Gobble gobble Spring Turkey 2025

[Gellar]

These pictures aren’t making my decision easier. But I decided to wait until our 2nd season to hunt.

2nd season runs April 18-22. I’m just to busy the next 4 days and would only get a few hours in the middle of the afternoon to hunt. 2nd season is always busier on the public but maybe with the Easter holiday it won’t be as bad?

 

[FireStation46]

I’ve killed gobblers with 1 spur, no spurs, killed 1 with super long toenails, caught and released a flock of 17 hens and I think 5 were bearded.

I like the Georgia Turkey I harvested some years back

 

[FireStation46]

Called in this public land Jake (USFS ground 15mi as the crow flies from home, although it's a 40min drive and 2.8mi hike to get to this general spot) for my Son in Law yesterday about 8:30. Was in a group of another couple Jakes and 2 longbeards. Guy a couple ridges over missed one of the longbeards about 15 minutes before I called this one into our lap. Decoy has a couple holes in it, this guy was ON that decoy.

He still has a Draw tag that opens in May and my OTC tag is intact for a trip down south in a couple of weeks.

Old fishing buddy of mine who is retired in Southern MS makes pot calls (mostly out of wood from a bunch of trees he lost at his place during Karina), so I always take a picture for him with the call, also

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Congrats!

 

[np307]

Opening day was quiet for me. I'm out this evening trying to roost one for tomorrow morning. Cut a few sets of tracks on opposite ends of the piece of land, hoping to hear one sound off this evening so I can make a plan for the morning.

 

[FireStation46]

Congrats!

Thanks! Mossberg UltiMag 12ga 3 ½” shells. Dropped him quick!

 

[EKYHunter]

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After school adventures with the little 410 for one of my daughter's and I on the youth opener today.

Love seeing all these pics with kids and dead turkeys! @Mica Man, can you tell me about that .410? I like it.

 

[WildWill]

Love seeing all these pics with kids and dead turkeys! @Mica Man, can you tell me about that .410? I like it.

Looks like the same Rossi Tuffy 410. my son has. Nice little gun.

 

[Hobbes]

Backwater has affected access. Evening roosting trip.

 

[Hobbes]

 

[cedahm]

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What a fantastic photo!

I can HEAR a turkey gobbling on a limb just looking at that shot.

 

[Mica Man]

Love seeing all these pics with kids and dead turkeys! @Mica Man, can you tell me about that .410? I like it.

Tis a Rossi Turkey tuffy. The little thing Is light as a feather but deadly on birds out to 40 yards with #9 TSS. I bought it for the kids but love packing the thing for myself in the woods. My brother bought one in 20 ga that is lethal as well but has significantly more recoil.

 

[BlakeA]

Opening day stalk

 

[WildWill]

 

[EKYHunter]

Opening day stalk View attachment 368469
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Best pic yet! Congrats.

 

[Matthew57]

Opening day tomorrow for us!

 

[Hammsolo]

Almost there in WA. I know where I’ll be on Saturday way before first light.

 

[Jamen]

Well i got it done this morning!! Saturday was a botched day but my sister got hers. I let her shoot since she never has gotten a tom. To many hunters Saturday but thats life on public land. Was nice to use my grandpa's side by side 10 gauge he left me! Makes it even more memorable.

 

[Wild Bill]

Great hooks on your sister's bird! And jewelry to boot!

 

[Jamen]

Great hooks on your sister's bird! And jewelry to boot!

both of ours had some hardware!

 

[np307]

Gonna be kicking myself for this morning for a while. Spot I wanted to go had somebody parked there so I ended up going to the piece I went to opening morning. Didn't hear anything by 715 so I started walking the logging road. I could hear them cutting timber on a neighboring piece but thought I heard a gobble. I listened a little longer and confirmed. He was a good ways off, near where I killed one a couple years ago. I started heading that way and eventually got a pinpoint location on him. I set up with a draw between us, but not quite at the same elevation. First mistake.

So I started the back and forth with him. He gobbled sparingly at first but I eventually got him worked up and then he started to skirt around me. I let him get around me and then I repositioned. I was in a good spot but only had one lane where I could see more than 20 yards. I set up facing that direction instead of straight on to where he was, thinking I could swing to my left if he maintained his course. Second mistake.

I re-engaged and he absolutely lit up. I knew I had gotten him to break strut. He gobbled several more times and I could really start hearing the rattle in his voice. I heard footsteps and got ready. He gobbled again within gun range but out of sight. I heard more steps at about my 11:00 and just as I turned my head (without turning my gun) his head popped up behind some brush. Third mistake.

He caught the movement and turned tail. If I had rotated my gun with my head I probably could've send tss through the brush and got him. Instead I let him move off just a second and then called back. To my surprise he gobbled. He kept gobbling as he walked away, over the top of the next hill. I waited a little while and then dropped off the back of my hill and side hilled around. To get above him I'd have to go a half mile over the steepest part of this area so that's what I did. He kept gobbling as I moved. I finally got above him, within a couple hundred yards and he's now gone silent. No idea what happened. I shouldn't have been close enough to booger him but maybe I did. I'm gonna make a big loop around just in case he kept heading the same way he was going and then I'll work my way back to the truck.

So I had him beat and then blew it at the last moment. Still way better than not hearing anything.