2021 Spring Turkey hunting

[Pucky Freak]

Day 3, round 2. I set up decoys as a jake breeding a hen. Two hens arrive and mill around. A tom enters the field and will cross right in front of me, but spots the jake and flees in terror and the hens follow. Nine deer filter through - all the animals are eating corn sprouts. Next the tom returns from the same spot, this time with a friend. Tom 1 flees in terror as before, but his companion is curious. I called him in 3 times over an hour, but never in range. Clucks, yelps, cuts (I can’t purr)...he just wasn’t convinced. Might try tomorrow night with a lone hen.

 

[phutch30]

Flew out to Maine to hunt with a buddy for their opener. Had a Great trip! Lots of birds. Opening day... 1st bird off the roost and in the bag 10min after legal-18lbs, 9.5 beard 1 1/4 spurs. Headed to the next stop and got on a group of 4 toms that came running across a feild-17 lbs 9.5 beard and 1" spurs. Checked a few more areas without luck and decided to check one more spot. Bingo, 3 toms and a hen came in, 2 toms and a hen left- 24lbs, 9.25 beard 1 3/8 spurs. My buddy got picky and passed up 4 more toms over the next two days. Lol with 5 weeks to go in his season and lots of birds I don't blame him.

 

[Mica Man]

A little late posting picks from this spring but have been a little busy. It's been fun so far calling birds in for family and friends. Still a couple more tags to fill with plenty of season left.Couldn't ask for a better spring to be in the woods and congrats to the other successful adventures in this thread.

 

[Gellar]

I went down the road a mile this morning to an oat field I saw a big strutter in yesterday morning. I never heard a gobble, but I still received a participation trophy!


of coarse my wife also texts me this picture from the bedroom window.

 

[vanish]

All I got today was good views and a black bear sighting.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Day 4: Bumped birds four different times. I had a tiny shot window at a running tom at 40 yards and opted to pass. Gusting winds kept blowing my hen decoy over. On the positive side, the six toms in the area are still alive as far as I can tell. Monday kicks off the last week to try and seal the deal.

 

[Gellar]

Stayed close to home today, only about 200 yards from my house. A turkey was gobbling behind me and I was softly talking to him when I saw a coyote on the horizon. He thought he’d get an easy meal.

 

[cedahm]

All I got today was good views and a black bear sighting.

Same Friday for me only I just got to follow the bears track - didn’t get a glimpse (but it was a sizable Bruin - 12EE boots for reference although certainly his print was splayed out a bit in the mud)



Also - on the predawn walk in, had a skunk in the middle of the trail that wanted to spray me (hucked pine cones at it from 20 yards until it skittered away), and a grouse that flushed at my feet and almost knocked me over in the dead dark.


I did get a fantastic view of Elon’s satellite train Thursday night from camp near Meeker. I am VERY glad my buddy mentioned that they’d seen it Wednesday night otherwise I’d probably have had to pack up, head home and prep for the alien invasion.


All total it was a pleasant couple days in turkey country. But no gobbles, no Tom’s and still buried in Hens. The gobbler that left those pterodactyl tracks all over that drainage is dead, I think.

 

[brockel]

You guys got me wanting to go find a turkey. Guess I’m going to have to go get my tags and head out in the morning

 

[Henry22]

I had the opportunity to hunt over half the days of our 2.5 week season here in Indiana. Usually only get to go on the weekends and have had great success in recent years. This year was a struggle for some reason, but being able to hunt much more than usual was wonderful. On the second to last day I was able to fill my tag on this nice gobbler. I’m glad I got to spend a full season in the turkey woods and I’m looking forward to some nice meals from this bird.

 

[glennw89]

Pretty special day to be a part of: my 10 year old nephew helped call in this jake for me, my 7 year old niece came on her first hunting day afield, and my wife's clan had three generations (grandfather, father, and the kids) in the spring wild turkey woods.

Typically I let jakes walk by in favour of holding out for a mature longbeard. But all the cards lined up to make yesterday afternoon the perfect time to fill my second and final Ontario wild turkey tag of 2021.

These kids have had a tough three months with their mom dealing with a very serious life threatening medical condition that has had her hospitalized for many weeks. It was great to see a smile on their faces - you'll have to take my word for it!

 

[Mica Man]

Second North Idaho Tommy of the spring for me this morning.

 

[SC Living Outdoors]

I'm not much of a turkey hunter. I go because that's what's in season and we don't have a spring bear season, lol. On the 2nd day of the season my buddy and I were able to double up on 2 really nice mountain gobblers. Mine was my best bird ever 21lbs 8oz with a 10 3/4" beard. They read the script and came right in. It usually doesn't happen like that for me, but it's sure nice when it does.

 

[Pucky Freak]

Highs and lows today for my only AM hunt on tag #2. Got to where I wanted to be on time and had 3 gobbling from the roost. Got in as close as I dared and set up, but they pitched down away from me. One kept talking and I shadowed him for over an hour. He’d gobble to my calls, but would not come in. I finally added a fan and he committed. At 30 yards he was sideways to me and I shot him in the neck. However, never recovered the tom. Looked for hours, found only feathers.

 

[Gellar]

Highs and lows today for my only AM hunt on tag #2. Got to where I wanted to be on time and had 3 gobbling from the roost. Got in as close as I dared and set up, but they pitched down away from me. One kept talking and I shadowed him for over an hour. He’d gobble to my calls, but would not come in. I finally added a fan and he committed. At 30 yards he was sideways to me and I shot him in the neck. However, never recovered the tom. Looked for hours, found only feathers.

Bummer!

 

[R.K.]

Saw 9 male birds today, a couple were even on public. Every time I could get one to answer or get one coming to me, a hen would materialize out of thin air and cut them off. Couldn't even get the hen riled up to bring her in, either.

Turkeys- 4
Me-0

3 days left. I think I've got a pretty good game plan for tomorrow, though.

 

[Gellar]

Saw 9 male birds today, one was even on public. Every time I could get one to answer or get one coming to me, a hen would materialize out of thin air and cut them off. Couldn't even get the hen riled up to bring her in, either.

Turkeys- 4
Me-0

3 days left. I think I've got a pretty good game plan for tomorrow, though.

That has happened to me quite a few times this year. The Tom has been intercepted by hens.

 

[Pups]

Flew out to Maine to hunt with a buddy for their opener. Had a Great trip! Lots of birds. Opening day... 1st bird off the roost and in the bag 10min after legal-18lbs, 9.5 beard 1 1/4 spurs. Headed to the next stop and got on a group of 4 toms that came running across a feild-17 lbs 9.5 beard and 1" spurs. Checked a few more areas without luck and decided to check one more spot. Bingo, 3 toms and a hen came in, 2 toms and a hen left- 24lbs, 9.25 beard 1 3/8 spurs. My buddy got picky and passed up 4 more toms over the next two days. Lol with 5 weeks to go in his season and lots of birds I don't blame him.

Yowza. Sounds like I need to plan a trip to Maine next spring!

 

[Pups]

Public land mountain turkey! The first double bearded one I've taken too. Called him in from 200ish yards away. He came in spitting and drumming. It appears he read the script.

 

[johnp]

This bird certainly read the script this morning. A lot of distant tree gobbling , after I figured they must have flew down I used my calling tactic of trying to sound like several birds. He stepped out into the field 300 yards away and came in on string ! As another plus I noticed the soybeans are up!