Nick87
Well-known member
Yah that's some good beer!
2022 spring turkey
- Thread starter Gellar
- Start date
Nick87
Well-known member
I'm also extremely jealous that you can get that served at a bar up there. The only thing anybody carries down here is summer Shandy. On second thought its probably for the best.
The wind blew so hard the turkeys never even came out of the timber. No leaves on yet so trying to slip in there is not a very good gamble, especially with an 8 year old.
The constant 30-50mph winds we’ve had this spring are getting really frustrating. Combined with extremely low Turkey numbers it’s made it quite a challenge.
Nick87
Well-known member
I hear ya on the wind, hoping your boy is able to connect on oneThe wind blew so hard the turkeys never even came out of the timber. No leaves on yet so trying to slip in there is not a very good gamble, especially with an 8 year old.
The constant 30-50mph winds we’ve had this spring are getting really frustrating. Combined with extremely low Turkey numbers it’s made it quite a challenge.
mdcrossbow
Well-known member
I'm sitting in Md hunting the farm Maryland for turkey yesterday. 1st time in four years. Friday evening I came out and stayed in my new to me pop-up. At dusk I did a few yelps. In the morning I was woken by gobbling. I was fine staying warm in my sleeping bag. Falling back to sleep. Then 7:30 more gobbling. I gave up and headed to a good dusting area. Bird one Tom still gobbling. Never showed.had a hen walk past my camp. Great listing morning.
Some wine and great cigar in the evening
Some wine and great cigar in the evening
Attachments
Hammsolo
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 16, 2020
- Messages
- 1,971
Man I love calling turkeys. Called in a sneaky old Tom in the rose bushes. FYI, there’s a forest over that knob behind me. Can you imagine trying to hunt turkeys in that field. It took an hour of watching him lurk out in the rose bushes around 100 yards. He kept sneaking silently until he was 50 yards away in the rose bushes when he finally gobbled. It took another 15 minutes of teasing him to get him to poke his head out. Popped him at 35 yards. I still need to measure the beard, but it’s significantly longer than my hand from tip of the middle finger to wrist. I’m a larger than average human. I called the other in for a buddy. He’s an average Tom.
Also found another blue tongue kill…
Hammsolo
Well-known member
- Joined
- May 16, 2020
- Messages
- 1,971
Just a touch over a 10 inch beard.
Northwoods
Well-known member
duckhunt
Well-known member
Had a tick on me this morning. So the season begins.
HighDesertSage
Well-known member
dammit....
.270Rem
Well-known member
Our crew had a good run of luck from Thur through Sat.
My friend got up way early, had his decoys set, and was sitting in the blind a half hour before shooting time. Bird gobbled from the roost frequently and then silence. A hen started making noise an hour later and spied his decoys. Then the bird finally flew down a half hour after sunrise and strutted in only to get greeted by a cloud of TSS. That one had spurs well over an inch, 11+ on the beard, and 23 and a half on the scale.
Another buddy was the only one out Fri and he set up close to where the Thur bird went down. Took awhile, but the unlucky bird of the day came across the field from over 200 yds to the decoys and stayed silent. He paid the toll and got the upside down over the shoulder trip to the barn. 22 lbs for him, with a beard over 10, and 3/4" spurs.
Yesterday, I had the most luck of the three of us hearing birds, but none were close. Had one start on his own after 8 that was closer, but he refused to respond. I went back to the blind and had a bird come in silent and hang out in the brush. After staying patient and calling more urgently the second sequence with my box call, I convinced him to come out into the food plot and take a peek. This was a bad career move on his part. His beard nearly made 10", 3/4" spurs, yet only 16 lbs. My guess is he was the skinny teenager in the neighborhood.
Chip, the lucky Fri hunter, got one all happy after 11 and dropped down, pulled his mask up, and shot him when he poked his head over the hill. That was a Jake, but he matched mine on the weight.
Only one of us hunted today and that was Jim who scored Thur. He had a slow day with zero action. Streak got broken, but we broke the ice.
My friend got up way early, had his decoys set, and was sitting in the blind a half hour before shooting time. Bird gobbled from the roost frequently and then silence. A hen started making noise an hour later and spied his decoys. Then the bird finally flew down a half hour after sunrise and strutted in only to get greeted by a cloud of TSS. That one had spurs well over an inch, 11+ on the beard, and 23 and a half on the scale.
Another buddy was the only one out Fri and he set up close to where the Thur bird went down. Took awhile, but the unlucky bird of the day came across the field from over 200 yds to the decoys and stayed silent. He paid the toll and got the upside down over the shoulder trip to the barn. 22 lbs for him, with a beard over 10, and 3/4" spurs.
Yesterday, I had the most luck of the three of us hearing birds, but none were close. Had one start on his own after 8 that was closer, but he refused to respond. I went back to the blind and had a bird come in silent and hang out in the brush. After staying patient and calling more urgently the second sequence with my box call, I convinced him to come out into the food plot and take a peek. This was a bad career move on his part. His beard nearly made 10", 3/4" spurs, yet only 16 lbs. My guess is he was the skinny teenager in the neighborhood.
Chip, the lucky Fri hunter, got one all happy after 11 and dropped down, pulled his mask up, and shot him when he poked his head over the hill. That was a Jake, but he matched mine on the weight.
Only one of us hunted today and that was Jim who scored Thur. He had a slow day with zero action. Streak got broken, but we broke the ice.
Mica Man
Well-known member
2 Oz of # 5's this morning in North Idaho.
Zootownelk
Well-known member
- Joined
- Aug 26, 2016
- Messages
- 350
This is my 4th year turkey hunting and second bird. I hunted hard for 3 days. I did not see a turkey and only 1 distant gobble for the last two. It's been very windy and rainy for most of this last week. I went out Saturday morning after a thunderstorm had stopped.
I was setup around 10:30am on a timbered ridge where I had seen turkeys in past years. I heard a distant gobble to my east. I picked up and moved one ridge closer. I was pretty sure he was on private, but the wind was gusting to 40mph so I wasn't positive. I set up again. I was hunting in the timber with private cornfield just behind me. I never heard the gobbler again. I did several calling sequences over the next hour and half. I glanced to my right and saw a black-bodied turkey about 20 yards to my 3 o'clock. Then I noticed 3 other Jakes. There was a little draw they must've come up to my right.
They continued behind me into the private cornfield. "****, I might have just blown my only chance!" When they were behind me and my movement blocked by the tree, I swiveled around so I could see them. I ranged them at 50 yards. I gave some yelps. They perked up and but continued feeding away from me. I gave some more excited yelps, and one became interested and started angling towards the woods (Public). As soon as he took a few steps into the woods, I fired (about 35 yards).
I was getting discouraged after the first few days. There was very little gobbling going on, and the weather was not really cooperating. 4 seasons ago, I knew absolutely nothing about turkey hunting. Getting this bird was a big confidence builder for me.
I was setup around 10:30am on a timbered ridge where I had seen turkeys in past years. I heard a distant gobble to my east. I picked up and moved one ridge closer. I was pretty sure he was on private, but the wind was gusting to 40mph so I wasn't positive. I set up again. I was hunting in the timber with private cornfield just behind me. I never heard the gobbler again. I did several calling sequences over the next hour and half. I glanced to my right and saw a black-bodied turkey about 20 yards to my 3 o'clock. Then I noticed 3 other Jakes. There was a little draw they must've come up to my right.
They continued behind me into the private cornfield. "****, I might have just blown my only chance!" When they were behind me and my movement blocked by the tree, I swiveled around so I could see them. I ranged them at 50 yards. I gave some yelps. They perked up and but continued feeding away from me. I gave some more excited yelps, and one became interested and started angling towards the woods (Public). As soon as he took a few steps into the woods, I fired (about 35 yards).
I was getting discouraged after the first few days. There was very little gobbling going on, and the weather was not really cooperating. 4 seasons ago, I knew absolutely nothing about turkey hunting. Getting this bird was a big confidence builder for me.
Last edited:
Hem
Well-known member
Great birds everyone.
Too bad I don't shoot jakes.
Called in 8 this morning. The one mature gobbler and his hens were just far enough in on private and wouldn't budge.
Exciting morning anyhow.
Too bad I don't shoot jakes.
Called in 8 this morning. The one mature gobbler and his hens were just far enough in on private and wouldn't budge.
Exciting morning anyhow.
duck wrangler
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 30, 2019
- Messages
- 171
Tagged out here in Va on Saturday am. Best bird of the season; 11" beard, 1 1/4" spurs.
I duck hunt more than anything, but I have started taking a liking to turkeys lately.
I duck hunt more than anything, but I have started taking a liking to turkeys lately.
WildWill
Well-known member
Just one? I've been pulling 3-5 of me every day for the last week.
RyGuy
Well-known member
Shot this nice merriams on Sunday.
My dad and I were set up on the edge of public near the private where this bird and a good size flock of Tom’s/hens/Jake’s was hanging out. We called for a while but the birds disappeared and we could no longer see or hear them. After a while we got cold and restless so we decided to head for the truck. On the way there we walked right up on this guy walking a ridgetop. Shot him at 20 yards, he rolled down the steep hill to the bottom of the valley below and never moved again.
I think maybe he was sneaking in to check out our setup. I need to learn to be more patient, but it all worked out!
My dad and I were set up on the edge of public near the private where this bird and a good size flock of Tom’s/hens/Jake’s was hanging out. We called for a while but the birds disappeared and we could no longer see or hear them. After a while we got cold and restless so we decided to head for the truck. On the way there we walked right up on this guy walking a ridgetop. Shot him at 20 yards, he rolled down the steep hill to the bottom of the valley below and never moved again.
I think maybe he was sneaking in to check out our setup. I need to learn to be more patient, but it all worked out!
WildWill
Well-known member
You guy's are making me jealous with all the success pics. I've hunted hard across three wma's the last almost 2 weeks and have little to show for it. Spent the last 3 days hunting the Ouchita NF in Se Oklahoma. Found my first birds of the hunt about 10 am this morning 2 hens. Watched them for a hour and made sure there weren't any gobblers hanging around. Plan on starting in that hollow in the morning I have till after the Friday morning hunt till I have to call it quits and head home to play adult.
Gellar
Well-known member
Our 4th season opens again tomorrow. All booked up in the morning, but I’ll be out in the afternoon! We are behind schedule here as far as spring goes and the woods are not green. If I’m to complete the Driftless trifecta (morel, Brooke trout, turkey all in the same day) I’ll have to wait for a week or 2.
