RUT JUNKEY
Well-known member
sure missed being out there with ya this year! Its been dismal here to say the least, going out tonight though and the weather is perfect! Taking my oldest daughter with me too.
Kansas Turkey Adventures
- Thread starter kansasdad
- Start date
Catching up on a few odds and ends from spring turkey season.........
A PhD candidate from Texas has reached out to turkey hunters for help with her doctoral thesis finding hunters through KDWPT. An email outlines her research program where she is requesting 10 assorted breast feathers, along with date/location of take for her to evaluate sub-species prevalence and where hybridization between (re-introduced) Rio Grande sub species are interacting with Eastern's that are expanding westward from Missouri. My contribution of feathers will hit the mail tomorrow.
After breaking down my bird, the tenderloins went into the refrigerator the breasts into the freezer and the thigh/leg combos went straight into the slow cooker for a low and slow carnita preparation (Hank Shaw, "Pheasant Quail Cottontail recipe book).
A day later the shredded meat went into a blazing hot skillet to crisp the yummy dark meat and turkey carnitas tacos were enjoyed by all
As I was cutting the spurs off of the legs, I did a double take and looked closer. I had heard of and seen double and even triple beards, but I hadn't ever heard of double spurred birds. A little ninja search with the google and found out that indeed there are some birds that have double and even triple spurs. A normal main projection and sometimes like the "second brother" they have a vestigial second spur.
A PhD candidate from Texas has reached out to turkey hunters for help with her doctoral thesis finding hunters through KDWPT. An email outlines her research program where she is requesting 10 assorted breast feathers, along with date/location of take for her to evaluate sub-species prevalence and where hybridization between (re-introduced) Rio Grande sub species are interacting with Eastern's that are expanding westward from Missouri. My contribution of feathers will hit the mail tomorrow.
After breaking down my bird, the tenderloins went into the refrigerator the breasts into the freezer and the thigh/leg combos went straight into the slow cooker for a low and slow carnita preparation (Hank Shaw, "Pheasant Quail Cottontail recipe book).
A day later the shredded meat went into a blazing hot skillet to crisp the yummy dark meat and turkey carnitas tacos were enjoyed by all
As I was cutting the spurs off of the legs, I did a double take and looked closer. I had heard of and seen double and even triple beards, but I hadn't ever heard of double spurred birds. A little ninja search with the google and found out that indeed there are some birds that have double and even triple spurs. A normal main projection and sometimes like the "second brother" they have a vestigial second spur.
To get a second spring turkey in Kansas, I have to hunt NW or NCentral Kansas zones, as my normal hunting spots are one bird zones this year. I decided to go to the WIHA several hours away where I killed my first turkey.
In 2005 kansasson and his Boy Scout troop had been doing a merit badge camp at Ft Hays State, and I had taken the opportunity to try to get my first turkey. There were turkeys gobbling up and down the river woodlot. I had stayed stuck to my cottonwood tree that I had picked earlier that morning, and had watched a hen drag a tom past me across the stream. It would have required a left handed shot at 50 yards and had decided to pass. Every so often the oil derrick would squeak back into motion waking me up from a mid afternoon nap.
I had given myself a deadline to start walking out, and with that time approaching, I decided to lay on the slate one last sequence to get the downstream tom to leave his strutting spot. I called, he answered. I called again, he was moving. I called and it was going to happen. I put my gun on my knee to aim where I believed he would come into view and waited. He was gobbling his two year old head off as he came, and when I first saw him, he was just clearing the end of a dead tree's root ball, and I fired. I might have yelled out loud something along the lines of "I got you!!". I wasn't following the old adage of " pretend you've done this before"
15 years later I found myself once again headed to my old friend the cottonwood.
Spring rains had produced a thick layer of grass in the river bottom, and I flashed back to several incidents of flushing fawns out of their beds while stream fishing in CO and WY over the years. Moving off the hill and down into the bottom land, I realized I had slightly miscalculated on my approach to the huge cottonwood as it was upstream by 75 yards. Walking towards the tree with eyes and ears in hunting mode, I saw the hidden fawn from about 10 feet. This little one might be the youngest fawn I have ever found.
Moving over to the tree, I set about recreating my original ambush, hoping to hear some gobbling action.
My first bird had been taken the second week of the season. This was now fully two months into the season. Sadly no turkeys were seen or heard this day.
Deciding to move towards the boundary of the W
Stopping for a few photos, I continued on and heard some weird screeches from down on the stream. Three barred owl young'uns were sitting on a flood debris pile in the middle of the stream. This is the species of birds that I try to mouth call to get a tom to "shock" gobble in the first and last light of the day.
In 2005 kansasson and his Boy Scout troop had been doing a merit badge camp at Ft Hays State, and I had taken the opportunity to try to get my first turkey. There were turkeys gobbling up and down the river woodlot. I had stayed stuck to my cottonwood tree that I had picked earlier that morning, and had watched a hen drag a tom past me across the stream. It would have required a left handed shot at 50 yards and had decided to pass. Every so often the oil derrick would squeak back into motion waking me up from a mid afternoon nap.
I had given myself a deadline to start walking out, and with that time approaching, I decided to lay on the slate one last sequence to get the downstream tom to leave his strutting spot. I called, he answered. I called again, he was moving. I called and it was going to happen. I put my gun on my knee to aim where I believed he would come into view and waited. He was gobbling his two year old head off as he came, and when I first saw him, he was just clearing the end of a dead tree's root ball, and I fired. I might have yelled out loud something along the lines of "I got you!!". I wasn't following the old adage of " pretend you've done this before"
15 years later I found myself once again headed to my old friend the cottonwood.
Spring rains had produced a thick layer of grass in the river bottom, and I flashed back to several incidents of flushing fawns out of their beds while stream fishing in CO and WY over the years. Moving off the hill and down into the bottom land, I realized I had slightly miscalculated on my approach to the huge cottonwood as it was upstream by 75 yards. Walking towards the tree with eyes and ears in hunting mode, I saw the hidden fawn from about 10 feet. This little one might be the youngest fawn I have ever found.
Moving over to the tree, I set about recreating my original ambush, hoping to hear some gobbling action.
My first bird had been taken the second week of the season. This was now fully two months into the season. Sadly no turkeys were seen or heard this day.
Deciding to move towards the boundary of the W
Stopping for a few photos, I continued on and heard some weird screeches from down on the stream. Three barred owl young'uns were sitting on a flood debris pile in the middle of the stream. This is the species of birds that I try to mouth call to get a tom to "shock" gobble in the first and last light of the day.
With sunset today, spring turkey hunting has come to an end. Sorry to all the NR who had their plans altered with the virus pandemic shutting down tag sales. Presumably all will return to normal for fall seasons.
kansassoninlaw was up for an attempt to get his first turkey, so Jeremy, his father and I went out to the public hunting area for a last minute attempt. We had to run an errand at the wedding venue (two weeks earlier our youngest wed Jeremy) so we drove over to the horse barn. I asked them if they had seen the killdeer that lived along the gravel road to the horse barn. Neither man had, so I was really excited that I saw the bird rise up from her nest and start to do the "oh poor me, I've broken my wing, I hope you don't chase me" routine. Because I saw where she was sitting, I was able to show the boys the 4 very well camouflaged eggs sitting in the slight depression.
We carried on to the public land and found no one parked in any of the parking lots we passed to get to our destination. Gearing up, Jeremy showed me he well remembered how to load the shotgun, and off we went. Clearing the tree ringing the parking area, I saw a hen feeding in the adjacent field. Jeremy immediately got her in the binoculars, it took a bit longer for Dave to find her. But he was the first to announce that there was a second bird near her.
We were heading where they were going, so we got to carefully sneak closer to the two hens, getting in a good whispered conversation about turkey behavior. Eventually we got close enough that they finally figured we were within scaring distance and took wing. It is impressive any time you get to watch such big birds fly off, and this was no exception.
Tucking ourselves into the woods, we settled in for a quiet watch of the field. With no appreciable wind (say what??? Kansas, no wind???? that's not like you!) we took turns nodding off for short naps. More hens, several deer and some amazing field birds enjoyed later, it was time to head home.
To summarize my spring season, I hunted more days early with crossbow and shotgun (Thanks COVID19 business shutdown) and did get my one allowed south central tom. I traveled twice to try to get a North Central Kansas bird and while I never saw a bird while I had a shotgun in my hand, it was good to get around and see some new country. If Kansas biologists continue to limit bag limits to one bird, I have a few properties enrolled in WIHA that will receive some of ol' kansasdad's footprints next year.
kansassoninlaw was up for an attempt to get his first turkey, so Jeremy, his father and I went out to the public hunting area for a last minute attempt. We had to run an errand at the wedding venue (two weeks earlier our youngest wed Jeremy) so we drove over to the horse barn. I asked them if they had seen the killdeer that lived along the gravel road to the horse barn. Neither man had, so I was really excited that I saw the bird rise up from her nest and start to do the "oh poor me, I've broken my wing, I hope you don't chase me" routine. Because I saw where she was sitting, I was able to show the boys the 4 very well camouflaged eggs sitting in the slight depression.
We carried on to the public land and found no one parked in any of the parking lots we passed to get to our destination. Gearing up, Jeremy showed me he well remembered how to load the shotgun, and off we went. Clearing the tree ringing the parking area, I saw a hen feeding in the adjacent field. Jeremy immediately got her in the binoculars, it took a bit longer for Dave to find her. But he was the first to announce that there was a second bird near her.
We were heading where they were going, so we got to carefully sneak closer to the two hens, getting in a good whispered conversation about turkey behavior. Eventually we got close enough that they finally figured we were within scaring distance and took wing. It is impressive any time you get to watch such big birds fly off, and this was no exception.
Tucking ourselves into the woods, we settled in for a quiet watch of the field. With no appreciable wind (say what??? Kansas, no wind???? that's not like you!) we took turns nodding off for short naps. More hens, several deer and some amazing field birds enjoyed later, it was time to head home.
To summarize my spring season, I hunted more days early with crossbow and shotgun (Thanks COVID19 business shutdown) and did get my one allowed south central tom. I traveled twice to try to get a North Central Kansas bird and while I never saw a bird while I had a shotgun in my hand, it was good to get around and see some new country. If Kansas biologists continue to limit bag limits to one bird, I have a few properties enrolled in WIHA that will receive some of ol' kansasdad's footprints next year.
TheBenHoyle
Well-known member
Thanks for sharing al of this. Your stories are great and your pictures are too. I can't wait til I get my next turkey so I can try that carnitas recipe.
Fall turkey season opens tomorrow, 10/1/2020. It will be a much shorter season than previous years, as the Game Commission compromised on two options.....completely close fall hunting of turkeys, or keep it the way it has always been. We now have October and the first ten days of November to make it happen. This will mean that there will be much less incidental hunting of turkeys over most of Kansas as pheasant/quail opens the next weekend.
I drove around "my" public lands last weekend for a scouting expedition, trying to figure out which fields (if any) had been harvested yet. No deer sighted, and only old turkey sign was found. I think that having a firearms only buck tag will let me concentrate a little bit more on finding some hunt-able birds than in previous years.
I drove around "my" public lands last weekend for a scouting expedition, trying to figure out which fields (if any) had been harvested yet. No deer sighted, and only old turkey sign was found. I think that having a firearms only buck tag will let me concentrate a little bit more on finding some hunt-able birds than in previous years.
I ventured out at 0'dark thirty to see about a fall turkey (bow or shotgun) or perhaps a whitetail doe (bow only).
The private land 80 acres of wildlife heaven has changed hands and I feel very fortunate that the new land owners have extended permission for me to continue outdoors adventuring there. There have been changes on the land as the old crumbling AirStream campers that provided a wind break on multiple occasions are gone. So is the 1940's flatbed truck, and the unsafe falling down cabin is at the landfill. Cedars had been encroaching for years, but have been cleared from lots of spots on the property.
I was surprised to see a deer feeder as I walked in, and later I found out that this feeder is monitored by another hunter via cellular connection. Said hunter called the landowners at 7:30 (sunrise was 7:29 this morning) asking if the landowners knew that someone (ME!!) was hunting on their land. Note to self: find out phone number and name of hunter so that we can coordinate hunt locations.
In years past, I have seen turkeys on the property right up to the turkey opener, around October 1st. I was hoping for roosted birds, but never heard or saw one. They are probably starting to migrate south to winter roosting areas. Some years I have seen 3-400 birds in their winter flock 5 miles south on a State Lake that is off limits to hunting.
I did have fun watching deer filter into the big hayfield in the minutes just before sunrise. The first to appear from the milo field, partially hidden in the freezing rain/fog was a mature doe. For a moment it looked like she was going to walk to the treeline, and then turn and walk towards me. I hunched down and kept on eye on her progress as over the next minute three bucks appeared on my side of the fence. A yearling, 2 year old and probably a 3 year old with a wildly asymptomatic rack were feeding and moving, and then the biggest boy came over to remind the youngun's that he was their superior. A half-hearted antler joust followed, and then they all looked at each other as if to say, "what's up with you?".
Meanwhile, the doe ducked into the woods, probably looking for a bedding spot.
It finally was time to leave the hayfield, and before I packed up, I needed to "take care of business". I had finally seen the trail camera looking over the corn feeder, so I made sure to step behind one of the huge piles of cedar trees waiting for a day when it will be safe to burn.
On the way out, I had one more deer flag at me, so hopefully it will be just a matter of time before a doe gets an SUV ride back to kansasdad's garage for a little quality time aging before the vacuum sealer gets to go to work.
The private land 80 acres of wildlife heaven has changed hands and I feel very fortunate that the new land owners have extended permission for me to continue outdoors adventuring there. There have been changes on the land as the old crumbling AirStream campers that provided a wind break on multiple occasions are gone. So is the 1940's flatbed truck, and the unsafe falling down cabin is at the landfill. Cedars had been encroaching for years, but have been cleared from lots of spots on the property.
I was surprised to see a deer feeder as I walked in, and later I found out that this feeder is monitored by another hunter via cellular connection. Said hunter called the landowners at 7:30 (sunrise was 7:29 this morning) asking if the landowners knew that someone (ME!!) was hunting on their land. Note to self: find out phone number and name of hunter so that we can coordinate hunt locations.
In years past, I have seen turkeys on the property right up to the turkey opener, around October 1st. I was hoping for roosted birds, but never heard or saw one. They are probably starting to migrate south to winter roosting areas. Some years I have seen 3-400 birds in their winter flock 5 miles south on a State Lake that is off limits to hunting.
I did have fun watching deer filter into the big hayfield in the minutes just before sunrise. The first to appear from the milo field, partially hidden in the freezing rain/fog was a mature doe. For a moment it looked like she was going to walk to the treeline, and then turn and walk towards me. I hunched down and kept on eye on her progress as over the next minute three bucks appeared on my side of the fence. A yearling, 2 year old and probably a 3 year old with a wildly asymptomatic rack were feeding and moving, and then the biggest boy came over to remind the youngun's that he was their superior. A half-hearted antler joust followed, and then they all looked at each other as if to say, "what's up with you?".
Meanwhile, the doe ducked into the woods, probably looking for a bedding spot.
It finally was time to leave the hayfield, and before I packed up, I needed to "take care of business". I had finally seen the trail camera looking over the corn feeder, so I made sure to step behind one of the huge piles of cedar trees waiting for a day when it will be safe to burn.
On the way out, I had one more deer flag at me, so hopefully it will be just a matter of time before a doe gets an SUV ride back to kansasdad's garage for a little quality time aging before the vacuum sealer gets to go to work.
Hot tip from a patient about a flock of turkeys on public land that might need to be pursued. Randy has a tag for the very first time and has asked me to help him get his first turkey. I'm hoping we can pull it off this weekend.
Miss Corona is roaring full steam ahead in Kansas, and in particular in Wichita, and she has come to visit my office and family. Staff are on quarantine, and Mrs kansasdad and kansasdaughter2 have been tested (pending and positive results respectively) and I knew that I had one more weekend to get a fall bird.
Randy was doing some business in western Kansas on the weekend, but he shared with me that he had had an encounter with some turkeys, shooting and missing. He and I texted back and forth, so I was getting some first hand scouting Intel to improve my odds.
The public land that rings most Kansas impoundments is subject to flooding in high water years as most of the impoundments were originally made for flood control. The upper reaches of the reservoirs are generally heavily treed along the feeder streams/rivers, and CRP and crop fields make up the balance of the acreage.
Randy had told me where he had been seeing birds, so I made plans to go find a flock and get my ninja on. The south winds were howling, and I felt sorry for any elevated tree stand deer hunters swinging in the trees.
Arriving at the public lands I drove around with my OnX aiding my bearings as I tried to incorporate Randy's scouting reports with my personal memories of the land. Most of the ag fields were planted to winter wheat, and this wheat is about a month behind in growth due to drought in south central Kansas. Other fields were cut corn and harvested milo.
I found a off road parking area and grabbed my gear to head towards the back of the property. Deer sign was minimal, but there was one set of bigger tracks that caught my attention. I followed the deer trail into the treeline lining the ag field, and it was there that I found a folded up turkey decoy laying there. Whittling the stick to sharpen the ends, I put the decoy out just on the edge of the woods. I placed it into the middle of a leafless shrub to prevent the decoy from pinwheeling in the gusty winds and settled down to wait for the flock to appear.
I decided to wait at least until 4 pm to keep watch on the CRP north of me and the winter wheat field south of me, hoping that the bachelor flock of toms and jakes would grace me with their presence. At 4:03 I looked up and saw the first of a dozen birds spilling out of the trees across the way. It was so gusty that it seemed that sometimes it was pushing the birds into a near topple situation. My range finder confirmed that the flock was over 100 yards away, but they were angling in right to left and slightly towards me directions.
If I had decisively moved right when I saw them to try to guess their general direction, it might have worked. Instead I moved to the edge of the treeline and hoped that they would see the decoy and drift closer my way. The wind was so strong that my gobbler yelps coming off my slate call probably never reached their ears.
Never getting closer than 67 yards, and never presenting me with safe shot at a single bird off by himself to shoot at, I gladly passed, but made plans to try to flank the flock once they left the wheat field.
I made my move to get ahead of their direction of travel. Hustling and staying low and not worrying about making noise (THANKS, KANSAS WIND MONSTERS!) I was about 70 yards away in a trailing position when a jake turned around and caught me between clumps of grass. Putting to alert the whole flock, 24 eyes were "up periscope" and searching for danger. Not really knowing what was up, the flock shifted into a faster walking gear, and continued headed towards their favorite roosting area. I made it back to the SUV, and drove down the road, trying to get into an ambush position.
Sadly for me, I didn't see the flock again, and I knew that my fall season was done, as I wasn't going to get out on Sunday.
I texted Randy about my day afield, and he was excited that I had seen "our" flock of birds. He suggested that I just go ahead and cancel patients on Monday so that we could hunt together, but I wished him well and told him that Saturday had been my last chance to get a fall bird.
(Next installment.....Randy's hi-jinx afield)
Randy was doing some business in western Kansas on the weekend, but he shared with me that he had had an encounter with some turkeys, shooting and missing. He and I texted back and forth, so I was getting some first hand scouting Intel to improve my odds.
The public land that rings most Kansas impoundments is subject to flooding in high water years as most of the impoundments were originally made for flood control. The upper reaches of the reservoirs are generally heavily treed along the feeder streams/rivers, and CRP and crop fields make up the balance of the acreage.
Randy had told me where he had been seeing birds, so I made plans to go find a flock and get my ninja on. The south winds were howling, and I felt sorry for any elevated tree stand deer hunters swinging in the trees.
Arriving at the public lands I drove around with my OnX aiding my bearings as I tried to incorporate Randy's scouting reports with my personal memories of the land. Most of the ag fields were planted to winter wheat, and this wheat is about a month behind in growth due to drought in south central Kansas. Other fields were cut corn and harvested milo.
I found a off road parking area and grabbed my gear to head towards the back of the property. Deer sign was minimal, but there was one set of bigger tracks that caught my attention. I followed the deer trail into the treeline lining the ag field, and it was there that I found a folded up turkey decoy laying there. Whittling the stick to sharpen the ends, I put the decoy out just on the edge of the woods. I placed it into the middle of a leafless shrub to prevent the decoy from pinwheeling in the gusty winds and settled down to wait for the flock to appear.
I decided to wait at least until 4 pm to keep watch on the CRP north of me and the winter wheat field south of me, hoping that the bachelor flock of toms and jakes would grace me with their presence. At 4:03 I looked up and saw the first of a dozen birds spilling out of the trees across the way. It was so gusty that it seemed that sometimes it was pushing the birds into a near topple situation. My range finder confirmed that the flock was over 100 yards away, but they were angling in right to left and slightly towards me directions.
If I had decisively moved right when I saw them to try to guess their general direction, it might have worked. Instead I moved to the edge of the treeline and hoped that they would see the decoy and drift closer my way. The wind was so strong that my gobbler yelps coming off my slate call probably never reached their ears.
Never getting closer than 67 yards, and never presenting me with safe shot at a single bird off by himself to shoot at, I gladly passed, but made plans to try to flank the flock once they left the wheat field.
I made my move to get ahead of their direction of travel. Hustling and staying low and not worrying about making noise (THANKS, KANSAS WIND MONSTERS!) I was about 70 yards away in a trailing position when a jake turned around and caught me between clumps of grass. Putting to alert the whole flock, 24 eyes were "up periscope" and searching for danger. Not really knowing what was up, the flock shifted into a faster walking gear, and continued headed towards their favorite roosting area. I made it back to the SUV, and drove down the road, trying to get into an ambush position.
Sadly for me, I didn't see the flock again, and I knew that my fall season was done, as I wasn't going to get out on Sunday.
I texted Randy about my day afield, and he was excited that I had seen "our" flock of birds. He suggested that I just go ahead and cancel patients on Monday so that we could hunt together, but I wished him well and told him that Saturday had been my last chance to get a fall bird.
(Next installment.....Randy's hi-jinx afield)
Randy my patient/friend has taken a seven day trial of On-x and he screenshotted a map showing me where he had seen "our" flock of birds early Monday morning, and how he had maneuvered into a shooting position.
He saw a well beaten trail crossing the wildlife area access road and decided to follow it and see what would happen. Parking and shutting the door quietly, he walked softly down the trail...
Here is his text to me:
"I know there's a wheat field ahead
In my future, a turkey will soon be dead.
When as I approach what did I see??
A flock of turkeys who haven't seen me!
I froze and with my shotgun I drew a bead!
The turkeys were so close I think I peed!
The first turkey walked past through my line of sight.
The second on was so big he blocked out the sun with his height.
Excitedly I shot at the monster turkey I'd seen.
All the birds flew away I'd missed him clean.
DAD GUM IT!!"
Randy told me that he was making plans to go back after them Monday afternoon and we texted back and forth about what might have happened. I told him that when I'm lining up my turkey gun, I concentrate on making sure I have my cheek down on the stock firmly, and Randy allowed that he probably was peeking over his gun and had shot high.
Instead of going out Monday afternoon, Randy went out Tuesday morning, the last day of the season. At 10 am I get a text, and there is a perfect "as they lay" photo of a young jake that Randy had just connected on.
He asked if it was a hen or a jake, and I texted to him how one can find the beginning nubs of a beard down in his feathers.
He told me that he had busted up a flock of birds inadvertantly, but had waited for awhile, and found out where they were regrouping, and found a way to work into shooting distance and got his first turkey.
His next text to me warmed ol kansadad's heart......."Now I understand, master, why u pursue the Wild Turkey"
I told Randy that I'd love to share his story of his first turkey. Sure, he replied, but with a couple of conditions.......Don't mention where "our" flock lives, and you have to post my poem!
His bird has been eating well, sprouted wheat, wheat seed and soybeans amoung morsels in his crop and gizzard.
My fall birds that have similar crop contents have always smelled like a fresh spring day just after a thunderstorm has passed by recently.
He saw a well beaten trail crossing the wildlife area access road and decided to follow it and see what would happen. Parking and shutting the door quietly, he walked softly down the trail...
Here is his text to me:
"I know there's a wheat field ahead
In my future, a turkey will soon be dead.
When as I approach what did I see??
A flock of turkeys who haven't seen me!
I froze and with my shotgun I drew a bead!
The turkeys were so close I think I peed!
The first turkey walked past through my line of sight.
The second on was so big he blocked out the sun with his height.
Excitedly I shot at the monster turkey I'd seen.
All the birds flew away I'd missed him clean.
DAD GUM IT!!"
Randy told me that he was making plans to go back after them Monday afternoon and we texted back and forth about what might have happened. I told him that when I'm lining up my turkey gun, I concentrate on making sure I have my cheek down on the stock firmly, and Randy allowed that he probably was peeking over his gun and had shot high.
Instead of going out Monday afternoon, Randy went out Tuesday morning, the last day of the season. At 10 am I get a text, and there is a perfect "as they lay" photo of a young jake that Randy had just connected on.
He asked if it was a hen or a jake, and I texted to him how one can find the beginning nubs of a beard down in his feathers.
He told me that he had busted up a flock of birds inadvertantly, but had waited for awhile, and found out where they were regrouping, and found a way to work into shooting distance and got his first turkey.
His next text to me warmed ol kansadad's heart......."Now I understand, master, why u pursue the Wild Turkey"
I told Randy that I'd love to share his story of his first turkey. Sure, he replied, but with a couple of conditions.......Don't mention where "our" flock lives, and you have to post my poem!
His bird has been eating well, sprouted wheat, wheat seed and soybeans amoung morsels in his crop and gizzard.
My fall birds that have similar crop contents have always smelled like a fresh spring day just after a thunderstorm has passed by recently.
Time to spray the permethrin and make sure the weapons are hitting where I’m aiming as spring turkey season opens on April 1st for youth and disabled. I will only be able to get one bird in my neck of the woods, but can travel north to harvest a second one.
As a reminder to Kansas turkey hunters, if you purchase the “spring combo permit/tag” before the season opens, you will save a few dollars.
“My“ Birds have split up there winter flock and are heading towards their nesting habitats. I’ve been watching the YouTube Florida videos to get the brain thinking turkeys.
Looking forward to helping several new hunters have their first encounters with gobbling birds, and also looking forward to putting the new smoker to good use with harvests.
As a reminder to Kansas turkey hunters, if you purchase the “spring combo permit/tag” before the season opens, you will save a few dollars.
“My“ Birds have split up there winter flock and are heading towards their nesting habitats. I’ve been watching the YouTube Florida videos to get the brain thinking turkeys.
Looking forward to helping several new hunters have their first encounters with gobbling birds, and also looking forward to putting the new smoker to good use with harvests.
maconbacon
Active member
Good luck! Looking forward to getting back out there soon!
We are going to pass on Kansas this year. While we have a couple great farms to hunt, it is just too far to travel for one bird. We are hopping the population of turkeys rebounds soon ! We'll be applying for deer tags next month !!
Friday 4/9/21
As often happens, the weather in Kansas was changing. Several days in a row with highs in the 70's and 80's was predicted to be heading downwards on Friday as a powerful front was coming from the north. I drove towards "my" public wildlife area under blue skies, but the cold gray clouds were visible on the horizon.
Doing my mantra chant of "nobody, nobody, nobody" I pulled into the parking lot with a happy grin on my face. No other vehicles here, and this was my first day to hunt turkeys in 2021. I got geared up, cocked the bow, and headed down the well worn trail. Cut corn field near the road, and further away milo and soybeans along the watershed woodlots where I have taken many turkeys were devoid of turkeys as I scanned with the binoculars.
As I neared the far end of the skinny beanfield, I inhaled sharply as I saw a white blob moving in the woods edge, and there I was in the middle of the field. Dropping to my knees hoping that he would pop his fan and blind himself from my presence, I grabbed again for my binoculars. Searching the trees for his head, I caught just another flash of white, and I imagined that he was showing off for some of his ladies, picking the lee side of the woodlot to avoid the building wind gusts. The white blob moved deeper into the woodlot, and I presumed that he had seen me and was getting out of there post haste.
Keeping a big cottonwood trunk between where I had seen him last and myself, I put myself in ninja mode and tried to make myself as silent and smooth as possible. Nearing the edge of the trees I strained to see his head, or a fan, or one of his honeys.
What I found instead of a turkey was an albino dove. White head and white body, I hadn't really seen a tom turkey all fired up after all.
Our family calls the big field that borders the main river "applecore" as one spring a long time ago, I found a log blind that had 5 applecores strewn around the ground. Each one was one day older than the last, so I presumed that the hunter had set here 5 days in a row. Two weeks earlier Mrs kansasdad and I had hiked back to applecore and found exactly zero turkey sign. The field was empty of turkeys, and the wind was really picking up.
I headed downwind to get to a bend in the tree/field border that would provide nice wind protection. This spot is also a major funnel used by deer and turkeys to leave the field. Down in the bottoms there wasn't much wind moving, but the tops of the trees were waving heavily. Easing back out of the bottoms, I glassed across the field, still seeing no turkeys. Hanging around for a few minutes I scanned the far side of the field at the treeline, and was finally rewarded with a couple of hens eating along the edge. The wind was whipping them as they worked there way across the field towards me, and as they neared my side of the field I stepped back from the edge and hoped a tom would soon be headed my way following them.
Glancing down, I saw culinary nirvana. With a quick inhale of breath, surprised, I saw a big morel. Not moving, I memorized where this mushroom was, and concentrated, trying for find another one. Scanning a bit to the right, I found my second one. Glancing back out to the field, I saw no tom, and I figured with daylight almost over, with wind picking up and the temps dropping, my turkey hunt had just become a morel hunt. In the end I finished with 5, and just as I headed out of the woods, here came the rain.
When I left the parking area it had been 80 degrees. Getting back to the car, it was rainy and 43.
Thanks again Kansas, you provided a lovely turkey adventure.
As often happens, the weather in Kansas was changing. Several days in a row with highs in the 70's and 80's was predicted to be heading downwards on Friday as a powerful front was coming from the north. I drove towards "my" public wildlife area under blue skies, but the cold gray clouds were visible on the horizon.
Doing my mantra chant of "nobody, nobody, nobody" I pulled into the parking lot with a happy grin on my face. No other vehicles here, and this was my first day to hunt turkeys in 2021. I got geared up, cocked the bow, and headed down the well worn trail. Cut corn field near the road, and further away milo and soybeans along the watershed woodlots where I have taken many turkeys were devoid of turkeys as I scanned with the binoculars.
As I neared the far end of the skinny beanfield, I inhaled sharply as I saw a white blob moving in the woods edge, and there I was in the middle of the field. Dropping to my knees hoping that he would pop his fan and blind himself from my presence, I grabbed again for my binoculars. Searching the trees for his head, I caught just another flash of white, and I imagined that he was showing off for some of his ladies, picking the lee side of the woodlot to avoid the building wind gusts. The white blob moved deeper into the woodlot, and I presumed that he had seen me and was getting out of there post haste.
Keeping a big cottonwood trunk between where I had seen him last and myself, I put myself in ninja mode and tried to make myself as silent and smooth as possible. Nearing the edge of the trees I strained to see his head, or a fan, or one of his honeys.
What I found instead of a turkey was an albino dove. White head and white body, I hadn't really seen a tom turkey all fired up after all.
Our family calls the big field that borders the main river "applecore" as one spring a long time ago, I found a log blind that had 5 applecores strewn around the ground. Each one was one day older than the last, so I presumed that the hunter had set here 5 days in a row. Two weeks earlier Mrs kansasdad and I had hiked back to applecore and found exactly zero turkey sign. The field was empty of turkeys, and the wind was really picking up.
I headed downwind to get to a bend in the tree/field border that would provide nice wind protection. This spot is also a major funnel used by deer and turkeys to leave the field. Down in the bottoms there wasn't much wind moving, but the tops of the trees were waving heavily. Easing back out of the bottoms, I glassed across the field, still seeing no turkeys. Hanging around for a few minutes I scanned the far side of the field at the treeline, and was finally rewarded with a couple of hens eating along the edge. The wind was whipping them as they worked there way across the field towards me, and as they neared my side of the field I stepped back from the edge and hoped a tom would soon be headed my way following them.
Glancing down, I saw culinary nirvana. With a quick inhale of breath, surprised, I saw a big morel. Not moving, I memorized where this mushroom was, and concentrated, trying for find another one. Scanning a bit to the right, I found my second one. Glancing back out to the field, I saw no tom, and I figured with daylight almost over, with wind picking up and the temps dropping, my turkey hunt had just become a morel hunt. In the end I finished with 5, and just as I headed out of the woods, here came the rain.
When I left the parking area it had been 80 degrees. Getting back to the car, it was rainy and 43.
Thanks again Kansas, you provided a lovely turkey adventure.
Attachments
The alarm went off at 4 am Sunday as I had decided to take care of projects around the house on the gusty Saturday. Driving towards a parcel of private land that I have permission to hunt, I was out of the car and walking down the road towards the gate when the train sounded its horn. Gobbles rang out south, north and east of me. As is my custom, I started to keep track of how many gobbles I would hear this day.
The new owners of the 80 acres have put in major sweat equity into their land. The tenant farmer hadn't cut the east hay field in the last 5 years, but L and K had bushogged the woody shrubs off the field, and it once again will be available for prairie grass cuttings. The big pond in the middle of the property marked the dividing line where I had permission to hunt, as the west half of the property was where a local construction owner would hunt.
By the time I had reached the spot where I had planned to set up, I had heard over 60 gobbles. Setting up in the dawning of the day, I was thrilled that there were birds with which to play both on the property, or just across the road.
As I fiddled around with my setup, I heard the soft yet distinct "PUTT" of a turkey. Looking upwards and thirty yards over, I saw a hen turkey was giving me the stare down. She hung up in her tree for over thirty minutes, at first falling back asleep, or so it seemed, before rousing herself again, and nervously trying to figure out a way to leave her tree, but not get any closer to the darkish blob on the ground.
With a few scant moments left before the sun peaked over the hill, I could tell that at least a couple of the gobbles were getting closure. Before too long, I saw two jakes heading up the field, across the hayfield from where I was waiting in ambush. They would both gobble with every call that I made, but they didn't alter their course of travel. The cornfield to the north was ringing out the breakfast dinner bell and they were beating feet to get there.
Shortly after they went out of sight, I saw 5 deer heading in the opposite direction of the turkeys. Two does, and three youngsters, I wondered if a couple of the young were the offspring of my January doe, taken 300 yards away from where I was currently sitting. The progression of the deer herd was stopped as a truck drove down the back country road, causing them to run back from where they had appeared.
In a few minutes, I saw the bobbing heads of turkeys in the tall grass of the hayfield. 3 hens were in the lead, and characteristically, a tom was lagging behind. He advanced to an open grove of trees in the middle of the hayfield and worked to put on a show for the ladies.
I would call, and he would answer, popping a full fan and doing his little dance. He and his little group of hens would drift slightly up field, then down field, closer, then farther away. If I remained silent, he would of his own volition gobble and even double gobble, and was eager to respond to various other noises in the early morning. Train horns, cows mooing, crows cawing, and even quail bob-whiting would get him to gobble.
The hens started drifting towards me at an angle, and my pulse rate picked up just a bit. He was following along, and they all drifted just out of range heading towards a pile of ashes left by a very large burn pile of the previously offending shrubs hogged out of the field. I could not directly see what was happening, but the fine white dust drifting away from the ash pile told the story that the girls were doing a big dust bath.
He never made it to the ash pile, and then I could tell that his demeanor changed in an instant. Looking up field, he popped his fan, gobbled, and was starting to walk with a purpose towards me. Two heat seeking missiles were streaking in from the left. It was the two jakes of earlier this morning, and he started running towards them. As they met, they all three leapt into the air, and went for wing blows, head strikes and spur hits. They went at it for some time, with the two jakes going into retreat mode. He would blow up his torso, drop his wings and spread his fan and posture anytime one of the junior birds would even think about heading towards his hens. They would reverse course, and he would relax just a bit. They would turn around and he would puff up and push them back away.
The jakes drifted towards the treeline where I was hiding behind some piled up dirt. I told myself that I wasn't going to shot a jake, as it was early in the season. I did get my scope on the bigger of the two birds, and mentally practiced lethal shooting solutions.
These jakes sorely tempted me, as they moved along in the edge of the field, just 20-30 yards away.
And I started to rationalize my earlier decision to not shoot a jake. I've watched multiple 2021 Florida turkey hunts on YouTube this spring, with most of those toms weighing around 15-18 pounds. These jakes would probably come in around 13-15 pounds. And you've got those morels soaked and salted and sitting in the refrigerator just begging to be paired with some good free range organic Kansas turkey.
I held strong, the hens decided that going west towards the other hayfield and points north sounded good. The tom followed, and eventually the jakes walked across the perfect shooting alley and also headed west.
Part II of Sunday to follow........
The new owners of the 80 acres have put in major sweat equity into their land. The tenant farmer hadn't cut the east hay field in the last 5 years, but L and K had bushogged the woody shrubs off the field, and it once again will be available for prairie grass cuttings. The big pond in the middle of the property marked the dividing line where I had permission to hunt, as the west half of the property was where a local construction owner would hunt.
By the time I had reached the spot where I had planned to set up, I had heard over 60 gobbles. Setting up in the dawning of the day, I was thrilled that there were birds with which to play both on the property, or just across the road.
As I fiddled around with my setup, I heard the soft yet distinct "PUTT" of a turkey. Looking upwards and thirty yards over, I saw a hen turkey was giving me the stare down. She hung up in her tree for over thirty minutes, at first falling back asleep, or so it seemed, before rousing herself again, and nervously trying to figure out a way to leave her tree, but not get any closer to the darkish blob on the ground.
With a few scant moments left before the sun peaked over the hill, I could tell that at least a couple of the gobbles were getting closure. Before too long, I saw two jakes heading up the field, across the hayfield from where I was waiting in ambush. They would both gobble with every call that I made, but they didn't alter their course of travel. The cornfield to the north was ringing out the breakfast dinner bell and they were beating feet to get there.
Shortly after they went out of sight, I saw 5 deer heading in the opposite direction of the turkeys. Two does, and three youngsters, I wondered if a couple of the young were the offspring of my January doe, taken 300 yards away from where I was currently sitting. The progression of the deer herd was stopped as a truck drove down the back country road, causing them to run back from where they had appeared.
In a few minutes, I saw the bobbing heads of turkeys in the tall grass of the hayfield. 3 hens were in the lead, and characteristically, a tom was lagging behind. He advanced to an open grove of trees in the middle of the hayfield and worked to put on a show for the ladies.
I would call, and he would answer, popping a full fan and doing his little dance. He and his little group of hens would drift slightly up field, then down field, closer, then farther away. If I remained silent, he would of his own volition gobble and even double gobble, and was eager to respond to various other noises in the early morning. Train horns, cows mooing, crows cawing, and even quail bob-whiting would get him to gobble.
The hens started drifting towards me at an angle, and my pulse rate picked up just a bit. He was following along, and they all drifted just out of range heading towards a pile of ashes left by a very large burn pile of the previously offending shrubs hogged out of the field. I could not directly see what was happening, but the fine white dust drifting away from the ash pile told the story that the girls were doing a big dust bath.
He never made it to the ash pile, and then I could tell that his demeanor changed in an instant. Looking up field, he popped his fan, gobbled, and was starting to walk with a purpose towards me. Two heat seeking missiles were streaking in from the left. It was the two jakes of earlier this morning, and he started running towards them. As they met, they all three leapt into the air, and went for wing blows, head strikes and spur hits. They went at it for some time, with the two jakes going into retreat mode. He would blow up his torso, drop his wings and spread his fan and posture anytime one of the junior birds would even think about heading towards his hens. They would reverse course, and he would relax just a bit. They would turn around and he would puff up and push them back away. The jakes drifted towards the treeline where I was hiding behind some piled up dirt. I told myself that I wasn't going to shot a jake, as it was early in the season. I did get my scope on the bigger of the two birds, and mentally practiced lethal shooting solutions.
These jakes sorely tempted me, as they moved along in the edge of the field, just 20-30 yards away.
And I started to rationalize my earlier decision to not shoot a jake. I've watched multiple 2021 Florida turkey hunts on YouTube this spring, with most of those toms weighing around 15-18 pounds. These jakes would probably come in around 13-15 pounds. And you've got those morels soaked and salted and sitting in the refrigerator just begging to be paired with some good free range organic Kansas turkey.
I held strong, the hens decided that going west towards the other hayfield and points north sounded good. The tom followed, and eventually the jakes walked across the perfect shooting alley and also headed west.
Part II of Sunday to follow........
I picked up my gear and headed up the watercourse, hoping that the tom and his girls would be loafing in the west hayfield, and would eventually want to come to the woods as it continued to warm up. I walked to the north property line and turned west into the woods. Creeping along I was simultaneously watching for turkey and deer sign (LOTS OF IT!) and hoping to find some more morels. Reaching the tiny stream that is my permission boundary, I found a huge cottonwood to use as a backrest and got ready to call some birds off the field above me.
I yelped, and immediately got a response from several turkeys. A booming gobble, and a couple of less convincing jake-like gobbles. I kept looking at the horizon where the trees ended and the hayfield started, and every once in awhile I would see just the noggin of a turkey through the screen of trees. I called again, and now it seemed like maybe the tom had drifted north, while the jakes were lagging behind.
It was getting warmer, and I was starting to feel drowsy. I thought I'd "just close my eyes for 10 seconds", and of course, who knows how long they remained closed as my head started the head bobbing of a man trying to stay alert.
Glancing up and to my right, I saw two red heads weaving their way down the hill towards the creek. They were heading my way, but more to the right than I had anticipated. Slowing their forward speed as they reached the open edge of the creek, it seemed like they were in full "where are you??" mode, looking for the seductive hen who had been calling to them every so often.
Just as I saw them, I repeated my thought about not shooting a jake today........but they were just standing there, kinda begging for it! My crossbow was on my lap, pointing towards the left. They were to my right, thus bringing the bow up and getting it on my shoulder was nearly an impossible task. I decided that if the jakes would allow me to slowly one handed bring the bow up and swing it over and not spook, I would have to have a go at taking him home with me.
As I started moving the bow, they decided to keep moving further to my right. The bigger of the two was ahead, and he jumped the creek and went behind a screen of shrubs. I had timed the arc of the movement of the bow to be descending onto the jake's vitals just as he went passed the shrubs. Squeezing the trigger, I was surprised to see the bolt hit a heretofore unseen small tree branch and fly over the jake's back.
Sounding off like a couple of barnyard chickens in a dustup, the jakes moved further right, and then behind the tree I was resting against. Still incredulous that I had missed, I just sat there in slight disgust. I texted Mrs kansasdad to find out how her morning was going, and told the story of the tree branch deflection.
Fifteen minutes later, still a tad ticked off, I yelped, and immediately had the two jakes sound off behind me. I called, and it seemed like they were heading back to the scene of the miss. I swiveled my body to the right so that I could get the bow on the sticks and be really ready this time. The two jakes used the same gametrail through the woods to get back to the little opening, and this time I didn't miss.
The arrowed bird jumped/flapped about 5 yards, tried to take flight, went about 10 yards, and crashed into the underbrush, wings flapping with no coordination. His buddy went over to check on him, and after the thrashing ended, the living jake went back up the hill. I sat there for enough time to make sure he was really expired and made my way over the my 2021 turkey.
Pass through arrow is found
As was the flight feather that took the first contact
I love the multicolored nature of turkey feathers
I yelped, and immediately got a response from several turkeys. A booming gobble, and a couple of less convincing jake-like gobbles. I kept looking at the horizon where the trees ended and the hayfield started, and every once in awhile I would see just the noggin of a turkey through the screen of trees. I called again, and now it seemed like maybe the tom had drifted north, while the jakes were lagging behind.
It was getting warmer, and I was starting to feel drowsy. I thought I'd "just close my eyes for 10 seconds", and of course, who knows how long they remained closed as my head started the head bobbing of a man trying to stay alert.
Glancing up and to my right, I saw two red heads weaving their way down the hill towards the creek. They were heading my way, but more to the right than I had anticipated. Slowing their forward speed as they reached the open edge of the creek, it seemed like they were in full "where are you??" mode, looking for the seductive hen who had been calling to them every so often.
Just as I saw them, I repeated my thought about not shooting a jake today........but they were just standing there, kinda begging for it! My crossbow was on my lap, pointing towards the left. They were to my right, thus bringing the bow up and getting it on my shoulder was nearly an impossible task. I decided that if the jakes would allow me to slowly one handed bring the bow up and swing it over and not spook, I would have to have a go at taking him home with me.
As I started moving the bow, they decided to keep moving further to my right. The bigger of the two was ahead, and he jumped the creek and went behind a screen of shrubs. I had timed the arc of the movement of the bow to be descending onto the jake's vitals just as he went passed the shrubs. Squeezing the trigger, I was surprised to see the bolt hit a heretofore unseen small tree branch and fly over the jake's back.
Sounding off like a couple of barnyard chickens in a dustup, the jakes moved further right, and then behind the tree I was resting against. Still incredulous that I had missed, I just sat there in slight disgust. I texted Mrs kansasdad to find out how her morning was going, and told the story of the tree branch deflection.
Fifteen minutes later, still a tad ticked off, I yelped, and immediately had the two jakes sound off behind me. I called, and it seemed like they were heading back to the scene of the miss. I swiveled my body to the right so that I could get the bow on the sticks and be really ready this time. The two jakes used the same gametrail through the woods to get back to the little opening, and this time I didn't miss.
The arrowed bird jumped/flapped about 5 yards, tried to take flight, went about 10 yards, and crashed into the underbrush, wings flapping with no coordination. His buddy went over to check on him, and after the thrashing ended, the living jake went back up the hill. I sat there for enough time to make sure he was really expired and made my way over the my 2021 turkey.
Pass through arrow is found
As was the flight feather that took the first contact
I love the multicolored nature of turkey feathers
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