Gobble gobble Spring Turkey 2025

[TheTone]

Five mile loop yesterday only to call this one in about 500 yards from the car. Absolutely beautiful big mountain bird. Been a weird year with birds being very unresponsive up until this one. I probably heard 20 different toms last Wednesday and never had one come closer than 60 yards

 

[Wild Bill]

View attachment 370027Five mile loop yesterday only to call this one in about 500 yards from the car. Absolutely beautiful big mountain bird. Been a weird year with birds being very unresponsive up until this one. I probably heard 20 different toms last Wednesday and never had one come closer than 60 yards

Nice! Super jealous of those hooks. Idk what it is about our Merriams and Rios in SD, but I don't think I've ever shot one here that didn't have rounded dull spurs.
Same thing happened to me last Friday on a lesser scale. Went one direction from the truck, did a loop, found birds maybe 100 yards from where I parked initially. Apparently they like hiding in plain sight.

 

[beaglegun]

View attachment 370027Five mile loop yesterday only to call this one in about 500 yards from the car. Absolutely beautiful big mountain bird. Been a weird year with birds being very unresponsive up until this one. I probably heard 20 different toms last Wednesday and never had one come closer than 60 yards

Limb Hanger

 

[LopeHunter]

Nice! Super jealous of those hooks. Idk what it is about our Merriams and Rios in SD, but I don't think I've ever shot one here that didn't have rounded dull spurs.
Same thing happened to me last Friday on a lesser scale. Went one direction from the truck, did a loop, found birds maybe 100 yards from where I parked initially. Apparently they like hiding in plain sight.

Soil that has sand and rock will gradually grind the spurs with some gobblers I have shot having a corn kernel of a spur. A lot of scratching into the ground by turkey feet to find bugs, acorns, etc.

 

[Matthew57]

View attachment 370027Five mile loop yesterday only to call this one in about 500 yards from the car. Absolutely beautiful big mountain bird. Been a weird year with birds being very unresponsive up until this one. I probably heard 20 different toms last Wednesday and never had one come closer than 60 yards

I agree, it’s been a little strange. I’ve been getting some responses but not as willing to come in as other years.

 

[Wild Bill]

Soil that has sand and rock will gradually grind the spurs with some gobblers I have shot having a corn kernel of a spur. A lot of scratching into the ground by turkey feet to find bugs, acorns, etc.

Yeah I know which is kind of why I brought it up. Most my birds live on river/creek bottoms with nice soft clay loams and silty loamy soils.

 

[LuketheDog]

I posted a pic on an unrelated thread, but I'm still proud, my 12-year-old's first turkey and first filled tag of her hunting career.

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[Nick87]

I posted a pic on an unrelated thread, but I'm still proud, my 12-year-old's first turkey and first filled tag of her hunting career.

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Nice job, great pic!

 

[Wild Bill]

I posted a pic on an unrelated thread, but I'm still proud, my 12-year-old's first turkey and first filled tag of her hunting career.

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Great pic and bird!

 

[Gellar]

, but I'm still proud,

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As you should be! 1st turkey or 100th turkey that is a beautiful bird.

 

[crock239]

I posted a pic on an unrelated thread, but I'm still proud, my 12-year-old's first turkey and first filled tag of her hunting career.

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Fantastic pic. Congrats to you both!

 

[TheTone]

Almost every bird I’ve shot has had rounded off spurs, occasionally will get one with some sharpness to them. I have always assumed our birds had short spurs due to environmental factors. This was by far the biggest I’ve got.

 

[CowboyLeroy]

I've noticed when I get over in the Chattahoochee valley the birds have much shorter birds than we have Here closer to Florida. I have a sneaking suspicion that it's because I live so much closer to Osceola country. Over towards Alabama I'll shoot a grown bird that's 25 pounds with an 11 inch beard and inch spurs while around here I'll shoot a 2 year old with a 10 inch beard and 1 5/8 spurs. Old birds have crazy hooks on them.

 

[EKYHunter]

I posted a pic on an unrelated thread, but I'm still proud, my 12-year-old's first turkey and first filled tag of her hunting career.

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Outstanding!!!! That has to be one of the prettiest turkey pics I’ve ever seen. You should frame that.

 

[EKYHunter]

Killed my third gobbler of the Spring yesterday in Ohio. First gobbler I’ve ever killed out of state. Killed him on my cousin’s property and had a great hunt! Blessed to have a great turkey season. 22.7 pounds, 10.5” beard, and sharp spurs.

 

[TheTone]

Tagged out. 4.5 mile loop today only to get back to the truck and have 15-20 birds squawking all over around it. Proceeded to watch most of them walk past behind my pickup and onto posted private. Called this one back and shot him at about 15 feet only 25 yards from the truck. I walked way too much this year