johnp
Well-known member
When I haven't seen or heard any Toms in my area for several days, Jakes start looking pretty good !
Gobble gobble Spring Turkey 2025
- Thread starter Gellar
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Bc1992
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- Jul 12, 2020
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np307
Well-known member
Tuesday was quiet except for the joker that walked in on me. Topped that day off by finding out almost 5k acres of game land are listed for sale at a measly $89 million. Managed to scratch out one last hunt yesterday morning. Didn't hear anything but I did get to end my season in peace. Hate that I didn't get to tag a bird this year. Thankful for a lot of beautiful mornings and time in the woods though. Praying that last year's good hatch is backed up by another good hatch to give us a few years of better hunting.
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Birdbander
Well-known member
My season started here in Michigan this morning. Several turkeys gobbling for the roost east, south & west of me. They all continued to talk until just before 7am then in unison took a break for an hour. A little after 8am one gobbled west of me which set off what I thought was two close to the south of me.
I was able to get them working and they circled a bit east then came in. When they step clear I was able to see 4 toms, all with long thin beards. They were getting suspicious & antsy so when one separated just enough I dropped the hammer.
One inch spurs, 10" beard. Public land. A little scouting for an old Army friend who's coming Memorial Day weekend otherwise it's full on crappie fishing!
I was able to get them working and they circled a bit east then came in. When they step clear I was able to see 4 toms, all with long thin beards. They were getting suspicious & antsy so when one separated just enough I dropped the hammer.
One inch spurs, 10" beard. Public land. A little scouting for an old Army friend who's coming Memorial Day weekend otherwise it's full on crappie fishing!
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Hem
Well-known member
Not too far from snow level.
Hem
Well-known member
Plunked it in some sagebrush.
Got lucky it stayed.
3rd Colorado tag filled yesterday that I’ve been in on/called for. This one was my own OTC tag.
Tried to get to a spot Thursday that I love but has always been a pain to access if it’s wet. Got to the bottom and nearly got stuck 500 yards up the bottom road in the gumbo so turned around and went about 35 miles away to a spot I’d bookmarked 17 years ago and actually had to transfer to OnX the other year from a now defunct mapping app. Had never set foot there before,
Turns out there is a chunk of private bordering NF in the general area. Got there barely before dark and took a walk and found two spots where there were big clearings through the oak brush into the public from the private. Made quick camp, got up and heard gobbling and yelping from the trees on the private - so walked into the upper cut and setup. They flew down and were gobbling from the ground about 350y away.
Relocated to the closer clearing on the boundary, the old hen would answer me every time and 1-2 gobbles about every 5th time, always slowly getting closer (clearly they were following the road that I couldn’t see but was clear on the map). They hung up at (I assume)a fork in the road in an aspen grove for 30 minutes so I just shut up
20m later i hear a cluck and look right to see 4 heads coming up through the brush from under the fence on my side (decoy was 15y from the fence, I was 40) - hen popped her head up and then two big red heads crossed behind her. I could only see heads and necks. Clearly the two were legal but no one was talking.
Mounted the gun with the barrel resting on a branch of the big deadfall I was in and slowly reached down to get the striker and made a super soft yelp on the call while it was on the ground. The hen looked but started pecking back to the fence.
But, the Biggest red head leaned forward between a yucca and a shin-high oak brush and threw an impressive gobble at 35y so I took the shot when he retracted his neck.
Turned out to be an overachiever Jake
when I went to colllect him I saw the longbeard and 2 other hens still 50y into the private. I don’t think they were coming given the one hen was already not liking it.
But a delicious bird from public that I called 350 yards away, in a place that was based on a 17 year old tip is pretty fun!
I am so NOT ready for season to be over. SILs best buddy still has a tag, but I may be driving across some state lines this month. Or happy to call for any local HT’ers
Tried to get to a spot Thursday that I love but has always been a pain to access if it’s wet. Got to the bottom and nearly got stuck 500 yards up the bottom road in the gumbo so turned around and went about 35 miles away to a spot I’d bookmarked 17 years ago and actually had to transfer to OnX the other year from a now defunct mapping app. Had never set foot there before,
Turns out there is a chunk of private bordering NF in the general area. Got there barely before dark and took a walk and found two spots where there were big clearings through the oak brush into the public from the private. Made quick camp, got up and heard gobbling and yelping from the trees on the private - so walked into the upper cut and setup. They flew down and were gobbling from the ground about 350y away.
Relocated to the closer clearing on the boundary, the old hen would answer me every time and 1-2 gobbles about every 5th time, always slowly getting closer (clearly they were following the road that I couldn’t see but was clear on the map). They hung up at (I assume)a fork in the road in an aspen grove for 30 minutes so I just shut up
20m later i hear a cluck and look right to see 4 heads coming up through the brush from under the fence on my side (decoy was 15y from the fence, I was 40) - hen popped her head up and then two big red heads crossed behind her. I could only see heads and necks. Clearly the two were legal but no one was talking.
Mounted the gun with the barrel resting on a branch of the big deadfall I was in and slowly reached down to get the striker and made a super soft yelp on the call while it was on the ground. The hen looked but started pecking back to the fence.
But, the Biggest red head leaned forward between a yucca and a shin-high oak brush and threw an impressive gobble at 35y so I took the shot when he retracted his neck.
Turned out to be an overachiever Jake
when I went to colllect him I saw the longbeard and 2 other hens still 50y into the private. I don’t think they were coming given the one hen was already not liking it.But a delicious bird from public that I called 350 yards away, in a place that was based on a 17 year old tip is pretty fun!
I am so NOT ready for season to be over. SILs best buddy still has a tag, but I may be driving across some state lines this month. Or happy to call for any local HT’ers
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
Lyme or STARI! 4” across. Saw my first ever lone star tick this year, but not this bite.
Hopefully I don’t have to argue with the urgent care provider today about starting antibiotics.
Hopefully I don’t have to argue with the urgent care provider today about starting antibiotics.
Bowmannate2000
Well-known member
Yikes. Get that taken care of!
Gellar
Well-known member
Turkey, personal best brown trout, and a meal of walleye all in the same week! You, sir, are doing it right!
Pucky Freak
Well-known member
Starting antibiotics for Lyme’s today. Central IA physician of about 25 years had never heard of STARI. He said my legion was “atypical” for Lyme, so who knows. STARI has no identified bacterial pathogen, is untreatable, but resolves on its own in a few weeks.
Lone star ticks are new to Iowa, having spread northward with climate change. I just read they can also cause Alpha-gal Syndrome (rare), which can make you permanently allergic to red meat.
Bowmannate2000
Well-known member
Yeah, that alpha-gal would be a depressing one to get. Hope the antibiotics take care of it for you!
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I hope it's nothing and this is all just for good measure. If you have to get over a few weeks of no red meat, we will all just bring you a bunch of walleye and crappie to cover the gap!
