2023 spring turkey!

[np307]

Tomorrow will be the first time back out for the morning since Thursday. Couple of evening hunts since then produced a hen and a decent idea of how the gobbler is using that terrain. Hoping he hasn't died or moved to different ground. He's been a fun one to chase but I always get a little nervous selling out on one gobbler like this.

 

[phutch30]

Cant complain about MT opening weekend 2023. We had plenty of action. 3 down on day 1. One off the roost, one mid morning and one afternooner. My daughter got a little excited and got this jake mixed up with the 5 full fan toms in front of her at 25yds sat afternoon. She blames me, she stated that I never said dont shoot a jake, that I just said make sure you dont hit one of the hens....and she was correct, that is what I said.... We did have a "for future reference" conversation after the fact though. LOL

My wife tagged her 2nd about 830 this morn. This bird came in with 15 jakes running as fast as their legs would go from 500yds right into 15yds. I honestly thought they were all jakes until this one turned and we saw the beard swinging at point blank range.

 

[np307]

Well he's still in here. Just barely skirted by me off the roost. Trying not to kick myself because I really didn't have any better options to set up with how he was roosted this morning. No hens that I saw or heard, he just didn't like what he saw/didn't see I guess.

 

[Chad Gus]

Nothing like waking up to 18 inches of fresh powder.

 

[Gellar]

Nothing like waking up to 18 inches of fresh powder. View attachment 272307

2-3” here.

7 or 8 years ago we got a blizzard the night before and into opening morning. I slept in and went out about 2 o’clock when the temps were back to 40 and the sun was shining. I sat down and called 2 Tom’s together to the decoy in less than an hour. The one I killed was 24 lbs and 11” beard.

 

[Chad Gus]

2-3” here.

7 or 8 years ago we got a blizzard the night before and into opening morning. I slept in and went out about 2 o’clock when the temps were back to 40 and the sun was shining. I sat down and called 2 Tom’s together to the decoy in less than an hour. The one I killed was 24 lbs and 11” beard.

I've killed a couple merriam's in the black hills after a big snow storm. Wife's season starts on Wednesday, she's not to excited about it now.

 

[phutch30]

Hope it all melts by may 3

 

[WildWill]

At least something likes my calling and decoy spread. No more turkey dinners for this fella.

 

[phutch30]

At least something likes my calling and decoy spread. No more turkey dinners for this fella.View attachment 272309

Its weird, ive been turkey hunting for 39yrs, done many thousands of setups across 20 states several of which are crawling with coyotes and ive never had a coyote come into a setup close enough to shoot.

 

[WildWill]

Its weird, ive been turkey hunting for 39yrs, done many thousands of setups across 20 states several of which are crawling with coyotes and ive never had a coyote come into a setup close enough to shoot.

This is my 3rd in 17 years of turkey hunting.

 

[mdcrossbow]

2nd bird in Va. down. Yesterday my buddy and I had 4-5 bird down to our left and one Tom to the right with hens. Couldn't call him off. Twice I've seem him with his hens and he's stubborn. So this morning I went in at 5 and set up In his strut zone. Like clockwork 1 hen then 2nd. This bird was to my left behind me in the woods. Next thing I know he's 70 yards across the field strutting. He would come to the hen decoy. So I waited for him to move, he started walking off with the hen. 60 yards TSS 3" #9s 640 choke dropped him. 10" and 1" spurs

 

[Stocker]

It’s weird, ive been turkey hunting for 39yrs, done many thousands of setups across 20 states several of which are crawling with coyotes and ive never had a coyote come into a setup close enough to shoot.

I bet in the last 10 years I’ve killed 20-30 coyotes turkey hunting.

 

[Gellar]

I had a coyote come in last year and run head first into my decoy. I never shot it because I was working a bird. Of course the Tom never came after that.


I know people who have had bobcats come in and another guy who had an eagle try and grab his decoy.

 

[mdcrossbow]

I bet in the last 10 years I’ve killed 20-30 coyotes turkey hunting.

I've only had 1 coyote sneak in , hit the decoy and ran off. My buddy had a Coyote chase a fox through the decoys last year. I know their there but just never see them.

 

[phutch30]

I bet in the last 10 years I’ve killed 20-30 coyotes turkey hunting.

Weird...I coyote hunt on some of the ranches that let me turkey hunt and I average 5-7 yotes a day calling them.

 

[KipCarson]

It’s been pretty slow here in Louisiana, I’ve only got on birds 2 times since season opened, but did have a great experience last Wednesday morning. Called a Jake over right off the roost who proceeded to assault and violate my decoy for 20 straight minutes. He was so smitten that even after finishing his job he never got more than 25 yards away from me until after 8 o’clock when he finally fed off. I’ll try again in the morning, then it’s off to OK for a rio on Wednesday!

 

[johnp]

After a slow day Saturday during Wisconsin's youth hunt things came together well once the snow storm started Sunday afternoon. Sophia's patients and persistence paid off with a well earned Tom !

 

[Bugle 'Em In]

Montana bird

 

[WildWill]

Called in two Jake's finally. So many birds around and only the second morning decided to pass. My nephew was less picky.

 

[Gellar]

It’s been pretty slow here in Louisiana, I’ve only got on birds 2 times since season opened, but did have a great experience last Wednesday morning. Called a Jake over right off the roost who proceeded to assault and violate my decoy for 20 straight minutes. He was so smitten that even after finishing his job he never got more than 25 yards away from me until after 8 o’clock when he finally fed off. I’ll try again in the morning, then it’s off to OK for a rio on Wednesday!
View attachment 272334View attachment 272335View attachment 272336View attachment 272337View attachment 272338

You violate my decoy like that and you are getting violated, Jake or Tom.