to put them down, congrats!

 

[Brentster7189]

Congrats, looks like great turkey country!

 

[snite66]

congrats on the slam! always a feat to get that done. nice birds as well and great story.

 

[wswat]

Thanks you everyone!!
This time of year the gobblers are really henned up but I seem to have the best luck. I use a mixture of mouth,box and slate calls depending on how the sound is traveling. Seems to me the best way to get them in this time of year is to challenge the head hen. When she talks cut here off. this seems to get them mad and they come in. When they do the Toms will follow.
Just a little tip for ya.

Anyone have any info on states to hunt for RIOS?

 

[TOM IN TENNESSEE]

I got a Bud that swap hunts only ....he has Rio's and lotsa dang hawgs....PM if interested.

Is the bird pictured a Merriams?

 

[wswat]

No its an Eastern.
We have Merriams on the other side of the river and that is what I normally hunt.

 

[wswat]

Here is last year that show the differnent types of birds we have. I hunt a state unit and on a reservation.