any turkey hunters out there ?

[armedoldhippy]

just about time to be after them big rascals. they have been gobbling & strutting for the ladies for 3 weeks now, despite the weather. i've killed a truck load of these bad boys with a shotgun, so this spring i hope to score with my bow. no pop-up blind or anything, just my mouth calls & my recurve...

 

[BELOW FRIGID]

Our season here in CA starts the last Saturday in March. I have been tempted to use my compound bow, With a recurve though! Who do you think you are, Tred Barta? Good luck! Check out the guillotine broadheads. I love spring turkey hunting. One of my all time favorite things to do! That and catching giant yellowfin tuna!

 

[razor ridge]

2nd week of April here, I hope to get one this year

 

[armedoldhippy]

Our season here in CA starts the last Saturday in March. I have been tempted to use my compound bow, With a recurve though! Who do you think you are, Tred Barta? Good luck! Check out the guillotine broadheads. I love spring turkey hunting. One of my all time favorite things to do! That and catching giant yellowfin tuna!

"giant yellowfin tuna" LOL! never caught a "giant" but have caught them on east coast, off of Hatteras in NC. biggest ran about 75#, but they gave us all we wanted! tasted WONDERFUL too. kept smallest when we got back to dock & fried chunks of it up in a cast iron skillet with 1/2' of melted butter in it....oh my....

 

[armedoldhippy]

forgot to mention, going to 'bama to start the season this year. getting there on the 19th, hunting for the next 10 days. 'bama has more turkeys than people!

 

[armedoldhippy]

saw over 30 gobblers on my 'bama trip, most of them after legal hunting hours were over. killed one last wednesday after it snowed. called it & two others in & give him a rough time with my 10 gauge. boy they taste good!

 

[DevilsReject]

30 pound Tom

30 pound Tom

I bagged this big Tom weighted just over 30 pounds!!

Remington camo Super Mag 12 gauge 5 shot Pump with fiber optic sights useing Remington Nitro #4 shot shells & Primos slate turkey call.

 

[armedoldhippy]

SOB!!! thats a good one! heaviest i have killed so far was around 24#. these mountain birds don't get much corn, & acorns don't get 'em that fat. my useless brother killed his second yesterday. Sunday is end of season...dammit! oh well, only 4 months till archery season opens for whitetails. YEAH!

 

[jagdog3]

My season here in ky start 2-3 weeks from now.Been hearing alot of gobbling cant wait to get after them.Been hunting for over 20 years and i still get just as excited about opening day as when i first started.

 

[Yah`mon]

I'm pretty excited!

I've been an avid whitetail hunter for about 14 years now (bow hunting)

And I finally decided to start turkey hunting this year.

About 7 years ago I started seeing our first group of turkeys on the property... about 7... you would always see them.

Well here we are 7 years later... and I have seen groups of 30-60 all the time.

Recently I've been seeing Tom's all over by themselves.

There is obviously no pressure on these birds in my area... so I imagine it's going to be kinda easy... I could be way off... but I'll prolly call in every bird within half a mile pretty quick.
I hope it's not that easy... but I can get within 40-50 feet of these things without them running off.

My tag is good for May2-May31st
There is an earlier season from April 18-may1st.. but I opted for the later.

Question to the turkey hunters... I have read that turkeys are pretty mature after 3 years of age... and you can check by their spurs... if they are full curved and sharp etc.

My question is.. I know these turkeys haven't been hunted at all... and some Tom's may be as old as 7+ years? If turkeys live that long... what should I hold out for if I want a trophy bird... 11''-12''+ beard?

I'm pretty excited... prolly gonna take my bow.. and give that a try... maybe take the shotgun towards the end of the season.

This is a pic I got of a TOM last week, couldn't get a good enough pic to see his beard, I can't wait for a new cam, I'd like to snap pics of deer and other animals while I'm on stand.

I'm thinking of putting up my trail cam.. get some turkey pics.. .anyone doing this?

Yah`mon

 

[Yah`mon]

Actually I just zoomed into that pic... I think I see a beard now... 8''+ someone give me a 2nd opinion.

Yah`mon

 

[bterzz]

I got a bunch of turkey bags if you guys need them

 

[Yes_I_Am]

gobble gobble gobble, BANG!!!!!!!

looks like turkey for dinner.

 

[strawbrrygirl]

My season starts much later still have another month!! There is also still some snow on the ground here! I havent hunted gobblers in 4 years or so! My last Lab(JACK) was trained to hunt turkey and its legal in my state!! Boy that made turkey huntin so much easier! Never lost a bird with Jack! He did get his ass kicked on occasion by a fiesty bird but this what he lived for!My new lab(BUBBA) is more of a rabbit dog he just cant set still if he is huntin his tail is waggin! Good Huntin all! remember we outdoorsmen are a dyin breed! Hunting is FUN demental!

 

[jagdog3]

Yah ' Mon its usually not that easy.I've hunted a few farms that had no hunting pressure and still had a tough time taking a gobbler.Hens,terrain,fences,and sometimes a gobbler just won't come in even when everything seems perfect.So don't expect every turkey within a half mile to come to your calling.But good luck i hope you fill your tag.

 

[Yah`mon]

thats what I like to hear... was hoping it wasn't going to be like shooting fish in a barrel!

good thing is... trying to nab trophy whitetail... and growing... give one plenty of practice with patients. :lol:
Yah`mon

 

[jagdog3]

Going to my hunting area in the morning,hope to be there way before daylight.Found a couple killer looking spots to grow a few plants back during deer season.So i'll be doing some digging for a couple hours.Should be a good morning to hear birds gobbling,went fishing a couple days ago and the birds around the lake gobbled thier heads off.

 

[Deft]

I was digging holes yesterday in prep for outdoor and a big bearded male marched up 100 yards behind me and seeing me scratching in the dirt started gobbling... scared the shit outta me.

 

[jagdog3]

Weather gonna suck in the morning.Seems like it rains every opening morning of turkey season.Probably won't gobble that great,but guess i'll go get a wet ass.Some people around here have been finding morels so i'll probably hunt for them if the turkey hunting is slow..

 

[jagdog3]

Got lucky this morning the weather was decent for the first hour.Didn't have to go but a couple hundred yards from the truck and got my gobbler.Then the rain started,didn't get to hunt for morels will do that next trip.