shrapnel
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- Aug 27, 2015
- Messages
- 3,166
3 generations…
2022 spring turkey
- Thread starter Gellar
- Start date
HandgunHunter
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Gellar
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Lots of good pictures in the thread but this is in the running for best.
Gellar
Well-known member
I don’t know that I have heard of anyone using a handgun for turkey! Congratulations!
HandgunHunter
Well-known member
Taken well within shotgun range…..so basically the same goal….to get close.
RyGuy
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Pics
DRS
Well-known member
Had some success in Nebraska yesterday. 
teamhoyt
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Chad Gus
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T Bone
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BrentD
Well-known member
I have been having a tougher time that most people on this thread. Turkey hunting on public is tough, and I'm not real good at it. In Iowa, we are allowed two tags. The first can be any of 4 seasons, but the second must be a fourth season.
I elected a 1st season although it can be snow and cold. I hunted 3 of the 4 days, and got one nice day out of it. But no birds on public. There was a gobbler talking right under this eagle nest, but it was across a river on private.
This is ended up being my 1st season trophy bird...
I switched to a different, steeper, area for my second tag. It's a place that is rough enough that basically no one is stupid enough to hunt there. Birds tend to roost on or close to the public boundaries and then walk up to spend the days on the edges of private fields. In other years, I've tried to get close to the fields and call one in to public. As with 1st season, the 4th season birds have been almost completely silent, and I never got to hear one gobble off the roost.
High winds have been both bad and good. The birds don't like the winds, but it also concentrates them in sheltered areas and, more importantly, blows them off the private high ground. So I developed a routine of crawling down ridges in a very steep ravine complex and calling for a few minutes, waiting a while, and then moving on. I got a couple of birds to come in, but mostly hens. Several times, I bumped birds that were coming to me, but my patience had worn out so I was on the move and the saw me first. One was a gobbler that saw me first and bailed out faster than I could draw and shoot.
Finally, yesterday, I heard a bird on the roost and decided to try to cozy up to him and whisper sweet nothings in his ears. I ended up getting too close and suddenly saw him and, as it turns out, two others at about 60-80 yds. I don't know how they did not see me. But they called and strutted in the trees for 20 minutes while I made a few calls from a very steep and slippery ridge side. It was a bad spot to set up, but I didn't dare move forward or back, once I realized that they were right on top of me.
Eventually, they flew down into a saddle on the knife ridge where I could not see them. They would either go up the ridge, to private (most likely), or come down to me - about 60 yds away. I bet that, if they came at all, I would need my gun on the right side of a 6" tree. Wrong bet.
The lead bird first popped up directly above me to my extreme left. No cover there for me. I hid behind my backpack (still on my back), and he walked up to within 15 ft. I contemplating trying to pull my 30" barreled 1897 Winchester back about 3 ft, go around the tree, and take a shot. Uphill, it would probably have been a Texas heart shot, so I passed. He got nervous in a minute and left the way he had came.
I figured he was probably gone for good, but if not, I gambled that he, or another, would return on that same side of the tree, so swapped sides. Meanwhile, I heard a tom over the ridge crest putt once. It did not sound good, but in a moment, a head appeared for just a second. He was close and moving back to the right. Move the gun back to the right? I decided to stand pat. Shortly, he reappeared, this time walking quickly to the right. I had only a second to make very awkward 15 yard shot. Down he went. Down and down and down some more. He finally stopped 70 yds down the hill. The long tumble fractured his femur and he bled out, though already dead from a head shot.
As he lay, with Grandpa's 1897 Winchester
Finally bloodied my Seek Outside Peregrine pack too. It may never carry the elk I bought it for, but it is a damn fine turkey pack too.
25 lb, 9 oz. Not too bad for a late season bird. But at last, my carnitas are assured. Wild turkey leg carnitas are just about my favorite wild game meal these days and I was getting worried.
I elected a 1st season although it can be snow and cold. I hunted 3 of the 4 days, and got one nice day out of it. But no birds on public. There was a gobbler talking right under this eagle nest, but it was across a river on private.
This is ended up being my 1st season trophy bird...
I switched to a different, steeper, area for my second tag. It's a place that is rough enough that basically no one is stupid enough to hunt there. Birds tend to roost on or close to the public boundaries and then walk up to spend the days on the edges of private fields. In other years, I've tried to get close to the fields and call one in to public. As with 1st season, the 4th season birds have been almost completely silent, and I never got to hear one gobble off the roost.
High winds have been both bad and good. The birds don't like the winds, but it also concentrates them in sheltered areas and, more importantly, blows them off the private high ground. So I developed a routine of crawling down ridges in a very steep ravine complex and calling for a few minutes, waiting a while, and then moving on. I got a couple of birds to come in, but mostly hens. Several times, I bumped birds that were coming to me, but my patience had worn out so I was on the move and the saw me first. One was a gobbler that saw me first and bailed out faster than I could draw and shoot.
Finally, yesterday, I heard a bird on the roost and decided to try to cozy up to him and whisper sweet nothings in his ears. I ended up getting too close and suddenly saw him and, as it turns out, two others at about 60-80 yds. I don't know how they did not see me. But they called and strutted in the trees for 20 minutes while I made a few calls from a very steep and slippery ridge side. It was a bad spot to set up, but I didn't dare move forward or back, once I realized that they were right on top of me.
Eventually, they flew down into a saddle on the knife ridge where I could not see them. They would either go up the ridge, to private (most likely), or come down to me - about 60 yds away. I bet that, if they came at all, I would need my gun on the right side of a 6" tree. Wrong bet.
The lead bird first popped up directly above me to my extreme left. No cover there for me. I hid behind my backpack (still on my back), and he walked up to within 15 ft. I contemplating trying to pull my 30" barreled 1897 Winchester back about 3 ft, go around the tree, and take a shot. Uphill, it would probably have been a Texas heart shot, so I passed. He got nervous in a minute and left the way he had came.
I figured he was probably gone for good, but if not, I gambled that he, or another, would return on that same side of the tree, so swapped sides. Meanwhile, I heard a tom over the ridge crest putt once. It did not sound good, but in a moment, a head appeared for just a second. He was close and moving back to the right. Move the gun back to the right? I decided to stand pat. Shortly, he reappeared, this time walking quickly to the right. I had only a second to make very awkward 15 yard shot. Down he went. Down and down and down some more. He finally stopped 70 yds down the hill. The long tumble fractured his femur and he bled out, though already dead from a head shot.
As he lay, with Grandpa's 1897 Winchester
Finally bloodied my Seek Outside Peregrine pack too. It may never carry the elk I bought it for, but it is a damn fine turkey pack too.
25 lb, 9 oz. Not too bad for a late season bird. But at last, my carnitas are assured. Wild turkey leg carnitas are just about my favorite wild game meal these days and I was getting worried.
Awesome story. That's one of the most fun scenarios in turkey hunting. Going with the play that was called, hearing a different bird, calling an audible at the line, and having it all work out in the end.
X13
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- Jul 13, 2017
- Messages
- 1,828
PA public land jake on a foggy and wet mid-morning walk with my wife. 10,000 acres of state game lands and not another soul around.
Mica Man
Well-known member
Couple of birds I called in for buddies this week. One Thursday morning, and one this morning. Second one was taken using #9 TSS out of a 410 at just under 40 yards. That combo is no joke.
okie archer
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- Joined
- Feb 3, 2015
- Messages
- 860
Drake and I finished up turkey season with an almost week long road trip which ended up with a lot of miles traveled in the truck and on foot.
We left Monday and headed for Nebraska. We started hunting Tuesday morning. Got close to the roost and a Jake approached the decoys shortly after fly down. Three Toms hung up with the hens just out of range and the Jake got a pass. Later that afternoon we done some walk and squawk. We got a gobbler to answer so we tried to get set up quickly in a wash out. Drake is only 9 so he needs shooting sticks. This kind of run and gun hunting provides many challenges with a young hunter. The Nebraska wind was decieving as to the distance of the sound of the gobbles. I was trying to get Drake set up on the shooting sticks as he stood in the washout. The 2 Toms came quickly. The rise in the terrain kept the birds out of view until suddenly there they are coming around a cedar at just 33 yards. Drake was not able to settle the red dot on either of the Tom's head. In agony I had to watch them walk away. I wasn't going to shoot if Drake couldn't get a shot.
We went to a different spot and hunted for awhile and got 2 gobbles but I think they must have busted us as we tried to get closer because they just shut up the gobbling. We headed back to the original spot and set up and called hoping to catch them on the way to the roost. Calling got us a few gobbles but yielded no results. We did see 2 long beards but they were skiddish, not sure why, possibly they were the 2 that buggered on us earlier that day. Turkeys begin flying up to roost at least an hour early, kinda weird, never saw that before. We went ahead and popped up a ground blind hoping to pull them close fresh off the roost the following morning. We got in clean the next morning and waited. Got the first roost of the morning as light was breaking. Oh I love that. Birds were fired up but unfortunately pitched down across the creek. I wasn't really planning on calling or using any decoys based on yesterday's results. But when I could tell they were going the other way I decided why not call. The Toms begin strutting and gobbling and even came to creek edge looking for the hen but not seeing anything they faded off. I thought it was over so I just sat silently for awhile thinking about leaving for somewhere else. After about 30 minutes or so the silence was broken with a random gobble guessing 150 yards away. Then another, so I called a bit and another gobble. I decid I would try to sneak out a bit and place a single hen decoy. My stealth skills are that of an elephant trying to ballet but I made it back to blind clean. A little more calling led to more gobbling so now we're getting ready as the excitement built. Another gobble proved he had cut the distance a lot. So I help Drake get set up with the .410 on the shooting sticks. Moments later the load gobbles were just on the other side of a cedar tree and alas his strutting black form appeared just on the other side of the fence we can't hunt. I instructed Drake to wait until the Tom crossed on our side. The Tom saw the decoy and come out of strut enough to duck under the barbed wire fence and immediately went back into strut. As the Tom strutted about 4-6 feet inside the fence I had my 20 Guage ready for a back up shot in case of a miss but there was no need one shot from Drake's .410 with a TSS hand load dropped the Tom at 39 yards with very little flop. Yes! Drake's 3rd ever Tom was down and tag filled.A few pics and we gathered out stuff for the fairly long packout. I put Drake's Tom in his vest for him to pack it out himself.
Later we headed to hunt somewhere else. We done a little walk and squawk and quickly had 2 Toms responding by running in occasionally stopping to strut and gobble while looking for us. I was trying to help Drake get set up on shooting sticks which always is difficult in run and gun. The birds got to 13 yards but Drake couldn't get on his bird so at now or never I killed my Tom. The other Tom stayed a bit trying to figure out what just happened but Drake just wasn't able to get the other Tom killed but that's ok. We headed out of Nebraska and over to Iowa where I had a tag. I have enough deer points to draw this year in Iowa so I kinda wanted to do some scouting for deer while I turkey hunted. I did lay eyes on a Boss tom with a huge beard but he was non responsive to my calls. I eventually roosted that Tom and tried again next morning. Set up within about 100 yards from his roost. Once light enough I could see him on his limb. He eventually pitch down but never once responded to my call. I waited a bit and worked over to 2 we heard gobbling on roost. It was about a mile walk over there. We laid eyes on the Tom's but was not able to do anything with them so we headed back. It had been about 4 hours and we were tired so let my guard down some. As I carelessly popped over a ridge the Boss from earlier busted me about 250-300 yards away which sent him running over the hill a little bit smarter. That ol' public land Tom won again. I don't know if he is even killable.
I really needed to head back to Oklahoma because I told my wife I would baby sit on Saturday so she could go with her parents somewhere. Tag soup is not fun but spending time outdoors with my son is a gift from God of which I'm very thankful for. All in all we got 2 Nebraska toms and some Iowa deer scouting in plus some awesome memories made.
We left Monday and headed for Nebraska. We started hunting Tuesday morning. Got close to the roost and a Jake approached the decoys shortly after fly down. Three Toms hung up with the hens just out of range and the Jake got a pass. Later that afternoon we done some walk and squawk. We got a gobbler to answer so we tried to get set up quickly in a wash out. Drake is only 9 so he needs shooting sticks. This kind of run and gun hunting provides many challenges with a young hunter. The Nebraska wind was decieving as to the distance of the sound of the gobbles. I was trying to get Drake set up on the shooting sticks as he stood in the washout. The 2 Toms came quickly. The rise in the terrain kept the birds out of view until suddenly there they are coming around a cedar at just 33 yards. Drake was not able to settle the red dot on either of the Tom's head. In agony I had to watch them walk away. I wasn't going to shoot if Drake couldn't get a shot.
We went to a different spot and hunted for awhile and got 2 gobbles but I think they must have busted us as we tried to get closer because they just shut up the gobbling. We headed back to the original spot and set up and called hoping to catch them on the way to the roost. Calling got us a few gobbles but yielded no results. We did see 2 long beards but they were skiddish, not sure why, possibly they were the 2 that buggered on us earlier that day. Turkeys begin flying up to roost at least an hour early, kinda weird, never saw that before. We went ahead and popped up a ground blind hoping to pull them close fresh off the roost the following morning. We got in clean the next morning and waited. Got the first roost of the morning as light was breaking. Oh I love that. Birds were fired up but unfortunately pitched down across the creek. I wasn't really planning on calling or using any decoys based on yesterday's results. But when I could tell they were going the other way I decided why not call. The Toms begin strutting and gobbling and even came to creek edge looking for the hen but not seeing anything they faded off. I thought it was over so I just sat silently for awhile thinking about leaving for somewhere else. After about 30 minutes or so the silence was broken with a random gobble guessing 150 yards away. Then another, so I called a bit and another gobble. I decid I would try to sneak out a bit and place a single hen decoy. My stealth skills are that of an elephant trying to ballet but I made it back to blind clean. A little more calling led to more gobbling so now we're getting ready as the excitement built. Another gobble proved he had cut the distance a lot. So I help Drake get set up with the .410 on the shooting sticks. Moments later the load gobbles were just on the other side of a cedar tree and alas his strutting black form appeared just on the other side of the fence we can't hunt. I instructed Drake to wait until the Tom crossed on our side. The Tom saw the decoy and come out of strut enough to duck under the barbed wire fence and immediately went back into strut. As the Tom strutted about 4-6 feet inside the fence I had my 20 Guage ready for a back up shot in case of a miss but there was no need one shot from Drake's .410 with a TSS hand load dropped the Tom at 39 yards with very little flop. Yes! Drake's 3rd ever Tom was down and tag filled.A few pics and we gathered out stuff for the fairly long packout. I put Drake's Tom in his vest for him to pack it out himself.
Later we headed to hunt somewhere else. We done a little walk and squawk and quickly had 2 Toms responding by running in occasionally stopping to strut and gobble while looking for us. I was trying to help Drake get set up on shooting sticks which always is difficult in run and gun. The birds got to 13 yards but Drake couldn't get on his bird so at now or never I killed my Tom. The other Tom stayed a bit trying to figure out what just happened but Drake just wasn't able to get the other Tom killed but that's ok. We headed out of Nebraska and over to Iowa where I had a tag. I have enough deer points to draw this year in Iowa so I kinda wanted to do some scouting for deer while I turkey hunted. I did lay eyes on a Boss tom with a huge beard but he was non responsive to my calls. I eventually roosted that Tom and tried again next morning. Set up within about 100 yards from his roost. Once light enough I could see him on his limb. He eventually pitch down but never once responded to my call. I waited a bit and worked over to 2 we heard gobbling on roost. It was about a mile walk over there. We laid eyes on the Tom's but was not able to do anything with them so we headed back. It had been about 4 hours and we were tired so let my guard down some. As I carelessly popped over a ridge the Boss from earlier busted me about 250-300 yards away which sent him running over the hill a little bit smarter. That ol' public land Tom won again. I don't know if he is even killable.
I really needed to head back to Oklahoma because I told my wife I would baby sit on Saturday so she could go with her parents somewhere. Tag soup is not fun but spending time outdoors with my son is a gift from God of which I'm very thankful for. All in all we got 2 Nebraska toms and some Iowa deer scouting in plus some awesome memories made.
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Gellar
Well-known member
I’ve been slacking on the turkey hunting. I’ve been busy at work and was out of town over the weekend. We have until the 15th to get it done! I hope to get out and get a turkey and some morels this week!
WestKyHunt
Well-known member
Went out late Friday in an attempt to roost birds and sleep in my car on BLM land.
Got to my spot with 15min of light left and had a bird gobbling. I start scanning through my bino's trying to find him in a pine somewhere. He gobbles again and sounds closer, then I see him, on the ground and running towards me!
I backed out and made the hour long hike back to the car.
I'm a tall guy and decided I would try and sleep in the back of my Forester, on a yoga mat of all things. I finally got to sleep then woke up around midnight with a slight allergic reaction. No more 24hr stores so I decided to head home and play it safe. Got back home at 3:30am and decided to take the day "off".
Went back out Sunday afternoon, showed up around 4pm. Red flag warning came into effect by the time I arrived so I made the walk into a valley between 2 ridges where I figured the turkeys would be sheltering. Spent 2 hours and 3 miles without seeing or hearing anything so I started my walk out. There is a junction at a creek where I normally turn to walk down the creek and leave the road. This time I figured I'd continue down the road some more.
I came up over a peak on the road and see a hen, give some calls and suddenly 5 more come running from the woods going right.
I got above them and attempted to cut them off. After several minutes of calling and walking I hear a gobble. I creep forward and wait a bit. No more sounds or sightings so I stand up and slowly make my way where I heard him. Then I see a hen so I get down on my knees, then I see the Tom at 60yd for about 5 seconds. I laid down and crawled forward to never see or heard a turkey again.
This same Tom has been whooping me for 3 weeks now. Every time I get ahead they dissappear. It is frustrating, rewarding and addictive.
Got to my spot with 15min of light left and had a bird gobbling. I start scanning through my bino's trying to find him in a pine somewhere. He gobbles again and sounds closer, then I see him, on the ground and running towards me!
I backed out and made the hour long hike back to the car.
I'm a tall guy and decided I would try and sleep in the back of my Forester, on a yoga mat of all things. I finally got to sleep then woke up around midnight with a slight allergic reaction. No more 24hr stores so I decided to head home and play it safe. Got back home at 3:30am and decided to take the day "off".
Went back out Sunday afternoon, showed up around 4pm. Red flag warning came into effect by the time I arrived so I made the walk into a valley between 2 ridges where I figured the turkeys would be sheltering. Spent 2 hours and 3 miles without seeing or hearing anything so I started my walk out. There is a junction at a creek where I normally turn to walk down the creek and leave the road. This time I figured I'd continue down the road some more.
I came up over a peak on the road and see a hen, give some calls and suddenly 5 more come running from the woods going right.
I got above them and attempted to cut them off. After several minutes of calling and walking I hear a gobble. I creep forward and wait a bit. No more sounds or sightings so I stand up and slowly make my way where I heard him. Then I see a hen so I get down on my knees, then I see the Tom at 60yd for about 5 seconds. I laid down and crawled forward to never see or heard a turkey again.
This same Tom has been whooping me for 3 weeks now. Every time I get ahead they dissappear. It is frustrating, rewarding and addictive.
Hem
Well-known member
Success last night. About the most difficult hunting I have had for years.
Working on #2 presently.
Working on #2 presently.
