Gobble gobble Spring Turkey 2025

[Zim]

Expecting a trifecta this year as it’s the first time I ever hit my two top public properties in the Illinois lottery. Plus a special Indiana state leased private parcel via lottery, or walk-on at my regular nearby state property. I have had all three of these scouted out for years.

But it will be a while because all my tags are in May. I’m busy chasing walleye all April in Maumee River Ohio. Just retired so plenty of time.

 

[champ198]

Our season here in MO opens up April 21st.
I wont get to be in the woods till the first weekend around home. But plan to take a weekend trip to a large tract of public the second weekend

 

[CowboyLeroy]

I went out to shoot some hogs on a place we're growing peanuts this year. I wore my new vest because it's new and I can't help myself, right at dark I thought 'why not see if one answers?' so I picked up my mega loud glass call and hit it twice about thirty seconds apart.

No answer.

I scanned the treeline working right to left, with it being at an angle so that the far end was 500ish yards away and the near end about 75 or so with my panning being about 20° if that all makes sense to y'all. Anyway, by the time I made it to the near end of the wood line I found myself staring dead nuts into the eyes of a Boone and Crocket bitch yote. Needless to say, the hog hunt turned into a coyote hunt.

Not really a turkey hunting story, but its turkey adjacent. I thought it was really *interesting* that she nearly instantly responded to the hen call, new where I was, and was so interested that she was able to ignore the two hundred and fifty pound white boy with short shorts trying to wrestle his rifle out of the blackberries.

 

[Bigjay73]

Photo taken today, more than likely the closest I'll come to filling a turkey tag this year

 

[Gellar]

Photo taken today, more than likely the closest I'll come to filling a turkey tag this yearView attachment 365680

Don’t do it. Turkeys do worse damage to vehicles than deer sometimes.

 

[WildWill]

This could complicate things a bit fortunately it's two weeks after the hunt with my son and a week after opener. Have I ever mentioned I'm a big fan of the death penalty even for minor infractions.

 

[Lostinthewoods]

I was out checking traps yesterday and ended up watching 4 longbeards play around for a while.
Im getting ANTSY!

 

[Gellar]

The big winter groups of 20-30 hens are starting to break up. The last couple of days I’ve been seeing groups of 2-5 hens and a tom flanking them. April 14 our season opens!

 

[WildWill]

The big winter groups of 20-30 hens are starting to break up. The last couple of days I’ve been seeing groups of 2-5 hens and a tom flanking them. April 14 our season opens!

Ours is the 16th which is a Wednesday this year. Love it when season opens early-mid week and you can get a few days of hunting in before the weekend crowd.

 

[Gellar]

Ours is the 16th which is a Wednesday this year. Love it when season opens early-mid week and you can get a few days of hunting in before the weekend crowd.

Our seasons structure is broke down into 5 seasons.
Archery only April 14-May18
season 1 April 14-April17
Season 2 April 18-22
Season 3 April 23-29
Season 4 April 30-May 18

Each season gets a little bit longer. Residents can hunt 2 seasons but at least one of the tags has to be during Season 4. Like you, I prefer to hunt during the week so I choose season 1 because it is Monday-Thursday. Each season after that gets noticeably more crowded, not just with turkey hunters either.

 

[WildWill]

Ours always runs from April 16th- May 16th so our opener runs the gambit. We have a youth season as well that always opens the weekend before regular opener to let the kids get first crack.

 

[duckhunt]

Heard a lot of gobbling this morning at the cabin.

 

[Gellar]

Heard a lot of gobbling this morning at the cabin.

Don’t be alarmed if you hear and/or see a rust bucket ford drive by early in the morning.

 

[jvanhoy]

Not sure how I’m going to make it another 2 weeks till the opener!

 

[caddiscrazy]

Birds are gobbling good here in wv. Still have about three weeks till opener. Hopefully more hens are bred and sitting nests by then

 

[Stocker]

Don’t be alarmed if you hear and/or see a rust bucket ford drive by early in the morning.

Do you guys call it slow rolling when someone is road hunting or just rolling because it’s Iowa?

 

[Gellar]

Do you guys call it slow rolling when someone is road hunting or just rolling because it’s Iowa?

The worst part is on Duckhunt’s road I can’t drive in the left lane because it’s only a single track.

TBH, I killed a turkey within feet of what is now Duckhunt’s property about 5 or 6 years ago. Before he built his getaway there and before I knew him. He’s in a pretty good spot.

 

[CowboyLeroy]

Opened up with a bang. Today was the first day I've turkey hunted with my dad since I was fifteen years old. I called one in for him early and got him on the ground, then moved a few miles and called up my favorite kind of bird. (The neighbors birds) But one of the neater parts of the day was a smoke phase double bearded hen. I didn't get many action photos due to the fast action and close quarters.

 

[duckhunt]

The worst part is on Duckhunt’s road I can’t drive in the left lane because it’s only a single track.

TBH, I killed a turkey within feet of what is now Duckhunt’s property about 5 or 6 years ago. Before he built his getaway there and before I knew him. He’s in a pretty good spot.

Was here a couple weeks ago and had a few hens and a tom walk down the road right by my front yard.

 

[Gellar]

Opened up with a bang. Today was the first day I've turkey hunted with my dad since I was fifteen years old. I called one in for him early and got him on the ground, then moved a few miles and called up my favorite kind of bird. (The neighbors birds) But one of the neater parts of the day was a smoke phase double bearded hen. I didn't get many action photos due to the fast action and close quarters.View attachment 366054View attachment 366055

That’s about as perfect fan as you’ll see!