Gastro Gnome - Eat Better Wherever

2022 spring turkey

What's the best way to upload an iPhone video on this forum? I've got a turkey video from last spring that I think all the turkey hunters would enjoy.
I don't know. The picture I posted is a still from a video I took on my iphone of the coyote running from the top of the hill and running square into my decoy. I think you may have to upload it to youtube, but I don't know.
 
Been practicing on the friction call. Gave up on the diaphragm. Looking forward to using another $5 shell! Having a dedicated turkey gun is nice, especially with the addition of a little red dot.
A contractor on my house gave me a really nice handcrafted box call as a thank you. I'm excited to try it out.
 
A contractor on my house gave me a really nice handcrafted box call as a thank you. I'm excited to try it out.
I have a double sided pot call and a few different strikers. I think I found the sound I like...now whether or not the turkeys like it is another story.
 
My heart's not in it as much as usual. The population is at a all time low for my lifetime (I'm 32) and the ODWC has finally made some changes to address the issue. This will be the first season sense I've been hunting that season won't run from April 6th-May 6th now runs April 16th-May16th. The bag limit has also been changed from 3 statewide (in some counties you could shoot 2 or 3) to 1 statewide. Normally I'd take 3-4 days and hunt the opener in western Oklahoma but opener is Easter weekend and the wife has demanded I be home Sunday. So I'm debating if it's worth it to drive 6 hours Thursday afternoon to scout Friday hunt Saturday and then leave that evening to drive 6 hours back home in time for church. I do have the whole last week of April off and the nephew and I will join 2 friends and camp for 5 days of Turkey hunting here in SE Oklahoma.
 
Get that permethrin on now folks. Sucking ticks suck!
Bugs don’t bother me but they eat my wife alive. I’m thinking about washing her outside clothes in permethrin.

I have a theory about why they bother her and not me. I wear unscented deodorant and use unscented body wash, shampoo and laundry detergent year round. The scented stuff gives me a terrible headache. She does not go heavy on perfumes but does wear scented deodorant and use scented soaps. I think this attracts the bugs!
 
My heart's not in it as much as usual. The population is at a all time low for my lifetime (I'm 32) and the ODWC has finally made some changes to address the issue. This will be the first season sense I've been hunting that season won't run from April 6th-May 6th now runs April 16th-May16th. The bag limit has also been changed from 3 statewide (in some counties you could shoot 2 or 3) to 1 statewide. Normally I'd take 3-4 days and hunt the opener in western Oklahoma but opener is Easter weekend and the wife has demanded I be home Sunday. So I'm debating if it's worth it to drive 6 hours Thursday afternoon to scout Friday hunt Saturday and then leave that evening to drive 6 hours back home in time for church. I do have the whole last week of April off and the nephew and I will join 2 friends and camp for 5 days of Turkey hunting here in SE Oklahoma.
There are many biologists concerned with population decline from a number of different problems including predators, disease, nesting habitat, weather, etc. I am not seeing decline where I hunt. I hope that doesn’t change!
 
My heart's not in it as much as usual. The population is at a all time low for my lifetime (I'm 32) and the ODWC has finally made some changes to address the issue. This will be the first season sense I've been hunting that season won't run from April 6th-May 6th now runs April 16th-May16th. The bag limit has also been changed from 3 statewide (in some counties you could shoot 2 or 3) to 1 statewide. Normally I'd take 3-4 days and hunt the opener in western Oklahoma but opener is Easter weekend and the wife has demanded I be home Sunday. So I'm debating if it's worth it to drive 6 hours Thursday afternoon to scout Friday hunt Saturday and then leave that evening to drive 6 hours back home in time for church. I do have the whole last week of April off and the nephew and I will join 2 friends and camp for 5 days of Turkey hunting here in SE Oklahoma.
Yep, i shot 2 on my place there last year and this year aint making trip. Diesel cost and 1 bird limit on a expensive turkey tag not worth it, populations do need some help.
 
Why do the bios think the population is declining in your area?
What i have heard its primarily a reproduction problem they believe to be weather related. Consectutive bad nesting years because of weather and major storms add in few predators and propulation is thin. They say its same in bordering Texas and Kansas since its mainly effected the Rio's range. At least Oklahoma g&f knows theres a problem and are trying to fix it, not turning a blind eye and just conducting business as usual, good for them!
 
My buddy and I will be headed back down to SE IL the weekend before Easter to chase gobblers on a piece of IL public land that is filthy with birds. We were covered up in ‘em last spring but couldn’t get one killed. Mainly cause we’re crap turkey hunters. We’ll see if my calling and our hunting has improved this spring compared to last.
 
Spring turkey is my absolute passion. Been thinking about it non stop. I’m switching to a 20 gauge this year w/handloads of tss #8. Patterns beautifully. Last year was my best year yet. 5 birds outa 7 tags. Had a blast. I’ll be perfectly happy this year with a couple quality hunts.
 

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The kids had a late start to school this morning so I had two hours extra this morning. I got my turkey gear out and like I suspected I found three or four different kinds of turkey ammo with only 1 or 2 shells left. But I did find a whole, brand new box of TSS. I cant remember when or where I would have gotten it. I felt kind of like when you put on a pair of jeans for the first time in a while and you find a $20 bill in the pocket.

After the snow stopped the turkeys were out. I have hunted turkey in the snow in April, and had very good luck. A few years ago there was a blizzard opening morning of the 1st season so I slept in and went to work. I left work about 3:30 and had a dead bird by 4:30. 2 toms came in hot and pretty much raced to my hen decoy.
 
But I did find a whole, brand new box of TSS. I cant remember when or where I would have gotten it. I felt kind of like when you put on a pair of jeans for the first time in a while and you find a $20 bill in the pocket.

@Gellar Maybe you meant a $50 dolla dolla bill?
 
@Gellar Maybe you meant a $50 dolla dolla bill?
You are correct. I went in the gun shop this afternoon and they were 49.99.

$20 is probably what I told my wife I paid for them.

The turkeys were enjoying the plowed road this afternoon. A few had already flew away by the time I got close enough to take a picture.
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Walked some field edges today with the dog. We had a fresh snow fall overnight. Found where what looked like a little bachelor group of Toms/jakes came out to feed. Unlikely I'll hunt there as it's a very popular place, but good to know they exist.
 
What red dots are people running? Trying to find one that doesn't break the bank, but also that wont break. There are plenty of $30 ones on Amazon but guessing the recoil of a shotgun will scramble them pretty quick.

I know a lot of guys run the Burris Fastfire- you can find them for $150, just would like something a little cheaper. Maybe not possible
 
I don’t run any of them. I’ve used the Burris ffiii and the Vortex Venom. I prefer the Venom.
 

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