2021 Spring Turkey hunting

[Dougfirtree]

Awesome! I know it’s possible but I’ve never been in a situation to call a turkey across a river. Maybe that will be my goal this season!?
The first moose I called in came across a river and we were set up about 15 yards from the bank when he came out of the river!

That must have been memorable!

 

[F250]

I had seven beard dragging toms across the road from my house yesterday. Season opens May 1

 

[IsThisHeaven?]

They are gobbling on the roost around here pretty good. Tough not to get fired up.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Always set up within gun range of a known fence or a creek and learn to shoot left handed.

That was told to me at a young age by a guy who has killed more turkeys than many will in 5 lifetimes.

That advice has served me well over the years.

Season in GA starts next weekend. Hopefully in the future they adjust the season to start 2 weeks later. Our poult recruitment is horrible right now.

 

[Art Vandeley]

They are gobbling on the roost around here pretty good. Tough not to get fired up.

What state ?

 

[Gellar]

I had seven beard dragging toms across the road from my house yesterday. Season opens May 1

They probably won’t go far!

 

[Gellar]

They are gobbling on the roost around here pretty good. Tough not to get fired up.

I heard one gobbling around 7:30 this morning. He wasn’t on the roost, but there was a crow squawking and he would shock gobble in response. He’s the first one gobbling I’ve heard this Spring!

 

[Gellar]

Always set up within gun range of a known fence or a creek and learn to shoot left handed.

That was told to me at a young age by a guy who has killed more turkeys than many will in 5 lifetimes.

That advice has served me well over the years.

Season in GA starts next weekend. Hopefully in the future they adjust the season to start 2 weeks later. Our poult recruitment is horrible right now.

I have shot several turkeys off handed!
The population in my immediate hunting area is good, but they say numbers are going down or staying stagnant state wide. We need trappers to take care of those pesky nest predators!

 

[Gellar]

What state ?

In Field of Dreams Shoeless Joe Jackson hollers from center field “Is this heaven? And Ray kinsella answers back “No, it’s Iowa!”

 

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

Went out yesterday to do some glassing. Didn't want to get too vocal yet. Found tracks where I expected to, so it looks like they are sticking to their patterns. At least until I'm in the woods with a shotgun.

 

[Gellar]

Went out yesterday to do some glassing. Didn't want to get too vocal yet. Found tracks where I expected to, so it looks like they are sticking to their patterns. At least until I'm in the woods with a shotgun.View attachment 176997

I’ve noticed over the years of keeping notes during scouting that the turkeys seem to be in the same general area year after year but they switch roost trees every 2-3 days and there may be a couple hundred yards or up to a half mile between roost trees.

 

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

I’ve noticed over the years of keeping notes during scouting that the turkeys seem to be in the same general area year after year but they switch roost trees every 2-3 days and there may be a couple hundred yards or up to a half mile between roost trees.

That definitely tracks. These birds seem to roost on every mountainside, bouncing between at least 4 roosting locations I've found. They seem to like the steep and nasty

 

[Gellar]

That definitely tracks. These birds seem to roost on every mountainside, bouncing between at least 4 roosting locations I've found. They seem to like the steep and nasty

One area they roost here frequently is right where the bluff drops down to the Mississippi River. It’s probably 400 feet close to vertical. They pick oak trees that the limbs hang over the edge. I accidentally spooked them off the roost once and it’s like they just roll off the limb and extend their wings. They catch the wind and glide to the bottom.

 

[RidgeRoamingRichard]

One area they roost here frequently is right where the bluff drops down to the Mississippi River. It’s probably 400 feet close to vertical. They pick oak trees that the limbs hang over the edge. I accidentally spooked them off the roost once and it’s like they just roll off the limb and extend their wings. They catch the wind and glide to the bottom.

That sounds a lot like my scenario.. For relatively dorky birds, they sure can be majestic. Have you ever hunted them in MT?

 

[Gellar]

That sounds a lot like my scenario.. For relatively dorky birds, they sure can be majestic. Have you ever hunted them in MT?

No just in the Midwest. I would love to hunt the mountain birds sometime soon!

 

[archerynut21]

These are the best pictures I got. I did the fan mount myself. I think it turned out pretty good. Longest hair was 10” and the spur that wasn’t broke was 1.5”. I’m happy with him.

 

[IsThisHeaven?]

What state ?

Iowa

 

[IsThisHeaven?]

Went out yesterday to do some glassing. Didn't want to get too vocal yet. Found tracks where I expected to, so it looks like they are sticking to their patterns. At least until I'm in the woods with a shotgun.View attachment 176997

Looks like an awesome place to chase turkeys

 

[IsThisHeaven?]

One area they roost here frequently is right where the bluff drops down to the Mississippi River. It’s probably 400 feet close to vertical. They pick oak trees that the limbs hang over the edge. I accidentally spooked them off the roost once and it’s like they just roll off the limb and extend their wings. They catch the wind and glide to the bottom.

I hunted NE Iowa for a few years. The birds on the farm I hunted always roosted just off the tops of the bluffs or hills. They would approach on the ridge tops in the evening, then just fly parallel to their roost tree. My favorite place to hunt turkeys.

 

[Gellar]

These are the best pictures I got. I did the fan mount myself. I think it turned out pretty good. Longest hair was 10” and the spur that wasn’t broke was 1.5”. I’m happy with him.

Looks great! I just dry the fan, beard, and the leg with the longest spur. I stack them together and than unceremoniously drive a long nail through all of them to hold them on them garage wall. I write the year underneath them. I think I could recall the hunt for each one. The leg I don’t tack on the wall I have been sending to Iowa State University. They are doing a study on turkeys and request 1 leg from a turkey you harvest.