2023 spring turkey!

[KipCarson]

You violate my decoy like that and you are getting violated, Jake or Tom.

Oh, I thought about it. And have shot my fair share of Jake’s in the past! The main thing that saved him was the fact that right in the tree line 150 yards away was a mature tom gobbling on the roost. I assumed with all of the commotion at the decoy, he would pitch down and come right over but I assumed wrong. By the time he left, we had sort of become friends, and I could not bring myself to do it, however, my brother went back to the same place two days later, and wasn’t as nice, he will be eating fried jake nuggets soon.

 

[mdcrossbow]

Oh, I thought about it. And have shot my fair share of Jake’s in the past! The main thing that saved him was the fact that right in the tree line 150 yards away was a mature tom gobbling on the roost. I assumed with all of the commotion at the decoy, he would pitch down and come right over but I assumed wrong. By the time he left, we had sort of become friends, and I could not bring myself to do it, however, my brother went back to the same place two days later, and wasn’t as nice, he will be eating fried jake nuggets soon.

Nothing wrong with a Jake. I've taken a number of them and nothing better besides a yearling Sika or whitetail. Patients is usually rewarded though.

 

[duck wrangler]

Hunted Saturday am before heading to work and did not hear a bird. A couple of buddies had hunted the spot a few days earlier and heard 7, but never set up on a bird
I knew the birds had to be there, but just didn’t get fired up enough Saturday , so I decided to go back Sunday am
I heard two gobblers in two different directions, so went after the one near a pasture since hens were in that pasture on Saturday. I sneak across the field and listen one more time before setting up. Heard the bird gobble so I yelped twice with no response. I’m looking for a good spot to put out a decoy when I hear him gobble a little over 100 yds away headed to me!
I drop down, get to a tree and see him coming down the fence line with two more gobblers. I call once more to let him know I’m up the hill a little and he walks up within 25 yds strutting and gobbling the whole way
Glad to be tagged out; hate being at work with a tag in my pocket!
2 yr old bird with beard rot and 3/4” spurs.

 

[7mm08mo]

Youngest got a good one on the opener here at home.

 

[mdcrossbow]

My ol buddy Phil and went out. I'm working a couple birds on one side of the farm and Phill pulled in a nice Tom from the bottom. We we're done after his shot. His 3rd bird and 1st Tom off this farm. I've worked this farm for 5 years to develop a flock. Phil's help out alot over the 5 years.
60 years we've been shooting, fishing, rebble rousing and hunting together.
A good friend sticks closer than a brother.

 

[KipCarson]

Something finally worked today! Zero gobbling again on the roost, but my brother apparently felt bad for shooting the jake I passed and came tagging along to with me to help find one this morning. After a morning of complete silence he saw this one strutting down a pipeline following 2 hens around 8am. He called me and after a mad dash through a cutover and some thick young pine plantations I was able to get in front of them. About 8:35 he strutted right into range following a hen. I never hit a call. I prefer the calling over ambush but I’ll take what I can get, especially when they won’t talk.

Pretty good for a piney woods turkey around here. 21.2 lbs. 1 1/8” spurs and 10” beard

 

[Ben Nicholson]

Second season Iowa gobbler. My season lasted 45 mins. It's good to be lucky. LOL

 

[BrentD]

Second season Iowa gobbler. My season lasted 45 mins. It's good to be lucky. LOL

What corner of Iowa are you in?

 

[Ben Nicholson]

What corner of Iowa are you in?

I'm just north of Iowa City.

 

[Chad Gus]

35 and raining this morning, no turkey hunting for us.

 

[MtsPSU]

Youth season starts in PA this Saturday followed by the general opener on the 29th. I’m seeing lots of turkeys lately so the season looks promising. I hope to post a pic here in a week or so.

Be safe and have fun!

 

[np307]

The battle is over.

It was as classic of a roost hunt as you could imagine. He started gobbling right about 6:15. He was roosted almost exactly where he was the first time I heard him and I was already close. I scooted around a little to get in a better spot and let him know I was there. From my previous experience with this bird, I knew he would go quiet for long periods if I called much so I just gave him some quiet yelps and purrs.

About 645 a hen started answering his gobbles. I started echoing her and he gradually warmed up. I started cutting in response to his gobbles and he would gobble back to me, then the other hen would yelp and he would gobble to her. I knew it was a toss up whether he flew to me or not and this time he did. He hit the ground about 50 or 60 yards out, hidden by the root ball of an fallen oak tree. I yelped and he started drumming. He worked his was to me, I had the gun ready for him to clear the trees. He was strutting and gobbling and finally stepped into the open at 30 yards and I pulled the trigger.

As I sat there with the gobbler, the hen continued calling down in the bottom for about 20 minutes until she finally realized he wasn't there. There's at least another gobbler in there, possibly more. I was focused on him so I didn't really get a good read on their gobbles.

The tops of his wings are bare and his spurs are worn and rounded. He has 5 beards. I had my phone running the whole time so I hopefully have the audio of the hunt to remember. The only sad part is that I'll not get to tangle with this one again, he was a fun gobbler to hunt. It's a little crazy to get zeroed in on one bird like that, but who said turkey hunters were sane?

 

[duck wrangler]

The battle is over.
View attachment 272820
It was as classic of a roost hunt as you could imagine. He started gobbling right about 6:15. He was roosted almost exactly where he was the first time I heard him and I was already close. I scooted around a little to get in a better spot and let him know I was there. From my previous experience with this bird, I knew he would go quiet for long periods if I called much so I just gave him some quiet yelps and purrs.

About 645 a hen started answering his gobbles. I started echoing her and he gradually warmed up. I started cutting in response to his gobbles and he would gobble back to me, then the other hen would yelp and he would gobble to her. I knew it was a toss up whether he flew to me or not and this time he did. He hit the ground about 50 or 60 yards out, hidden by the root ball of an fallen oak tree. I yelped and he started drumming. He worked his was to me, I had the gun ready for him to clear the trees. He was strutting and gobbling and finally stepped into the open at 30 yards and I pulled the trigger.

As I sat there with the gobbler, the hen continued calling down in the bottom for about 20 minutes until she finally realized he wasn't there. There's at least another gobbler in there, possibly more. I was focused on him so I didn't really get a good read on their gobbles.

The tops of his wings are bare and his spurs are worn and rounded. He has 5 beards. I had my phone running the whole time so I hopefully have the audio of the hunt to remember. The only sad part is that I'll not get to tangle with this one again, he was a fun gobbler to hunt. It's a little crazy to get zeroed in on one bird like that, but who said turkey hunters were sane?
View attachment 272821

Nice bird; congrats!

 

[np307]

Nice bird; congrats!

Thanks, one of the more satisfying turkeys I've killed.

 

[buck23]

Really nice to beat out the hen as most of the time they win.Congrats on a great hunt.

 

[np307]

Really nice to beat out the hen as most of the time they win.Congrats on a great hunt.

No doubt about that. I'd like to say my setup or calling were why he came to me but it's probably just the luck of the draw.

 

[Gellar]

The battle is over.
View attachment 272820
It was as classic of a roost hunt as you could imagine. He started gobbling right about 6:15. He was roosted almost exactly where he was the first time I heard him and I was already close. I scooted around a little to get in a better spot and let him know I was there. From my previous experience with this bird, I knew he would go quiet for long periods if I called much so I just gave him some quiet yelps and purrs.

About 645 a hen started answering his gobbles. I started echoing her and he gradually warmed up. I started cutting in response to his gobbles and he would gobble back to me, then the other hen would yelp and he would gobble to her. I knew it was a toss up whether he flew to me or not and this time he did. He hit the ground about 50 or 60 yards out, hidden by the root ball of an fallen oak tree. I yelped and he started drumming. He worked his was to me, I had the gun ready for him to clear the trees. He was strutting and gobbling and finally stepped into the open at 30 yards and I pulled the trigger.

As I sat there with the gobbler, the hen continued calling down in the bottom for about 20 minutes until she finally realized he wasn't there. There's at least another gobbler in there, possibly more. I was focused on him so I didn't really get a good read on their gobbles.

The tops of his wings are bare and his spurs are worn and rounded. He has 5 beards. I had my phone running the whole time so I hopefully have the audio of the hunt to remember. The only sad part is that I'll not get to tangle with this one again, he was a fun gobbler to hunt. It's a little crazy to get zeroed in on one bird like that, but who said turkey hunters were sane?
View attachment 272821

My heart was pumping reading your story! I could picture the Tom up on the roost sounding off and hitting the ground behind that big root ball! Congratulations on a successful hunt.

 

[Sitkahoyt95]

hunting down here in New Mexico. Set up at the bottom but the wouldn't leave the ridges. Going back out this weekend will try the ridges instead of the bottom. Let's see if we can get one to come all the way in!

 

[TOGIE]

i found one set of tracks this morning.



i proceeded to hike 2 miles beyond the tracks, thinking that's how you kill turkeys.



i sat above some private meadows that finger onto public. i crow called, i turkey called, i glassed, i enjoyed the views, i shivered in the cold wind.



found a sweet rub. may or may not have illegally picked up an elk shed.



i enjoyed myself.

 

[mdcrossbow]

Today I wanted to get fresh dirt in one of the fields for the birds . So this evening my son and I went to the farm and I did a little section. Fresh dirt is a magnet so we'll see.